Yvonne wrote:
When LeFrak was negotiating with JC, it had strong rent control laws. LeFrak refused to build high rises unless JC changed the laws and it did. New construction has a 99 year free period from rent control so basically, no rent control. That change happened sometime in the 1980s. It is the reason why so many older buildings became condos. In the 1970s many older building in downtown and Journal Square were rent controlled, basically, they are now all condos.

MDM wrote:
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wow, I thought rent control only applied to older buildings built before 1969(?) containing 5 units or more. So, are you saying that JC could impose rent control on all those high rises?

From what I understand, Jersey City currently does not apply rent control to new construction. However, they could, but the State law preempts the city from doing so until the building is five years old.

Fulop's opponent in the last election ran on a platform of expanding rent control right down to single family homes.

brewster wrote:
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JCBORN wrote:
Did anyone on here convert a rent-control building into condos? Is that an easy process?

FYI, it still doesn't take it off rent control, one owner cannot own more than 4 units or it stay on. Plus you'd get killed by the tax increase! Condo and sell is a better plan. Even better plan is to scrape the typically crappy old building with funhouse floors and crumbling ceilings off the lot and start fresh building modern more valuable condos to sell. A lot of those rent control railroads are pretty awful living spaces, 11' wide, 65' long with windows only at the ends.

MDM wrote:
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JCBORN wrote:
Did anyone on here convert a rent-control building into condos? Is that an easy process?

Your big upfront expense will be bribing the tenants to leave. Typically this is 2 to 3 years worth of rent paid once the tenant leaves. Hoboken during the 1980s real estate boom was infamous for incidents of mafia lighting hitting buildings. Nothing gets rent controlled tenants out faster than a fire.

I did one building years ago that I got off rent control: I eliminated the commercial unit, turning it into a 4 family. You can do this with 6 and 8 family buildings as well.. Combine the apartments into huge units. Huge apartments though, especially in a downturn, can be harder to rent.

New construction (unless the state law changed since I less checked) is free from any local rent control ordinance for 5 years.

I_heart_JC wrote:
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MDM wrote:

I read the ordinance. The AirBNB spokeswoman is correct about it pretty much killing the business outside of owner-occupied 1 to 3 family buildings.

Non-owner occupied properties are essentially banned (over 3 units) or severely limited (28 days max a year). With the limits and the registration fees, AirBnB becomes non economical to do, which is I think the point of the regulations.

As the next-door neighbor of an entire apartment building that's being run as an AirBNB hotel, I applaud this restriction. The developer pitched this new construction to the neighborhood and zoning board as rental apartments, and then promptly furnished them and listed them all on AirBNB and comparable overseas short-term rental sites. He lives in the Hamptons, and his neighbors get to deal with the noise and confusion of a stream of transient visitors. (Confusion because, weekly, one of them sets off the fire alarm, and our street is filled with ladder trucks. Maybe label your system more clearly, absentee concierge?)

Yvonne wrote:
I just read the ordinance purpose, the return will drop from 6% to 2.5% above the maximum passbook. More building will become condos.

TheJSQuare wrote:
I tried posting this on Craigslist and I don't even think it's showing up properly. Not sure where else to list. This is the first time I've ever sold property.

Motivated to sell. Testing the market before I have to clean it up and rent it. Great investment property. My loss is your gain.

1 bedroom apartment in Journal Square
laundry in building
attached garage (waiting list to get a spot)
4 blocks from PATH Station.

Secure building.

Looking to sell apartment As-Is. It needs cosmetic work like painting and cleaning, as well as a stove and refrigerator. Looking to make a cash deal.
Renovated one-bedroom units have sold for $200k.

Great neighborhood with a post office, market, banks, all kinds of food, a gym, etc.

It's a safe walk along busy Bergen Ave OR Kennedy Blvd to get to this building.

You can see videos of the apartment below. Please contact me if youd like to see in person.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpdVBupK1kI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AQPW6qC4U8

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np77kdFM95Y

Annod wrote:
Terrence T. McDonald
@terrencemcd
1:11 PM - 2 May 2019

Jersey City Whole Foods news from Mack-Cali's new quarterly report: 47Ksf store and 47Ksf northeast HQ in Downtown Jersey City

https://twitter.com/terrencemcd/status/1123998428713947143

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releas ... 19-results-300842312.html

jc_dweller wrote:
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JCBORN wrote:
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user1111 wrote:
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hero69 wrote:
what rent control crisis. i see cheap apartments downtown all the time, whenever i pass by realtor offices

Wait, What? Do you understand what rent control is?

Rent control is a government program that places a limit on the amount that a landlord can demand for leasing a home or for renewing a lease. Rent control laws are usually enacted by municipalities and the details vary widely. All are intended to keep living costs affordable for lower-income residents.

I don't believe it is for lower-income residents. That would be Section 8. If you make too much money, then you would not qualify for section 8. Maybe the same should apply to rent-control.
You can make $1,000,000.00 /year and still live in a rent-control apartment. You can live in Florida and still not give up your rent control apartment in Jersey City. These are some reasons why I believe we need to update the ordinance.

Rent Control: yes you can make $1m year and live in rent control. there are no income limits on rent control - all you have to do is find a unit that qualifies. All buildings over xxx years old (I think it's 35 but I could be wrong) with 4+ units are rent controlled. The annual increase is set by the city.

Section 8: restricted to those with low incomes whereby the government subsidizes the rent by paying a portion of it directly to the landlord.

Affordable housing: units set aside for people making xxx% of the AMI. This includes Very low (30%) , low, moderate, and 120%, if I remember correctly. The number ranges based on # of people in the household, but a 1 person household can make up to somewhere in the $70k range to qualify at 120%. https://www.nj.gov/dca/affiliates/coah/reports/incomelimits.pdf

The problem with this conversation is that when (many) downtown residents complain about a lack of affordable housing they aren't talking about the people making $50k (or a family making $90k who has to pay most of their income for housing. What they're really saying is "because I can't afford to live on this block it's not fair." Guess what, if you're making $80k, $200k, whatever, the amount of affordable housing downtown will not impact your housing choice. It's lovely if everyone is just complaining because they're altruistic and are advocating on behalf of their less-fortunate neighbors, but I highly doubt that.

MikeyTBC wrote:
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hero69 wrote:
there are a glut of apartments in downtown jersey city. from what i have seen rents for older homes have been falling

really? could you post a few that are a part of this "glut" i have friends that are currently looking for something reasonable.
thanks in advance.

caj11 wrote:
I don't care one way or the other about this - never stayed in one, nor have I noticed any effect from any AirBnB's in my neighborhood (have no idea if there are any) but won't Jersey City miss the nearly $2 million in added tax revenue? How do they propose to replace that money?

Annod wrote:
?It Looks Real?: Students Hope 3D Crosswalk Encourages Drivers To Stop

April 23, 2019 at 6:18 pm

MEDFORD (CBS) ? It?s a crosswalk that makes you stop and think, with the emphasis on the ?stop.? The 3D crosswalk at a Medford school appears to rise up off the street. It?s a safety idea hatched by two elementary students.

The multi-dimensional message is simple: slow down. ?I love it. It looks amazing. Exactly how I pictured it and more,? says 10-year-old Isa, a 4th grader at the Brooks Elementary School in Medford.

She?s talking about an amazing illusion, painted on the driveway of her school. It appears to pop right up at you.

?When you?re walking across you can tell it?s painted, but what we hope is, when you?re driving down, you?ll see it as 3D, three dimensional. So it looks real,? she says.

And that will encourage drivers leaving the school to stop.

The unique crosswalk is the brainchild of Isa and her friend, Eric. They wanted to do something when Eric?s brother had a close call with a car. ?We were thinking of a way we could do something to help make the street safer,? Isa says.

The kids are part of the Center for Citizenship and Social Responsibility (CCSR) in Medford, an organization that encourages young people to get involved in the community.

?I think it?s great. It certainly would make me stop,? says Mike Coates, a Brooks teacher and advisor for the CCSR. He says the kids worked with the city?s bureaucracy to make the project happen. ?It?s a great example of them sticking to an idea and going through all the steps and talking, in this case, to all the adults and all the powers that be,? Coates says.

It took a year before the project got the green light. ?Books don?t teach you this. Civic engagement is something that you see happen. You see success, and then you try to emulate it and do more,? says Medford Mayor Stephanie Burke.

The actual painting was done by local artist Nate Swain. The city plans to add 3D crosswalks to the other three elementary schools in Medford by this summer.


https://boston.cbslocal.com/2019/04/23 ... brooks-elementary-school/

https://www.boredpanda.com/3d-pedestri ... anic&utm_campaign=organic

jerseymom wrote:
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dr_nick_riviera wrote:
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Adonis wrote:
Wait. I remember when Fulop was rolling out the unregulated red carpet for AirBnB in Jersey City. What happened?

This reeks of NIMBYism and I bet more than a couple of the NAs are pushing for this garbage. It wouldn't surprise me if Yvonne were coordinating this to a degree, too.

Doesn't seem like the NA's are pushing for this - more like the unions (which makes more sense given the sudden and swift change by JC):

(From the comment section of the JJ article:)

8 hours ago - Nathan

"I have been hosting Airbnb in Jersey City since 2012. My maintenance and upkeep of my property is impeccable. My relationship with my neighbors and guests are excellent. Airbnb offers a niche market that no one else will fill. I?ve hosted divorcees that desperately needed a place to stay; a family put out due to foreclosure; young people with good jobs but poor credit, people relocating, college students, etc. But mostly tourist worldwide and business travelers, these people would have never stepped foot in Jersey City if it wasn?t for Airbnb. They shop and eat locally, it?s a boom to the economy. There are no hotels in my neighborhood. But the hotel lobby has stuck their fat nose into my private property rights and personal business. My little Airbnb business bothers no one, and we are not the cause for high rents. Check your facts (see Bloomberg study). I was at the city council meeting tonight and there was overwhelming support for Airbnb. Only the hotel workers union, wearing their matching t-shirts and waving their signs was for this draconian ordinance. It is so obvious and corrupt. If jersey city residents don?t stand up now, no kind private property will be safe from over regulation and taxation. "

Source

neverleft wrote:
.
Owners of two Downtown Jersey City restaurants want to run new Casino in the Park

Posted Apr 23, 2019
By Terrence T. McDonald | The Jersey Journal

JERSEY CITY ? The companies behind two big Downtown Jersey City eateries are bidding to lease the Casino in the Park space in Lincoln Park, which Hudson County wants to turn into a major destination.

Landmark, which owns Liberty House banquet hall and restaurant in Liberty State Park, and the owners of Montgomery Street steakhouse Liberty Prime have submitted plans to partner with the county on a new-and-improved Casino in the Park, sources with knowledge of the matter told The Jersey Journal.

https://www.nj.com/hudson/2019/04/owne ... w-casino-in-the-park.html

user1111 wrote:
By Corey W. McDonald cmcdonald@jjournal.com
The Jersey Journal

JERSEY CITY -- City officials broke ground on a new affordable housing project that will include more than 200 units designated for low- and moderate-income residents.

On Friday, Mayor Steve Fulop and representatives from RPM Development Group broke ground at the Whitlock Cordage site, a six-and-a-half-acre site which includes five buildings under renovation along with 29 newly reconstructed buildings.

https://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... ound_on_affordable_h.html

mastablasta wrote:
All talk. Sounds like the same BS PATH has been putting out for years. How about running more trains during non rush hour times and weekends? 20 minute intervals between trains on the weekends while WTC is shutdown? Who's bright idea is this one? I see people being left behind in Hoboken because there is absolutely no room on the train. PATHetic.

RichMauro wrote:
Jeez, this looked like it was gonna be so easy.
Not so, according to this article:
https://www.nj.com/marijuana/2019/02/n ... ow-hard-that-will-be.html

ThirdStreet wrote: Quote:

hero69 wrote: other than jaywalking and at intersections with lights, pedestrans have the right of way. how hard is that to understand. the moment a person puts their foot onto the street, cars NEED t stop.

Okay... I personally prefer to apply and common sense and mindfulness to every situation whether as a driver or a pedestrian. However some people l do seem to think that they will be fine as long they apply their simple rules and formulas and declarations. They must the same people that decide to keep walking enter the intersection when a car going 15 miles an hour is only about 30 feet away. For what it's worth, I am the driver that stop a good 10 15 feet away if I spot a pedestrian waiting to cross the street .

mscottc wrote:
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bodhipooh wrote:
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hero69 wrote:
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ThirdStreet wrote:
I am not sure how far this , 'the pedestrian can do absolutely no wrong attitude ' the city has adopted since the Fulop administration will take us. There has zero effort to encourage pedestrians to drop unsafe habits like jay walking, standing a good yard or so onto the road while waiting to cross the street.

nope. this lady was not jay walking. she was trying to cross in the striped zone and these cars just would not stop for a slow walking person. pedestrians always have right of way at a non-controlled intersection!

This is a SERIOUS problem in JC. I see it happen all over DTJC, almost daily. I have had many close calls with other cars almost rear ending me when I have stopped for pedestrians. I have seen cars get annoyed and drive around someone yielding to pedestrians, and then narrowly miss them. Pedestrians do need to do their part: don?t stand at the corner if you don?t intend to cross (weirdly, this happens often) and DO assert your right of way when you approach a crosswalk.

Overall, there needs to be more education around this issue. Collectively, we definitely lag behind other countries when it comes to pedestrians, cyclists, and cars, sharing space.

I think there's a lot right on both sides of this issue. However another real problem here is that a minority of people feel the law doesn't apply to them. That they have the right to cross the street where they really shouldn't be, or they have the right to drive around a car stopped for pedestrians, or drive around a school bus with its lights flashing, or speed through high pedestrian traffic areas.

Unfortunately the only way to deal with that is far comprehensive enforcement, or something as simple as speed bumps.

ThirdStreet wrote:
I am not sure how far this , 'the pedestrian can do absolutely no wrong attitude ' the city has adopted since the Fulop administration will take us. There has zero effort to encourage pedestrians to drop unsafe habits like jay walking, standing a good yard or so onto the road while waiting to cross the street.