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I don't see how allowing for increased density will make a difference. It won't expand supply enough to make a dent in housing costs; the new units would be market rate; and putting in those new units is likely to push out existing tenants.


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That's hard to say, without knowing the block. If everything in that area is low-rise single-family homes, it may not make sense to have a 5-story behemoth apartment building there. Residential blocks also don't necessarily benefit from commercial space, nor is it clear that it's be a good location for a business.

The real problem is that setting up affordable housing is very difficult, because you're fighting the full force of the market. There is no quick cheap fix for that issue.

Meanwhile, in NY, Governor Cuomo has insisted on new 'prevailing wage' rules for construction-whose added costs are expected to reduce the number of affordable housing units by 17,000 (of the 80,000 de Blasio wants to get built).

Good for the union donors, bad for the working poor. Very analogous to our TTF costs as well.

NY / NJ is importing their own 'middle class' via the H1B visa to finance to cost of housing increases ... but it will not last for long!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NK0Y9j_CGgM

Don't the housing projects still exist, or is that the 575 units they are speaking of ?

The answer to this problem isn't trying to lever low income people into luxury buildings, it's ZONING! The R-1 zoning (2 unit 35' high) of most of the city is reducing the density there while the density Downtown is increasing. I'm not talking about hi-rises, just the kind of 4 unit houses of which there are thousands already all over JC.

What if the R-5 contemplated for the Village (4 floor 4U) would be universally extended? All the Bayonne boxes being built all over town would be 4 unit instead! The scale economics of building 4U could mean that they might be held as rentals, instead of the expense of building just 2 always meaning they're condo's.

Wait, OMG, what about the parking!!!!

Cities are dense, it's what makes them cities. Get over it.

Look at this ridiculous and hideous street. This lot should have been a single midrise building with dozens of units, of which there are hundreds of prewar examples all over JC. Maybe even with some nice storefronts. But wait, ridiculous outdated HUD financing rules makes it MUCH more difficult to build mixed use. But that's another tale.