We got the city council to recognize the bird-glass ordinance has costs. They amended to 1) lower height to 85 ft; 2) exempt projects that don’t require a site plan; and 3) exempt 100% affordable housing. More affordable housing builders should reach out to educate council on ordinance costs.

It's going to be a busy night at the Jersey City Council.

Reiterating our call to action to support more housing (including 150 income-restricted affordable units) near transit in downtown Jersey City. It is essential the city council know the public wants more housing near transit downtown. Please help. betterblocksnj.org/2026/02/13/c...

You can read all our previous commentary on the great Jersey City bird-glass debate in this thread: 1/6

New Permit Parking Zone Coming to Communipaw Council President Denise Ridley has introduced Ordinance 26-013, establishing a new permit parking zone for streets adjacent to the Liberty State Park Light Rail Station.

Amazing. NYC NIMBY populist councilmember is voting FOR an upzoning in her district—because if she didn't, the mayor and borough president would approve something even bigger and with poorer tenants. This is thanks to the charter revision amendments Eric Adams sponsored last November.

@PATHTrain is shut down between WTC and Exchange Pl with the Exchange Pl station completely closed, and we've received reports that PATH is NOT allowing PATH riders to board the ferry from Brookfield Pl to Exchange Pl as a substitute. Only the one from Brookfield to Hoboken (1/2)

One note on the costs that @3underscores.bsky.social pointed out: developers are required to make a 1.5% contribution to the affordable housing trust fund in Jersey City. For some project, the bird glass ordinance would be as expensive or more than direct monetary contributions to the trust fund!

NWK-JSQ suspended. I don't understand not just running a JSQ-WTC shuttle. Why is PATH historically so opposed to the practice, e.g., during all the recent track work between NWK-JSQ?

JC Birds Continues to Mislead Jersey City on Costs, Impact of Bird Ordinance Ever since the bird-safe glass ordinance was introduced in 2025, Better Blocks has worked hard to make it a better, more targeted ordinance [Jersey City Times]. Our goal is to reduce bird strikes in high-risk areas…

The costs of bird-safe glass and other materials are real as are the threat of glass buildings to wildlife. Good compromise can lower the harms to birds and limit the impact on housing… https://betterblocksnj.org/2026/02/17/compromise-can-make-affordable-construction-and-bird-safe-design-work/

Better Blocks NJ is putting out a call to action asking all Jersey City pro-housing advocates to email the city council as soon as possible! The potential to build 1,000 apartments on a parking lot downtown is at risk unless planning starts to amend zoning near transit in downtown Jersey City.

🚨 Jersey City Heights residents: Meeting on safety improvements (including bike lanes) on Franklin Ave NEXT WEDNESDAY at 96 Franklin St (PS 8)

#JCcrashes 😡 We're hearing a woman crossing Washington and Newport Parkway on foot was hit and thrown into the air by a left-turning driver.

The ABCs of an IZO: Part III in our Housing Policy Series In the previous post in this series, we discussed vouchers and income-restricted affordable housing as two principal ways policymakers can make… https://betterblocksnj.org/2026/02/08/the-abcs-of-an-izo-part-iii-in-our-housing-policy-series/

When the Turnpike Extension widening was announced, Gov Murphy claimed it wasn't detrimental for climate because cars are going electric. In the past few months, car makes have taken tens of billions of dollars in losses due to slow EV takeup. www.reuters.com/business/aut...

At this pt I need JC to understand we elected a mayor who's gearing up to kill thousands of new homes/yr. A guy who would repeat all of San Francisco's policy mistakes over the last 50 years w 0 regrets. If we don't start organizing+getting engaged now we'll be in a lot of trouble. How to engage 👇

If only there were a group in Jersey City dedicated to those principles.

🤕

@eaconner and @3underscores have been working on a series of articles to explain housing affordability and Affordable housing policy. You can read Part I, explaining the role of supply and demand in creating broad-based affordability, here: betterblocksnj.org/2025/12/15/w...

JC's new mayor 😭 🤡 Call me when throwing a parade involves getting over a dozen permits and approvals, hiring an attorney and a traffic engineer, and paying 6 figures in permit fees.

What is “Affordable” Housing in Jersey City? Part II in our Housing Policy Series In our last article on housing policy, we explored how increasing housing supply - especially… https://betterblocksnj.org/2026/01/22/what-is-affordable-housing-in-jersey-city-part-ii-in-our-housing-policy-series/

Jersey City's council passed a senior housing ban they claimed would prevent Christ Hospital from filing a 2,200-unit senior housing plan. The ban has failed to stop the plan from advancing, while causing collateral damage. Fresh ideas & political courage are needed to save the hospital & fund it.

One of the stranger aspects of anti-ebike discourse in NJ is railing against the lack of insurance. But car insurance in NJ is no fault, meaning even if someone else is to blame, your own insurance pays. The logic means your car insurance is the responsible party when you are hit outside a car! /

Wu is incredibly popular, but it seems like her track record or not building housing is going to catch up to her in a big way.

Want more affordability? Build more housing! Housing markets are complex. There are many confounding factors at play beyond simple supply and demand, but the research is clear. More supply is needed to make housing more affordable in the midst of our regional housing shortage. 1/4

Want Lower Rent? Build More Housing All of us in Jersey City share a desire for housing policy that creates broader affordability, increased urban vitality, better economic opportunities for residents, and setting the city… https://betterblocksnj.org/2025/12/15/want-lower-rent-build-more-housing/

I don't own an e-bike. I have never even ridden an e-bike. But, good Lord, I feel much safer around e-bikes than I do the average car or truck driver here in Jersey City.

Legislators in Trenton should vote against the e-bike bill because it: 1) is a de facto ban on Citibike and other popular bike share programs in NJ; 2) puts the livelihoods of many restaurants at risk; and 3) makes low-cost transportation unaffordable and inaccessible.

Speed Kills: Restricting low-speed e-bikes will lead to more dangerous streets The New Jersey Legislature is currently considering the most restrictive low-speed e-bike laws in the… https://betterblocksnj.org/2025/12/14/speed-kills-restricting-low-speed-e-bikes-will-lead-to-more-dangerous-streets/

In advance of tomorrow’s run-off election in Jersey City, @upzonenj.bsky.social provided an analytical look at the results of last month’s general election. betterblocksnj.org/2025/12/01/a...

We shouldn't lose this thread in the positivity of the PATH announce. Something hidden with expansion to EWR is it would draw a lot of riders in the reverse commute direction at all times of day, essentially filling empty seats. That would lead to a better fare recovery ratio and even more service.

Expanding PATH service to EWR is crucial in linking three of the country’s most densely populated counties closer together with one of the region’s second busiest airport.

Please sit down before looking at this screenshot. Better things might be possible! @2avesag.as @thelirrtoday.com @airlineflyer.net @mdasilva.bsky.social

Finally had a chance to reach this! It's full of transformative ideas that will drastically improve public transit in NJ. @mikiesherrill.bsky.social ends up building the $11B highway expansion, and there's no money for NJ Transit during her tenure, we won't forget that it was always a choice.

We are frankly concerned about what the future of housing will look like in Jersey City. Solomon opposed zoning to allow for more affordable housing on sites like 150-156 Bay Street (1,000 apartments-15% affordable/10% workforce) while championing a universal 20% IZO a la Boston and SF.

Giant victory for @eleanalittle.bsky.social and for Ward E. Delighted to see her to win outright. Eleana is an amazing combination of caring, policy smarts, humility, and hard work. Safer streets, pro-housing policies, and a long track record fighting for democratic reform.

We had one about buses already! betterblocksnj.org/2025/09/05/i...

We have thoughts on NJTransit priorities! betterblocksnj.org/2025/11/05/t...

The move from 10% to 15% IZO in Hoboken has many the same flaws as Solomon’s plan to institute a 20% IZO in Jersey City. We hope Jabbour moderates her position if (as we hope) she makes the run off. Ramos, meanwhile, is making all the wrong moves on streets.

Read our Voter Guide to the Hoboken Mayoral election. Our choice for a December runoff would be Ruben Ramos who has the best housing policy in the race and Emily Jabbour who is strongest on Vision Zero, transit alternatives, and street redesigns.

The Hoboken Mayoral Candidates Voter Guide November 4, 2025 is election day. Hoboken voters will go to the polls to elect a new governor, mayor, at-large city council candidates, and members of the board of education. This voter guide focuses only on the candidates running for mayor. If no…

We did the math on Solomon’s affordable housing plan so you don’t have to. Unfortunately, it provides very little affordability or housing for homeowners and renters alike and could raise property 22% by forcing the city to subsidize all new development.

It's too bad there are a few great choices in E, I wish some of them were running at large. I support Eleana Little, Denise Ridley, Patrick Ambrossi, and Tom Zuppa. I strongly urge a vote against Catherine Healy, Brandi Warren, Frank Gilmore, Veronica Akaezuwa, Michael Griffin, and Rolando Lavarro.

We endorse the following candidates for city council: Ward A: Denise Ridley (Solomon) Ward B: No endorsement Ward C: Tom Zuppa (O'Dea) Ward D: Patrick Ambrossi (Ali) Ward E: Eleana Little (Solomon) Ward F: No endorsement At-large: Kristen Zadroga-Hart (O'Dea) and Daniel Rivera (O'Dea)

The Jersey City Council Candidate Voter Guide November 4, 2025 is election day. Jersey City voters will go to the polls to elect a new governor, mayor, city council, and members for the Board of Education. The Better Blocks voter guide is split into two posts. This second post focuses on the city…

There was also a pretty bad screwup by Little where she falsely claimed that the Fulop admin was responsible for market rate PILOTs. That was Healy, and literally the issue that got Fulop elected mayor. I suspect this was intentional, Solomon has not been honest about it.