Eric Allen Conner

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.

That's pretty interesting

@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.

Here’s the best link for more information and how to get involved:

bikejc.org/ebike-bill

I don’t think any local YIMBYs were rallying to support Jim McGreevey who ran a strange nativist campaign.

A lot of pro-housing people ended up supporting Bill O’Dea in the general election. He unfortunately placed third, a few points behind McGreevey.

The bill on Hochul's desk mandating 2PTO on the MTA, Assembly Bill A4873, still hasn't been vetoed. If it's not by the end of the day it will automatically be law and worsen service on small shuttle trains and off-peak services as a result

Call her office at (518) 474-8390 and demand she veto this

This is a big reason I support projects like the Albion Hotel right on the pedestrian plaza in Jersey City.

It’s a good way to expand our tax base, support local businesses, and take advantage of New York’s failures.

Instead we’re letting an old bank building rot away because of NIMBY opposition.

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

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.

Walker & Dunlop arranges $230M+ financing package for 22 Fulton in Newark | ROI-NJ Walker & Dunlop, Inc. announced that it arranged a comprehensive financing package for the development of 22 Fulton Street.

Interesting to illustrate the math of how you get to 20% affordable units in Newark. 30-year PILOT by Newark AND $90m in ASPIRE tax credits. www.roi-nj.com/2025/12/10/r...

@3underscores.bsky.social — are these just buzzer beater deals at this point?

$200 Million Financing Secured for 34-Story Homestead Gateway Tower in Jersey City’s Journal Square | Jersey Digs A $200 million structured capitalization commitment has been secured for the Jersey City tower, which will include 360 residences, 90 affordable units, and ground floor retail along an expanded pedest...

My very first week working for Jersey City in June 2023, this project was thrown to me by my boss as a bit of a baptism by fire. Exciting to see it ready to break ground.

360 homes (including 90 affordable)

a pedestrian gateway to the PATH

0 parking spots

jerseydigs.com/homestead-ga...

Jersey City Mayoral Election: James Solomon's Surprising Lead Discover the surprising election dynamics in Jersey City as James Solomon leads in the mayoral race. Explore voting trends and district data.

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...

This is astounding given the number of ambulances I saw on the road last night. Passing a law to ensure more people die.

The key is to be honest with the electorate about the costs and not promising that someone else will pay for affordable housing.

Isn’t Cuomo the one who said he himself was “Italian” to justify his predatory behavior?

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.

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.

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Better Blocks NJ endorses Bill O'Dea for mayor of Jersey City.

https://betterblocksnj.org/2025/10/16/the-jersey-city-mayoral-voter-guide/

Who's the Best Candidate on the Block? We want to hear from voters who rely on Better Blocks to learn about policy and inform their decisions on election day in Jersey City. Based on the candidate responses given to the Better Blocks can...

While we work on our voter guide and potential endorsements, we want to hear what voters thought of the candidates' answers to the Better Blocks questionnaire.

Let us know who your choice for mayor and council would be in this quick survey.

docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

How long until the regime starts throwing people out of helicopters into the Atlantic?

We sent our mayoral and council survey to the candidates running for office in Jersey City.

Questions focus on housing, transit, street safety, and public parks. Candidate answers will inform any endorsements we make.

Take the survey and think about how you would respond!

Cities should make rent rolls more readily available so economists and data scientists can easily replicate studies on the effect of new supply on the change in rent increases.

I’m going to be going back to the tape of that Zoning Board meeting because there were some spicy moments. I never thought a debate over the definition of Accessory could be so riveting.

We should be building this stuff in NJ. Traffic is awful, trains are overcapacity and poor air quality is making us sick. @mikiesherrill.bsky.social we’re just wasting lots and lots of money demolishing an expressway and rebuilding it just to add a lane - which will just make traffic worse!

This is great information.

Thanks!

A benefit in and of itself.

I’m trying to assemble information for future posts and to send to the council.

If you have any studies on those improvements, send them to me.