Hoboken Among 25 Towns Nationwide To Get $70K For Resident-Led Projects

HOBOKEN, NJ — Hoboken has been named one of 25 towns nationwide to join "Love Your Block," a program that will award $70,000 in resident-led improvement projects.

The Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University is running the program, the city said on Wednesday.

The program will provide $70,000, expert support and a dedicated "Love Your Block Fellow" to help residents lead projects aimed at improving public spaces and neighborhoods.

Towns in 20 states were chosen.

The city said Wednesday that it will focus on projects near and at the Hoboken Housing Authority public housing campus, and the surrounding southwest Hoboken neighborhood.

Residents will identify quality-of-life projects.

“Love Your Block is about putting residents at the center of the work to make our neighborhoods stronger, cleaner, and more connected,” Mayor Emily Jabbour said. “In Hoboken, we know that some of the best ideas for improving our community come directly from the people who live here.”

Funding can be used for resident-led projects and mini-grants, volunteer activities, beautification and placemaking efforts, and community partnerships.

The Love Your Block program began in 2009. According to a release, the program has helped residents in 33 states remove more than 7 million pounds of trash, clean over 550,000 square feet of graffiti, and create nearly 800 art displays.

A 2021 study by the Urban Institute found participating municipalities improved social cohesion, increased civic participation, and strengthened relationships between local government and residents.

More details will be announced in coming weeks.