The Jersey City Housing Authority received a $34,140,000 HOPE VI grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in 2001. The intent of the HOPE VI Program (Housing Opportunities for People Everywhere) is to replace severely distressed public housing with attractive, mixed-income (not poverty concentrated) communities. HOPE VI redevelopment must positively contribute to broader neighborhood stability and growth and revitalization that can be sustained.

Introduction and Program Objectives

The Jersey City Housing Authority HOPE VI Revitalization Plan for the Lafayette Gardens and Morris Canal/Lafayette Park neighborhood shall:

• End the isolation of the low income families and senior citizens living in Lafayette Gardens - a too dense, too dangerous, poverty concentrated, physically obsolete public housing "project".
• Offer Lafayette Gardens residents new and greatly improved housing choices, especially in more livable, newly built, mixed income developments within the surrounding Morris Canal/Lafayette Park neighborhood - 1/2 mile from the spectacular Jersey City Hudson River waterfront.
•  Ensure that the residents of Lafayette Gardens have affirmative opportunities to participate in the extraordinary economic growth of Jersey City's waterfront revitalization. Ensure that not so well off public housing and neighborhood residents are not left behind.
• Capitalize on waterfront redevelopment expansion into nearby neighborhoods. With the City and private sector development partners, Lafayette Gardens and neighborhood residents, revitalize and redevelop on and off site areas. In full accord with existing Redevelopment Areas and HUD's Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Area Plan, build 500 new high quality homes - 24 for affordable homeownership, and 476 mixed income rental units, including 140 for senior citizens with assisted living services.

Revitalization Plan Components:

Public Housing Revitalization of the original Lafayette Gardens through the demolition of the existing 492-unit public housing project; and comprehensive on-site redevelopment of a new mixed-income community -- 274 new town homes (262 rental and 12 homeownership) and 83 senior apartments with assisted living services. All new developments to be privately managed.

On-site Phase I: Lafayette senior Living Center – 83 one and two bedroom senior apartments with extensive on-site services. Completed spring 2005

On-site Phase II: Woodward Terrace – 70 1-4 bedroom mixed-income family rental townhouses. Completed spring 2007

On-site Phase III: Barbara Place Terrace – 67 1-4 bedroom mixed-income family rental townhouses and mixed-used community space. Completed spring 2009.

On-site Phase IV: Glenview Townhouses – 63 1-4 bedroom mixed-income family rental townhouses. Currently in pre-development.

On-site Phase V: To Be Named -62 1-4 bedroom mixed-income family rental townhouses. Currently in pre-development.

On-site Phase VI: Van Horne Homes – 12 three-bedroom affordable for-sale homes. Currently in pre-development.

Neighborhood Redevelopment of a former underutilized industrial property within the Morris Canal/Lafayette Park neighborhood. Specifically, build 72 new townhouse units - mixed-income rental units. Within the Turnkey and Bayview Redevelopment areas create 59 affordable senior rental units with assisted living services and 12 new single family affordable homes for sale. All new development to be privately managed.

Off-site Phase I: Pacific Court Townhouses – 72 1-4 bedroom mixed-income family rental townhouses. Completed spring 2006.

Off-site Phase II: Ocean Pointe East & West – 59 one and two bedroom affordable senior rental apartments with on-site services. Construction start fall 2008.

Off-site Phase III: Dwight Street Homes II – 12 three-bedroom affordable for-sale homes. Currently in pre-development.

• Ensure that all new, HOPE VI developments offer a great mix of incomes and housing types creating both affordable and sustainable neighborhoods. Ensure that all HOPE VI new homes reflect the best of Jersey City's diverse and historic architecture, seamlessly blended into stable neighborhood settings.
• Ensure that dramatic physical transformation is fully complemented by equivalent social and economic transformation. Include: a) early childhood education and after school programs; b) extensive support of resident economic self-sufficiency initiatives; c) senior citizen independent living and "aging in place" facilities and assisted living services, and d) significant and diverse first time homeownership opportunities. 
• Leverage $147.5 million of other public and private sector investments to maximize the impact of the $34,140,000 HOPE VI grant.