Helping to Create Affordable Housing in Jersey City
Working Together to Make it Better
SPC Research Team: Jim Fontanilla, Robin Freels, Daniel Garza, Savannah Gonzalez, Tiffany May, Carlos Navas, Dominic Sims
In Collaboration with: Fairmount Housing Corp., Tanya Marione-Stanton and Episcopal CDC, John Restrepo
What is Affordable Housing?
- According to H.U.D. ( U.S. Dept of Housing & Urban Development Corp), no more than 30% of a household’s income should be spent on housing
Housing Costs in Jersey City
- 35% of homeowners spent over 30% of their income on housing
- 37% of renters spent more than 30% of their income on rent
http://www.census.gov/ (2000)
 Jersey City 2005
- Median price for a house - $300,000
- Prices have doubled in the past 5 years according to CNN
- Brownstones up to $1.5 million according to the Hudson Reporter
- Condominiums $500,000 to $1 million according to the Hudson Reporter
Jersey City Rents 2005
| Fair Market Rent |
Income Needed |
| 1 bedroom apt. $934 |
$37,360 |
| 2 bedroom apt. $1090 |
$43,600 |
- Median income – $38,462
- More than Half of all Renters are unable to afford a two bedroom apt. at the fair market rent of $1090
http://www.nlihc.org/ (Projections based on U.S. Census & H.U.D. data)
Households in Jersey City
Annual Income
- Almost half earned less than $35,000
- 62% earned less than $50,000
http://www.census.gov/ (2000)
Increasing Costs of Housing
- Housing is becoming unaffordable for most working people in Jersey City
- There is a growing gap between what most people earn and what they can afford to pay for housing
Our Field Research Project: Helping to Create Affordable Housing
Who we worked with:
- Fairmount Housing Corp.: Tanya Marione-Stanton
- Episcopal Community Development Corp.: John Restrepo
Non-Profit Housing Developers
What They Do:
- Create affordable housing
- Tax exempt
- No profit
- Government subsidies
- Manage properties
Field Work: Where We Went!
- Jersey City's Lafayette & Greenville Neighborhoods
Lafayette & Greenville Residents
- 7% Asian
- 13% White
- 14% Latino
- 66% Black
http://www.census.gov/ (2000)
- Median family income $36,053
- Median rent $644
http://www.census.gov/2000
Why We Went There
- Largest amount of vacant land and property in Jersey City
Abandoned Properties Bill
Our Research:
- Created list of vacant properties
- Checked status of these properties
Research Findings:
- 130 Vacant Properties
- 21 Owed Back Taxes
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