This week, Hoboken agreed to end a long-standing policy that limited access to certain affordable housing units to Hoboken residents only. The change comes after a settlement with the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office and Division on Civil Rights, which found that the residency preference had a discriminatory impact, particularly excluding applicants from nearby, more diverse communities.
Under the settlement, Hoboken will remove the city-only preference and return to a broader regional approach for affordable housing eligibility. The city will also take steps to address past harm, including reviewing waitlists and investing in fair housing initiatives and staff training.
For families across Hudson County, this is an important step forward. In a region where rents continue to rise and affordable units are scarce, policies that restrict access can deepen inequities and push low-income households further from opportunity. Fair housing means that affordable homes are truly accessible to those who need them most — regardless of zip code.
At The Waterfront Project, we see every day how barriers to housing compound hardship. This settlement is a reminder that housing policy must align with civil rights, and that accountability matters. Expanding access to affordable housing is not just a legal obligation — it’s essential to stability, dignity, and justice for our communities.
We’ll continue to monitor how this policy change is implemented and advocate for housing systems that are fair, inclusive, and rooted in the belief that housing is a human right.
Read article here.