Hoboken 1st Ward Candidate Profile: Rafi Córdova

HOBOKEN, NJ — If you live in the southeast corner of Hoboken, within walking distance of the train station, you're in the 1st Ward.

That means you'll get to vote for one of three men as the 1st Ward council candidate — but even if you don't live there, the election will affect you. Hoboken has nine voting members on its City Council, and each one can sway a vote.

Current Councilman Michael DeFusco, who once ran for mayor, has decided not to run for re-election on Nov. 7. Thus, the seat is open.

The contenders are Paul Presinzano, who has run for council before and been outspoken about changes he'd like to see in the city; Hoboken Rent Leveling Board Chair Rafi Córdova, and former Hoboken Human Services Director Leo Pelligrini.

Córdova has the backing of Mayor Ravi Bhalla.

Both Córdova and Presinzano answered Patch's questions, but Pelligrini did not. He did confirm receipt of the questions. Pelligrini resigned from the city earlier this year and appears to be at odds with the current administration.

The questions and answers for Rafi Córdova are below. Compare them with Presinzano's profile, linked here.

Name

Rafi Córdova

How old will you be as of Election Day?

59

Does your campaign have a website? If so, include the URL here.

https://www.rafi4hoboken1.com/

Party affiliation, even though Hoboken elections are non-partisan:

Democrat

Education.

I received a BA from Yale University in Humanities and Languages, graduating with high honors and fluency in Italian, French, and Portuguese, in addition to my native Spanish and English.

Current occupation, years of experience.

I am a small business owner here in Hoboken, where I have been practicing as a counselor since 2007. I also work as a film editor and colorist. I love the work I do, it is creative, joyful, and absolutely fulfilling. It also allows me to prioritize giving back to our community.

Family information, if you're willing to share.

I have two sisters whom I adore, but I also consider many of my friends and neighbors here in Hoboken to be my family.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or have a government position, either volunteer or paid? Where?

No

Previous or current elected or appointed offices.

I have served on the Hoboken Rent Leveling and Stabilization Board since 2021, and I am currently its Chair.

Why are you seeking a spot on Hoboken's City Council? Please keep these answers to 250 words or we WILL automatically truncate your answer.

I have lived in Hoboken since 1995. I love our city and cannot imagine living anywhere else. I see serving on the City Council as the next step and culmination of the past 20+ years of actively providing service in the community. From my initial community building work through the Symposia Bookstore Project promoting healing post 9/11, to my advocacy for our most vulnerable neighbors and my work on the Rent Board, helping my neighbors is in my DNA and I am eager to bring that commitment and passion to the City Council.

What is the single most pressing issue facing Hoboken, and what makes you more qualified than your opponent(s) to solve it?

While the current rat problem is of concern, it is ultimately solvable in the short term. For me, a more pervasive and moral issue is alleviating homelessness. We need a comprehensive plan to help our neighbors who do not have homes. The quality of life of all residents, housed and unhoused, is affected by the city’s response to the homelessness crisis that plagues every city in our nation. I have always been committed to working with city, county, and state agencies to arrive at creative ideas to assist this sector of our community and will continue to do so as your city council representative. On the Council I will work on both immediate and long-term solutions to alleviate homelessness. Immediate solutions will be centered around increasing safe spaces for the unhoused to eat, sleep, and wash – alleviating pressures on those who may use parks and other public spaces as a last resort. Long-term solutions, like expanding our social worker program, would be centered around the root causes of homelessness and ensuring we get people housed permanently.

Do you believe national political issues are relevant to Hoboken? Whom did you vote for in the 2020 presidential election? Do you believe it's relevant or irrelevant, and why?

I believe that while Hoboken is in the main a welcoming and inclusive community, it is not immune to the rising level of extremism, hatred, and intolerance that we are experiencing nationally. Recent incidents, such as anti-semitism, and racially tinged and sexually offensive anonymous packages and death threats sent to elected officials and private citizens, underscore that we all must remain vigilant, remember our shared values and speak out against hate and bigotry whenever it surfaces in our community. As a Councilman, I will work to set a positive example and fight so that every resident is recognized for their common humanity and none are discriminated against. I voted for Joe Biden. When the alternative was a prime contributor to the rising level of extremism and incivility in our nation and in our political discourse, it is relevant. But far more important is my track record of effectively serving the community and how it prepares me to be an effective Councilman who puts people first.

Some believe that running for local office serves primarily as a stepping stone, particularly in Hudson County. Are you willing to take a pledge to remain on the council for all four years rather than taking any other political job or paid government position?

Absolutely. As I stated previously, I see serving on the Hoboken City Council as the culmination of my 20+ years of active service in the community, and therefore not the jumping off point to a larger political career. I have no intention of seeking higher office, and pledge to serve all four years.

Several of our readers and others have said that Hoboken is becoming unaffordable to the middle class, particularly with monthly apartment rents seeing increases between $500 and $1,000 in some cases, and other costs spiking. Yet, Hoboken boasts of being an artsy town and a diverse community. Do you think something should be done to keep a mix of people in all parts of town? If so, what?

Yes, yes, and yes! Keeping our city diverse from both an ethnic and socioeconomic perspective is key to having a vibrant and healthy community. That is why I’ve proposed we attack this issue from multiple angles, including strengthening our rent control laws, pushing for more affordable housing in developments, defining “unconscionable” rent increases, and revisiting the possibility of Community Land Trusts in Hoboken. You can read my complete, in depth, Housing Justice platform on my website.

Do you think Hoboken's current rent control ordinance is working as is, or does it need adjustments, and what kind? If there's a referendum to remove the Rent Control Ordinance, as has been talked about in the past, would you work to keep it, or remove it?

To answer the second part first – if there were ever a referendum to remove the Rent Control Ordinance, I would fight against it with every fiber of my being. Hoboken is 65% renters, many of whom count on rent control to bring stability and predictability to their lives. Without these protections they simply would not be able to live in our great City. In fact, instead of doing away with the rent control ordinance, we must strengthen it. We also need to define “unconscionable” rent increases at 7.5% for buildings that are not under the rent control ordinance, and introduce a right-to-counsel provision for city tenants. Additionally, I think more work needs to be done to ensure landlords, especially the “mom and pop” landlords who are most often forgotten, are able to stay abreast of any changes to the rent laws. Landlords need to be able to run their businesses smoothly without incurring avoidable fees and should not be subjected to unfair taxation. Housing laws do not need to be a mystery; we need a clear campaign of educating residents about their rights and obligations. I am committed to doing this for the First Ward and all of Hoboken.

Six weeks after the 2021 council race, a majority of council members voted to give themselves raises of more than 30 percent, bringing the part-time salaries to $35,000-$40,000 each, plus benefits. Will you be taking the full salary and benefits if elected? Will you approve any raises for yourself during the next four years if you are elected?

I am running for City Council to serve my community, not for a paycheck. Nevertheless, unlike some other candidates in this race, I am not independently wealthy, and so yes, I do plan to take the full salary. Whether you agree with the increase or not, all City Council members are currently taking their full salaries (though some do not take the benefits) and I intend to do so as well.

If you are running with the support of the current mayoral administration, what is something you think it hasn't done well in its eight years that needs improvement? If you are not running with the administration's support, what is something they've done very well?

While I was pleased to receive the Mayor's endorsement, the fact is, as I have communicated to him personally on multiple occasions, the City has to do better with mitigating the current rat infestation and has to step up its game with respect to alleviating homelessness. I’ve put forth an extremely comprehensive rat plan calling for centralization of mitigation efforts under a “Rat Czar”, increased requirements for restaurants and businesses, and better leveraging best practices from areas which have seen improvements. Nothing should be off the table on this issue. With respect to the unhoused, the City must also do much more to alleviate this crisis. Much of which I addressed in my response above.

Do you plan to vote in Hoboken's school board election in November? Which three candidates are you supporting?

I plan to vote for Sharyn Angley, Chetali Khanna, and Sheillah Dallara.

Please feel free to share anything else you think needs to be said, but keep answers to 250 words. Note that any longer answer will be truncated. Also, if you decline to answer a question, that will be noted.

In an extremely divided world, my entire life has been centered around bridge building. In fact, my first efforts in Hoboken centered around community healing and partnership during some tense periods post 9/11. Bringing people together to work towards a common goal and a brighter future is what I do. It’s who I am. Which is why I am so proud to have built a campaign with such a wide net of support. I have supporters such as Mayor Bhalla and Cheryl Fallick (a former Presinzano running mate by the way) who normally would not be caught dead together but shared the stage to support me during my campaign kick-off. I have supporters who were (and maybe still are) historically political foes, some supporting current Councilman Defusco and others former Councilwoman Castellano, but who have put down their proverbial arms to come together in supporting me. As the Frist Ward’s Councilman, I look forward to continue that trend and work towards healing the divides within the City.