Celebrating a Housing Victory in Jersey City: Breaking Ground on Bayfront

JCT/NJT Leader Uche Akpa at the Bayfront groundbreaking

May 14th, 2025, marked a major milestone in the fight for housing justice in Jersey City. It was a day of celebration, signaling the beginning of a long-anticipated housing victory—one built on decades of organizing and persistence.

The journey began when the Interfaith Community Organization, the predecessor to Jersey City Together, led efforts to clean up a chromium-contaminated site on the city’s west side, owned by Honeywell. Following a successful $400 million legal settlement, clergy and community leaders from ICO and Jersey City Together advocated for the city to purchase the land for $100 million, with a commitment to develop deeply affordable housing. Today, with the completion of the first phase of construction, 35% of the new homes are being designated as affordable.

This is only the beginning. Additional phases are on the horizon, and Jersey City Together remains committed to realizing this vision. The work continues—not only at Bayfront, but across Jersey City, where many families are still waiting for the opportunity to live affordably and with dignity.

Please see a video of the groundbreaking here.

Additional Press:

Decades After Churches Sued to Clean Up Toxic Land, Bayfront Construction Gets Underway, by Andy Milone, Aaron Morrill, and Ron Leir, Jersey City Times, May 15th

Jersey City officials break ground on Phase I of Bayfront with 35% affordable units, by Daniel Ulloa, Hudson County View, May 14, 2025 

First Phase of Jersey City’s Bayfront Breaks Ground with Record-Breaking Affordable Housing, By Chris Fry, Jersey Digs, May 14,