Hudnut: Councilman Solomon’s Housing Platform Will Make Jersey City Less Affordable

Candidate Outlines His Plan for Truly Affordable Housing in Jersey City, Draws Sharp Contrast to Opponent’s Destructive Policies

JERSEY CITY, N.J. — Jake Hudnut, running for Jersey City Council Ward E with Mayor Steven Fulop’s endorsement, is expressing concern over Councilman James Solomon’s housing platform, explaining that Solomon’s plan would make Jersey City less affordable for the vast majority of residents, pushing middle class families out, and hindering sustainable development.

“Councilman Solomon’s housing policy claims to be designed to increase affordability in Jersey City, but in reality it would stunt development and make Jersey City less affordable for both middle class and low income residents,” said Hudnut. “I have a plan that takes all of Jersey City into account, and I will work to make Downtown truly affordable for everyone, without unnecessarily stunting development or sacrificing sustainability.”

Councilman Solomon’s housing plan purports to be progressive and achievable, but if put into effect would actually make Jersey City less affordable and devastate the quality of life for residents. His rigid approach would push developers into a corner, limiting sustainable development Downtown, and making it nearly impossible for the city to keep up with exploding demand for housing which would push rents up for current residents. This would only intensify current trends of gentrification in the region that Jersey City has been able to weather due to its ability to build more housing in a sustainable manner, pushing more longtime residents out of Downtown and other neighborhoods.

Jake Hudnut’s housing plan is designed to lift up all of Jersey City’s residents. His practical, progressive approach will ensure that Jersey City is livable for middle class families and young people, prioritize sustainable development, and lead to a truly affordable Downtown for everyone.

Prioritizing Sustainable Development:

Hudnut, whose campaign has received the endorsement of the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters, would ensure that Jersey City has access to as much funding from the federal Build Back Better Plan as possible. These dollars, combined with New Jersey’s recently enacted SREC-II program would grant our city the opportunity to scale up community solar, an important step in providing residents with low-cost renewable energy throughout the city. Jake’s plan also advocates that any new inclusionary zoning ordinance should be partnered with new ordinances that require new construction to meet energy and water efficiency requirements, decreasing utility costs. Jake has called on incentivizing higher levels of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) construction, as well as working to update our infrastructure to ensure climate resiliency, and protect residents from floods.

Creating Low-Income Housing Through a New Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance:

Hudnut supports 20% low-income housing in new construction that seeks variances, but leaves room for flexibility in achieving this goal, allowing for things such as direct payment to the city’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund to encourage public, private, and nonprofit partnerships for creative construction of affordable housing. An ordinance with multiple options, rather than one with sweeping, rigid requirements will ensure Jersey City’s growth will continue sensibly and equitably, forwarding the goals of economic development as well as the right to affordable housing opportunities for individuals as well as families.

A Comprehensive Approach to Homelessness Prevention:

Jake proposes working with the division of Community Development to offer more support in the way of rental assistance, security deposits, and utility payment, and landlord mediation so that residents don’t get caught in a negative cycle of eviction and homelessness. His plan would utilize resources from federal programs, and includes implementing a supportive housing model, which combines affordable assistance with the necessary support for those living with mental illness, HIV/AIDS, and other health issues. This will decrease the cost to the city, and address many of the root causes of homelessness.

Increased Protection for Renters:

As councilman, Jake will strengthen our anti-retaliation housing ordinance to further protect residents who are punished for reporting violations of housing standards to city agencies. Additionally, Jake’s plan to reduce utility costs through green investment will benefit renters of all income levels.  His call for investment in schools will provide more options for renters to stay in Jersey City when they reach school age. This will reduce apartment turnover and the adverse effect that frequent turnover has on rental rates.

Hudnut, who currently serves as Jersey City’s Chief Municipal Prosecutor, is running for Jersey City Council Ward E with Mayor Steven Fulop’s endorsement. As prosecutor, he aggressively enforced housing standards for underserved communities and filed the first rent control violation prosecutions in recent history. He is campaigning on a commonsense, progressive platform that prioritizes investment in sustainable development, truy affordable housing, and a public safety system that works in Downtown Jersey City.