Count 'Em Down In Hoboken: The 10 Biggest News Stories From 2023

HOBOKEN, NJ — There was no shortage of big news in Hoboken in 2023: A plan to revamp public housing, rat problems, rent problems, politics, and holiday decor to outdo past years. Here are some of the biggest stories from Hoboken this year:

Februrary Water Main Break

As Hoboken repairs its aging infrastructure, the mother of all water main breaks occurred when a contractor hit a pipe in February. Schools had to close for a day, and many restaurants, unable to boil water, were shut for several days. Read more here.

Sepia For A Day

In June, smoke from Canadian wildfires turned the sky yellow and spurred warnings to stay inside. See residents' photos here.

Political Balance Of Power

Six of the nine Hoboken council seats were up for election. Hoboken's council is not divided along Democrat/Republican lines, but for decades, it's been divided over whether the councilperson usually supports whoever the incumbent mayor is. In the November races, incumbents won: One loyal to the mayor, and four sometime-independents. In December, newcomer Paul Presinzano got elected in a runoff. Meanwhile, Mayor Ravi Bhalla has announced that he will face Rep. Rob Menendez Jr. for his Congressional seat later this year, and has been tweeting about regional issues. Read more about the local elections here.

Rents And Displacement

Landlords have raised rents 30 percent or more in some cases, spurring the city to remind them that New Jersey has rules about increases being "reasonable." Other buildings are subject to the city's Rent Control Ordinance, which prevents surprise hikes. But will the city come up with a comprehensive plan so people aren't displaced? The city initiated a "test" case about unconscionable rents earlier this year, but has since withdrawn it. Read more here.

Hoboken Housing Authority Rebuild

Some of the buildings in the federally subsidized Hoboken Housing Authority complex date to the 1940s. The city recently approved a revamp that will take 10 years and add some affordable housing without displacing existing HHA residents. Read more here.

Rats: Round And Round

Candidates opposing the mayor made a campaign issue of the city's increasing rat problem, with one resident saying he had caught more than a dozen rats himself. Many believed more needed to be done. Read more here.

Barbie, Taylor Swift, And Santa Claus

Hoboken residents seemed to have outdone themselves getting into the spirit for Halloween and Christmas in 2023, and the Hoboken Business Alliance added a slew of holiday decorations. Halloween displays touched on local issues and national trends, referencing Barbie and Taylor Swift. See scenes and costumes from Halloween 2023 in Hoboken here.

Where's The Pool?

Hoboken floated more pool plans, residents asked for swim lessons in the city, and meetings were held about future development. Read more here.

Harry Potter Arrives

Hoboken High School's Theater Department made a major announcement: Out of every school district in North America, Hoboken's schools were chosen as the very first district to pilot a scholastic production of Harry Potter And The Cursed Child, currently running on Broadway. Read more about that here.

Business And Development

New businesses arrived, other businesses closed, and new retail development is on the way. Read about 10 restaurants that opened in Hoboken and Jersey City in summer 2023 here.

What did we miss? Post a letter or release on Patch using these instructions.