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Jersey City has come a long way since the 1970’s. Downtown Jersey City was well known for being one of the poorest parts in New Jersey. Before then it was a very vibrant blue collared community that was home to immigrants from all over. Large families shared small apartments in rent controlled apartments, and historical homes. It was a poor but close knit and hard working community. Soon after developers began to bulldoze over these historical homes, in place building luxury apartments, and bars. Gentrification ,is defined as the arrival of affluent people in a low-income urban neighborhood, which brought about this transformation. I will be talking about what solutions could be offered to the long time residents amongst the rise of cost of living in Jersey City. Amongst the solutions we could look at reducing the property taxes for long time residents according to an income sliding scale as well as putting tax dollars into redevelopments of neighborhoods including fixing parks, roads, schools as well as providing affordable food markets.
Gentrification began its steady march into Jersey City around the 80s. Houses that used to be valued at $100,000 dollars are now being valued at well over $1 million dollars. So as a result with currently having over 70% of residents being renters housing values as well as rent have both sky rocketed. It seems economically downtown jersey city is doing the best compares to all the other areas of this big city. Wherever you go you see construction and advertising for new luxury buildings. Mayor Fulop, city officials, and new residents have voiced approval in the way Jersey City continues to grow. If you speak to other fellow residents of a different socioeconomic status you are hearing the complete opposite. In short those residents are upset at the way this gentrification is affecting them. The costs for them are outweighing the benefits. These not as well to do residents are being displaced with this very gentrification. The ones that are being displaced are primarily minorities. As Jersey City is projected to continue to boom and outgrow Newark in population, what will be done? Prosperity should come to all neighborhoods in the forms of improving crime, schools public spaces and more. According to the official Jersey City website, “The city works hard at its goal to become America’s “most livable city” by providing safe, clean streets, reducing property taxes, and improving the range of educational choices”. However instead of coming to all neighborhoods these changes are only coming to the selective downtown neighborhood.
Developers constantly boast of building affordable housing this affordable housing units however are being catered to those earning over $100,000 and above. Zoning laws aren’t being put in to protect lower income residents. It is rather irresponsible that the city has added thousands of housing units over the years without protecting the lower income residents with new zoning laws. Instead wealth and prosperity is being given to developers. Where is the city’s concern of its citizens? Federal and state programs must be funded or created to assist in the development of affordable housing. “The federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program is the largest source of funding for new affordable housing. State tax credit programs for development of housing are available, but limited”.(Burd) Laws must be made to prevent these developers from bypassing affordable housing through legal loopholes. We also need to strictly control and keep affordable housing as well as rent controlled buildings. The city doesn’t even have a complete list of rent controlled buildings so it can’t even keep landlords accountable.
It is not always the case that low-income residents are forced out peacefully and over time. More often than not lower income residents are more financially vulnerable. They struggle with financial security so they aren’t well equipped for financial emergencies and changes.
“When property owners want to benefit from increasing interest on renewed areas, there is evidence that existing tenants may be ‘encouraged’ to move through various incentives, or in some cases forced to move through harassment, violence and intimidation” ( Mehdipanah 243).
Vulnerable groups are displaced to areas with a high percentage of low income residents. Poor buyers cant compete for housing so they are stuck having to move to impoverished areas. It shifts problems over to another street without solving them long term. In contrast the city can help low income areas through helping owners keep their houses in good repair. Doing so strengthens the earning potential of the community. Financial assistance can be lent to those who need essential repairs done for example roofing. Jersey City needs to protect small landlords in comparison to throwing money at big developers. Division of the wealth and income is something that will stop people from being priced out.
Another thing Jersey City can do to help its lower income residents and stop the negative effects of gentrification is to work on improving the public transportation system. The equation is fairly simple if low income neighborhoods are better connected to job rich areas this allows for opportunities for residents to climb the income ladder. The light rail and unreliable bus system do not do well to connect enough neighborhoods. With access to more housing neighborhoods, one area will not be sought after more than another in turn reducing the price pressure. Homogenization and design also play vital roles in overall community improvements. “An award-winning project called the Schermerhorn, in Brooklyn, New York, by Susan Rodriguez enlivens the street front with a ballet school, and also includes a community room to encourage connection between tenants and the neighborhood. The architecture helped melt local resistance to the presence of formerly homeless individuals and low-income working people”(Russel 97).
This is successful example of a city scape and demographic similar to Jersey City. Many people even say that Jersey City is the new Brooklyn. If such models work there I’m sure they would be truly worth implementing here as well to combat our similar problems.
In conclusion trying to stop gentrification is a difficult battle. It sometimes feels like a losing uphill battle. However actions can be taken to improve the lives of the not as fortunate and struggling residents of Jersey City. On a wider scale, fighting institutional racism and acknowledging that something must be done in order to prevent the obvious economic racial disparities that are so evident in Jersey City is equally as important.
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