Two Jersey City Councilmen Push for Greater Tenant Protections in Tax-Abated Buildings

On a recent weekday morning, Maria Torres, a long-time resident of a Jersey City apartment building, did the math on her kitchen table. Rent, plus utilities, plus the cost of getting to her job in Manhattan — it all adds up before she even buys groceries. She’s one of thousands in the city paying more than $2,000 a month in rent, and she’s always worried the next lease will push her out.

That’s the kind of pressure two city councilmen are trying to ease. Frank Gilmore and Michael Griffin have announced they’re reviewing ways to strengthen protections for tenants living in buildings that receive tax abatements — the deals that let developers pay less in property taxes for a set number of years.

Their focus is twofold: first, they want to stop landlords in tax-abated buildings from passing future tax increases onto tenants. Second, they’re exploring a centralized rental registry that would cross-reference property tax assessments with tenant rent rolls, while redacting personal information. The idea is to actually see if these buildings are keeping their promises on affordability.

Here’s the background that matters. Tax abatements are meant to encourage development, often with a promise that some units will stay affordable. But critics say those promises have been easy to sidestep. Jersey City’s median rent has climbed past $2,000 a month, while nearly 16% of residents live in poverty. That gap is what Gilmore and Griffin are pointing to.

“Tax abatements are public investments, and every public investment must produce a clear public benefit,” Gilmore said in a statement. He added that the city can’t let tax-abated properties get special treatment while longtime residents get priced out of communities their tax dollars helped build.

For Hudson County residents, this is more than a policy debate. It’s about whether the neighborhood you’ve lived in for a decade still has room for you. It’s about whether a parent can stay near their job, their kid’s school, and their support system without being forced out by a rent hike that feels arbitrary.

Griffin knows the stakes. “For far too long, Jersey City residents have suffered and fixed the mistakes of previous administrations,” he said. “Those in affordable housing are usually the ones who suffer the most. We need to close the loopholes and gaps in our laws that leave tenants vulnerable.”

He’s also realistic. Griffin says his inbox is open to feedback, and both offices intend to work with housing advocates, other council members, and residents to figure out the best way forward. It’s a genuine offer to listen, not just a press release.

What happens next? The councilmen are reviewing current laws and policies. That means there’s no vote scheduled yet, but residents who want to weigh in can reach out to either office. If you’re a tenant in a tax-abated building, you might start asking your landlord — and the city — what’s actually in your lease and what promises were made when the building got its abatement.

This is a slow process, but it’s a start. For tenants like Maria, it’s a reason to watch the next council meeting a little more closely. And that’s how real change often begins.