Better Blocks New Jersey sent this candidate questionnaire to all the candidates running for mayor and city council. We encourage you to read these questions, think how you would answer them, and then evaluate candidate responses as they are published before you vote this November.

The purpose behind these questions is to determine how candidates align with Better Blocks New Jersey’s main focus areas on housing, transit, safe streets, and space for public recreation. Better Blocks takes an evidence-based approach to making policy decisions. These questions are based on peer-reviewed research on housing markets and best practices around transit and street safety.

While this survey is meant to be informative for candidates and voters alike, there are “right” and “wrong” answers. Jersey City is facing important questions on each of these issues and the candidates we choose to elect can make any problems we face better or worse.

It is our small hope that we can help voters make the most informed decision on Election Day and help aspiring office holders make the most informed decisions when crafting future ordinances.

Read the survey below and consider donating if you want us to support candidates who align with our vision for an affordable, safe, and vibrant city.

Better Blocks New Jersey is a Continuing Political Committee. Our priorities are focused on implementing evidence-based policies and best practices around housing, transit, safe streets, and public parks to create vibrant, livable cities. 

We invite you to share your positions on critical policy issues. Your responses will inform our endorsement decisions and will be published in full at www.betterblocksnj.org for your constituents to review.

Housing

1. Would you agree or disagree with this statement? “There is a housing shortage and building new housing helps make existing homes more affordable.”
   • Strongly Agree
   • Agree
   • Disagree
   • Strongly Disagree
     
2. Would you agree or disagree with this statement? “Jersey City is seeing too much development and once I’m in office, I’d work to slow it down.”
   • Strongly Agree
   • Agree
   • Disagree
   • Strongly Disagree
     
3. Would you agree or disagree with this statement? “I believe Downtown Jersey City is zoned for too much density. If elected to office, I would work to prevent more dense housing developments from being built Downtown even if such developments come with affordable housing and other community givebacks.”
   • Strongly Agree
   • Agree
   • Disagree
   • Strongly Disagree
     
4. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? “If elected to office, I would be reluctant to allow more private housing construction in Jersey City because I think developers earn too much profit.”
   • Strongly Agree
   • Agree
   • Disagree
   • Strongly Disagree
     
5. Would you agree or disagree with this statement? “It is better to mandate affordability through policies like rent control than to increase total housing supply.”
   • Strongly Agree
   • Agree
   • Disagree
   • Strongly Disagree
     
6. Should the city reform zoning to reduce parking requirements and allow the construction of more apartments near PATH and light rail stations?
   • Yes, it is good to encourage more people to live near mass transit without needing to own a car
   • No, it is important to create more parking near PATH and light rail stations
   • No, this would be a giveaway to developers
   • Yes, other (explain)
   • No, other (explain)
     
7. Do you support zoning and building code reforms citywide to reduce red tape around Floor Area Ratios, single staircase prohibitions, setbacks, and parking minimums that reduce the number of housing units built and drive up the costs of construction?
   • Yes
   • No
     
8. In Jersey City, backyard accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are allowed in low-density residential zones. Do you believe such ADUs should be allowed or prohibited?
   • Allowed
   • Prohibited
     
9. Would you support development projects like the 150 Bay Street proposal that would add 1,000 apartments – 150 of which are income-restricted affordable – community amenities, arts and studio space, and space for a new public school?
   • Yes
   • No
     
10. Affordable housing is expensive to build. How would you pay for affordable housing?
    • Force developers to absorb the costs
    • Use tax incentives like PILOT agreements
    • Direct subsidies from the city
    • Other (explain)
      
11. How would you increase the amount of income-restricted affordable housing units built?
    • Floor Area/Density Bonus
    • PILOT Agreements
    • Streamlined Approval Process
    • Other (Please explain)
    • Combination of the above (Please explain)
      
12. What cities do you look to for housing policy inspiration? And by what metrics do you gauge their policies to be a success?

Transit 

1. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? “In Jersey City, walking, biking, and riding mass transit should be incentivized to make it safer and easier to get around and reduce traffic.”
   • Strongly Agree
   • Agree
   • Disagree
   • Strongly Disagree
     
2. Do you support turning streets such as MLK and Bergen and Summit and Baldwin into one-way pairs that would create space for public service lanes –  lanes that would speed up public transit and emergency response, add 100 on-street parking spots, and eliminate dangerous left-turns across on-coming traffic?
   • Yes
   • No
   • If yes, where?
   • If no, why not?
     
3. Do you support County Executive Craig Guy’s announcement to add bus rapid transit to JFK Boulevard?
   • Yes
   • No
   • If no, why not?
     
4. Bus routes often cross through multiple communities and delays in one part of the route can cascade to create service delays farther down the line. Do you believe any one neighborhood opposed to bus lanes should have a veto over public transit improvements that would benefit the entire city?
   • Yes
   • No
   • If yes, why?
     
5. Would you rather lose on-street parking spaces for the creation of bus rapid transit and protected bike lanes or convert more streets into one-way pairs?
   • Lose on-street parking
   • Create one-way pairs
     
6. Would you support the city pursuing litigation against the New Jersey Turnpike Authority to stop the Turnpike widening in Jersey City?
   • Yes
   • No
   • If no, then why not?
     
7. What changes, if any, would you make to Jersey City’s current implementation of its on-demand ride share service through Via?
   
8. Where would you like to see the Citibike station network expand to next in Jersey City? 
   
9. Would you make a commitment to either bike, walk, or take public transit to work – like the majority of Jersey City residents – if elected to office?
   • Yes
   • No
   • If yes, what is your preferred method of commuting?
     
10. What is your grand vision for the future of transportation in and around Jersey City? Be as specific as you want.

Street Safety and Vision Zero

1. In 2018, Jersey City committed to a Vision Zero goal of zero traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2026. In recent years, many streets have been redesigned to be safer and provide for transportation alternatives to automobiles. Do you support continuing Vision Zero efforts in Jersey City? How will you do so?
   
2. If you are currently in office, how have you supported Vision Zero efforts to redesign our streets for safety? If you are not in office, what has your participation been in working towards safer streets?
   
3. If elected, would you support increasing the funding and capacity of the Department of Infrastructure to accelerate Vision Zero improvements, and how would you do so?
   
4. Do you support proven Vision Zero street safety improvements on all high-risk streets in Jersey City like curb extension, protected bike lanes, and eliminating conflicted left turns across traffic?
   • Yes
   • No
   • If no, why not?
     
5. Do you support lowering the speed limit to 20 miles per hour city wide?
   • Yes
   • No
   • If no, why not?
     
6. Would you support the implementation of speed and parking enforcement cameras, if able?
   • Yes
   • No
     
7. Would you be willing to fund safe street improvements and ease parking demand by increasing the cost of on-street parking in residential zones near PATH stations?
   • Yes
   • No
   • If yes, how much should an annual on-street parking permit cost?
     
8. What would you do to curb traffic-related fatalities and injuries on Jersey City’s streets and why is your solution the most effective? Which streets would you like to see safety improvements on? 
   
9. Do you support the city continuing to use new developments as an opportunity to fund or build adjacent pedestrian or bike safety improvements?
   • Yes
   • No
     
10. What cities do you look to for street safety inspiration? And by what metrics do you gauge their policies to be a success?

Public Parks and Plazas

1. Some neighborhoods (such as Greenville and Journal Square) have less access to green space, parks and plazas than Downtown. How would you prioritize equitable investment in new and improved public spaces?
   
2. The Newark Pedestrian Plaza has been part of a major effort to transform streets into public places built for people. What changes would you make to the Newark Pedestrian Plaza?
   
3. Do you support keeping the Barrow Street portion of the Newark Pedestrian Plaza open to pedestrians and closed to traffic and building a playground for young children on the closed portion of Barrow?
   • Yes
   • No
   • If no, why not?
     
4. What other parts of the city would you suggest as a potential site for new (or expanded) pedestrian-only spaces?  
   
5. Will you commit to continuing Jersey City’s efforts to protect Liberty State Park from attempts to develop or commercialize the park?
   • Yes
   • No
     
6. After the revitalization of Liberty State Park is complete, will you commit to working with the Board of Education to revitalize the sports complex at Caven Point?
   • Yes
   • No
     
7. Would you be open to exploring if new developments can build new schools with on-site, multi-use outdoor fields for team sports and recreation?
   • Yes
   • No
     
8. Would you support the city using new developments as an opportunity to fund or build adjacent public pedestrian plazas or parks?
   • Yes
   • No
     
9. What plans do you have to increase the city’s tree canopy to reduce the urban heat island effect? 
   
10. What would be your top priorities for the creation of more passive outdoor park space and active outdoor recreational facilities?