33 Hoboken + Jersey City News Stories This Week | June 8, 2025
Temperatures are steadily rising and summer is right around the corner. It has been another week of news in Hudson County, and we’ve got all the headlines to get you caught up, as we do every week — from all around the internet. Among the local news: GreekTown in Hoboken announces closure; a new farm-to-table restaurant, Maxwell Alley, opens in Jersey City; and NYC-based sandwich shop, Lenwich, is opening a Hoboken location. Keep reading for all the news in Hoboken + Jersey City for the week ending on June 8th, 2025.
Have a news story or press release? Email it to [email protected].
A Hoboken staple for all things Greek cuisine has closed its doors. GreekTown, located at 86 Garden Street, announced its closure via Instagram on Wednesday, June 5th. The restaurant was known for its tzatziki dip, Spanakopita (spinach pie), grilled octopus, and other Greek dishes. Click here for more.
On May 21st, 2025, Jersey City became the first municipality in the Garden State to ban the use of AI-driven software to set rental prices in the city. Now, Hoboken is following suit with a similar ordinance. At the June 4th City Council Meeting, 5th Council Ward Person + Council Vice President, Phil Cohen, introduced an amendment to allow the use of algorithms for publicly available pricing information that is older than 365 days. The amendment, which the council unanimously voted yes on, would make the ordinance “less vulnerable to legal challenge,” Phil Cohen said at the meeting. Click here for more.
Mark Censits, founder and president of CoolVines, an alcoholic beverage company with locations all over Jersey City, shared exclusively with The Hoboken Girl that Maxwell Alley, a farm-to-table restaurant, has taken over the former Gringo’s space at 12 Coles Street in Jersey City. Click here for more.
The Hoboken City Council voted down a $15,000 legal contract for a lawsuit against the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Per TAPinto Hoboken, Councilman Paul Prezinsano expressed concerns about what could happen in terms of funding cuts if they sue the federal government and indicated that it would cost more than $15,000 to undertake this lawsuit. He also noted that the U.S. Department of Justice is already suing Hoboken for its sanctuary city status. Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher, questioned why they were intending to use Antonelli Kantor Rivera, P.C’s legal services when they had no experience in aviation-related matters. The contract was ultimately voted down, with only the co-sponsors of the resolution, Councilmen Joe Quintero and Phil Cohen, giving an approving vote.
Police are searching for someone who’s missing in the Hudson River near Hoboken, per Marci Rubin, Hoboken’s public safety spokesperson. Officials said they responded around 7PM on June 5th to reports of someone in the water near Pier C Park, on the central waterfront. Law enforcement officials were seen searching the water later that evening. The Hoboken Girl will update this news story as more details become available.
The 502 Washington Street storefront in Hoboken has seen several spots come and go over the years, and now we know what’s next for the space. International chicken wing chain, Wingstop, has begun work on its newest Hudson County outpost in the space that was most recently home to Kong Dog. Click here for more.
The Hudson River Showcase Car Show returns to the Hoboken waterfront on June 8th from 10AM-2PM. At the free event, attendees can enjoy 100 classic and exotic cars, with models from pre-1959 to the 1990s. The event is presented by the Hoboken Business Alliance and produced by Cars and Caffe and Main Street Pops. Admission is free to the public, and spectators can register here.
Dolce and Salato in Hoboken soft reopened on June 7th under new management. The cafe, located at 1101 Grand Street, announced via Instagram that its grand opening will take place on June 20th.
New Jersey is set to elect a new governor in 2025. Governor Phil Murphy has served two terms as governor and cannot seek reelection. The filing date for the primary election was March 24th, 2025, so now the field is set. New Jersey’s primary election will take place on June 10th, and early in-person voting began on June 3rd. Six Democrats and five Republican candidates have filed the required paperwork to participate in the June primary. Click here for more.
According to information shared exclusively with The Hoboken Girl this week, another New York City brand is set to open in our area soon. Lenwich, a breakfast and lunch spot serving up sandwiches and salads, told HG that it has plans to open a Hoboken location this year at 95 Hudson Street. Click here for more.
This week marks Puerto Rican Heritage Week in Hoboken, a celebration created to honor the culture-rich Puerto Rican community and its impact on the Mile Square. Mayor Ravi Bhalla, the Hoboken Cultural Affairs Division, and the Hoboken Puerto Rican Cultural Committee (PRCC) announced its kickoff on June 3rd, with a series of events taking place during the week. Click here for more.
All summer long, The Waiting Room is hosting fun-filled, FREE live music events on Friday and Saturday nights from 9 PM until midnight. Click here for more.
Hoboken-based sweets and treats business, Double Dough, is collaborating with Hoboken-based small batch ice cream business, Moo Jersey, on an exclusive new ice cream flavor. Free scoops were handed out on June 6th at Mojo Coffee Company’s 8th and Bloomfield Street location. Pints will be sold later this month, with more information to come.
The Feathered Fox, located along the Hudson River inside Jersey City’s Maritime Parc event venue at 84 Audrey Zapp Drive, sets itself apart as a modern steakhouse and seafood restaurant that is welcoming to all. After a five-month-long renovation, the space officially opened on Wednesday, June 4th, and the team is eager to entertain guests. Click here more.
A GoFundMe page has been started for the family of late Hudson County Sheriff’s Office Det. Justin Rivera, 29, who died in an accidental fall from the ninth floor of the Hudson County Administration Building on May 30th. The page set a goal of $100,000 and has already raised $30,000 as of 1PM on June 4th. A preliminary investigation indicates that his death was accidental, while the cause and manner of death are pending the findings of the Regional Medical Examiner’s Office.
Pokémon GO shared via its website on January 6th that the annual Pokémon GO Fest will be taking place in three locations this summer 2025 — all of which are different than last year’s locales. This year’s festivities include a Jersey City Pokémon GO Fest — happening from Friday, June 6th through Sunday, June 8th, 2025. Gameplay will begin at the corner of North Cove Field and Freedom Way in Liberty State Park, and there will be multiple ways to enter the event area. There will be two event sessions — one starting at 9AM, and the other starting at 2PM. Click here for tickets.
For the first time in 10 years, the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks show took place on our side of the Hudson in Jersey City in 2024. This year, though, the display is moving back to the East River, launching from the Brooklyn Bridge with four surrounding barges positioned on the water. While our neighbors across the Hudson will get a front-row seat, Hoboken and Jersey viewers can still see the action locally. Click here for more.
Union City Commissioners voted on a resolution to name a street after poet, feminist, trailblazer, and Union City resident, Janine Pommy Vega. The street sign will be on the corner of 47th Street and Palisade Avenue, and will be called Janine Pommy Vega Way. This is where her family’s house once stood, now replaced by a community indoor swimming pool. The street sign unveiling will take place on June 26th at 12PM. Following the unveiling, a reception and poetry event will be held to more fully share Janine’s work and celebrate her life. This event will be livestreamed on the Hoboken Historical Museum’s YouTube and Facebook pages.
Shakera Frazier-Rosa, founder and CEO of Mile Square Mommies, an organization that has become a staple in the Hoboken community, is hosting the 3rd annual Juneteenth Unity Picnic at Pier A lawn in Hoboken. The event takes place on June 19th from 1:30PM-5:30PM and will feature music, activities, games, line dancing, face painting, fitness demos, vendors, and more. Attendees are encouraged to bring picnic baskets and blankets.
On Monday, June 2nd, Washington Street in Hoboken was closed off due to police activity between 7th and 8th on Washington Street. Neighbors shared videos of law enforcement officers entering All Saints School, located at 701 Washington Street. Eyewitnesses shared with The Hoboken Girl that police were seen dispersing students and individuals from the area. Per a City of Hoboken Nixle alert, as of 4:20PM the Hoboken Police Department cleared the scene at Seventh and Washington Streets, and all lockdowns and shelter-in-place orders were lifted. An investigation into a non-credible threat will continue. There is no danger to the community. Click here for more.
On November 27, 2024, the City of Hoboken observed unusual activity on its network and immediately began an investigation, which included working with third-party specialists. On March 16, 2025, the review of files and addresses was completed. Per a City of Hoboken press release, the city has determined that the potentially impacted information, which varies by individual, may include names in combination with one or more of the following: Social Security number, driver’s license/state ID number, and bank account and routing number. The city encourages community members to enroll in the complimentary credit monitoring and identity protection services that have been made available. To obtain more information about this incident or to enroll in these complimentary services, individuals may call 833-799-4365, between 8AM and 8PM ET, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.
A smoky, fast-moving fire destroyed the top floor of a two-story home on Bergen Avenue in Jersey City on June 1st. Per ABC7, Firefighters had to retreat from the building when the flames downed power lines. No injuries were reported. The Red Cross is now helping five displaced families, a total of 16 people, with temporary housing and other needs.
A special unveiling of a section of the Berlin Wall Installation took place in Hudson County on June 2nd at Laurel Hill Park in Secaucus, New Jersey. Hudson County received this section of the Berlin Wall as a gift and a symbol of peace at the end of the Cold War in 2007. Per a County of Hudson press release, Oberhavel County in Brandenburg, Germany and Hudson County have been sister counties since 2000 in which the two have been involved with student, cultural, and sports exchanges.
Over the past few months, our team of locals has worked hard to create the ultimate Hoboken + Jersey City summer bucket list. We don’t use that superlative lightly: our list includes 50 local activities that we believe every resident should experience at least once. Click here for more.
Mayor Ravi Bhalla and the City of Hoboken’s Division of Cultural Affairs announced on June 2nd the Summer Fun 2025 lineup, which includes free Fitness in the Park, family-friendly Concerts in the Park, and Movies Under the Stars programs. The Concerts in the Park series begins on June 3rd, at the plaza at Seventh and Jackson Streets. Sponsored by the Puerto Rican Cultural Committee, the evening will feature a hands-on lesson led by renowned music educator Angel LaBoy.
Hoboken Business Alliance Executive Director, Roxanne Earley, has made the decision to step down from her position. Her last day will be June 20, 2025. Per a press release, the Executive Committee of the board will begin an external search for an interim executive director. Once an interim is in place, the Executive Committee will follow up with staff as a formal and comprehensive search for a permanent leader begins.
Photo Credit: Jason Gots
Jason Gots and Shelby Wardlaw are hosting a six-week fiction and memoir writing class, hybrid online and in-person, at the SMT Center at 731 Washington Street in Hoboken this fall. The class will take place on Saturdays from 12:30PM-2:30PM from September 13th to October 18th. Students will learn core writing craft techniques such as inspiration, character development, and revision to adults. To reserve a spot, email [email protected].
Hoboken Police Chief Steven Aguiar and the Hoboken Police Department (HPD) announced on June 2nd the arrest of 24 individuals, following a two-month-long investigation into illegal drug activity on and around the 300 block of Jackson Street. Per an HPD press release, during the investigation, which began in early April, Detectives conducted extensive surveillance operations, using unmarked vehicles and plainclothes officers, leading to multiple arrests over several weeks. Nine of those arrested face more serious charges related to the distribution of a controlled dangerous substance (CDS), distribution within 500 feet of public housing, and distribution within 1,000 feet of a school. 15 others were also arrested and charged with lesser crimes such as possession of CDS. During the arrests, HPD also seized illegal narcotics, including 35.6 grams of crack cocaine and 105.6 grams of heroi,n along with $688 in cash believed to have been proceeds of illegal drug sales.
A former Jersey City business owner allegedly stole over $100,000 from multiple clients and businesses between July 2023 and June 2024, according to Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez. Jose Espinoza, 40, of Weehawken, was arrested at the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office in Secaucus and transported to the Hudson County Correctional Facility pending his first court appearance. On various dates between July 2023 and June 2024, Jose allegedly deceived 10 individuals and one business by collecting payments for unperformed services through his business, Move the Needle LLC. The total reported loss exceeds $100,000.
Photo Credit: Whole Spectrum Autism
An inclusive, family-focused event is returning for its 10th year in a row. On June 20th, the 10th Annual Autism Acceptance Gala returns to Jersey City for a night of food, dancing, heartfelt connections, and fundraising for the local non-profit Whole Spectrum Autism. Click here for more.
Hoboken has a new law surrounding firearm storage following a unanimous vote by the City Council at the June 4th meeting. According to the ordinance, unattended firearms must be stored or locked as follows: in a securely locked box, container, safe, cabinet, or other suitable place that makes the firearm inaccessible to any person other than the owner. Alternatively, the firearm must be secured with a trigger lock, tamper-resistant mechanical lock, or other safety device, properly engaged in order to ensure the firearm is inoperable by any person other than the owner. Anyone found in violation of the ordinance could face imprisonment for up to 90 days, a fine of $2,000, or a period of community service of up to 90 days.
Earlier this week, the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) issued three Stop Work Orders against multiple contractors at The Journal, formerly known as One Journal Square. Per the NJDOL, three companies working on the project were cited for the violations. MJQ Drywall, 506 Painting, and Exxon Development were flagged for issues including worker misclassification, unpaid or late wages, overtime rate violations, and not providing proper earned sick leave for workers.
The City of Hoboken and the North Hudson Sewerage Authority (NHSA) are moving into the next phase of the Madison Street Area Infrastructure Improvements Project to upgrade portions of Madison Street and alleviate on-street rainfall flooding between Ninth and 11th Streets. Per a Nixle alert, Madison Street will be closed 24/7 between Ninth and 10th Streets beginning at 8AM on Monday, June 9th. The closure is anticipated to last approximately two months, weather permitting. Additionally, starting at 8AM on Monday, June 9th, the intersection of Madison and 10th Streets will be closed to vehicles for approximately two weeks, weather permitting. This closure will affect the main entrance and exit to ShopRite on Madison Street at 10th Street. Click here for more information about the project.
On June 4th, at a meeting with HHI Heliport CEO Jeff Hyman, Hudson County Executive Craig Guy received commitments intended to alleviate the rampant helicopter activity throughout Hudson County. Per a County of Hudson press release, HHI has pledged that it will not contract another tour company to replace the now-defunct New York Helicopters. Without this additional tour company operation, it is estimated that annually 3,000 movements per year will be reduced in the area.
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It seems as if, for quite some time, Hoboken and Jersey City have been competing with our neighbors across the Hudson to see who can have the highest rent prices, making it harder for lifelong residents and new renters to find affordable housing in the area. But, after an amended ordinance was unanimously adopted at last night's Jersey City council meeting — now prohibiting landlords from using AI-driven software to set rental prices — Jersey City becomes the first municipality in the Garden State to implement such a ban.
An amended ordinance prohibiting landlords from using AI-driven rent algorithm software to increase apartment prices was passed unanimously, 9-0, at the Jersey City Council meeting on Wednesday, May 21st.
Ordinance 25-057, first proposed by Councilman James Solomon, now makes it illegal for landlords to use software companies that make recommendations based on "historical or contemporaneous prices, price changes, supply levels, occupancy rates, or lease or rental contract termination and renewal dates of residential dwelling units." This makes Jersey City the first municipality in the Garden State to enact such a law.
"Companies like RealPage and Yardi Systems have sold a software surface to landlords and property managers under the promise that they can outperform the market by coordinating rent increases," Anna Maria Hill, the state director for the SEIU 32BJ, the division of the Service Employees International Union that represents building service workers throughout the Northeast and parts of the southeastern coast, stated during the public hearing portion of the council meeting.
"These aren't just recommendations. These are roadmaps for collective price hikes...It's no accident that Realpage advertises the ability to raise rents," Anna said. "This is not innovation. This is exploitation, and it's exactly what antitrust law was designed to prevent."
According to a 2024 Regional Plan Association report, rent prices in Jersey City have increased by 50% since 2015. With 36,000 of the city's 290,000 residents considered rent-burdened, as per the National Low Income Housing Association, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is now $3,110, according to Zumper.com. After New York City and San Francisco, Jersey City is the third most expensive city in the U.S.
Kaileen Perec, a lifelong Jersey City resident and security guard for a Secaucus-based computer software company, shared that she is "currently facing significant challenges to meet [her] basic needs" during the meeting. "With a rent algorithm to drive up housing costs in Jersey City, I am increasingly worried about the very real possibility of no longer having a place to call home."
"Tonight, Jersey City took a stand against illegal collusion from corporate landlords driving displacement and inequality," Councilmember James Solomon said in a press release sent to The Hoboken Girl. "If you're a landlord using tech to jack up rents, or a developer benefiting from tax breaks while underpaying workers, we are putting you on notice: Jersey City is on the side of fairness, dignity, and affordability."
“We’ve sent a message,” he also said. “This city belongs to the people who live and work here—not to landlords gaming the system or developers cutting corners on worker pay. Jersey City is fighting back—and winning."
The Senior Vice President of Communications + Creative for RealPage, Jennifer Bowcock, shared with The Hoboken Girl: “We are disappointed to hear about Jersey City passing legislation that will ban the use of certain nonpublic data in our revenue management software, as we believe such data can be used in pro-competitive ways that benefit the entire rental housing ecosystem, including renters and housing providers.”
The Lawsuit
The amended ordinance follows a bill proposed in the fall of 2024, calling for a statewide ban on the use of artificial intelligence in the rental housing market, and a lawsuit filed on Wednesday, April 23rd, 2025, against 10 New Jersey landlords and the property management software company RealPage.
The company "allegedly agreed to set rents for multifamily housing properties statewide based on its algorithmic pricing software, and...[exchanged] sensitive, non-public information to align their prices and avoid competition that would otherwise keep rent prices down," according to an earlier press release from the Attorney General’s Office.
“Along with the Texas-based RealPage, the complaint names Morgan Properties Management Company LLC; AvalonBay Communities, Inc.; Kamson Corp.; LeFrak Estates, L.P. (“LeFrak”) and its subsidiary, Realty Operations Group LLC; Greystar Management Services, LLC (“Greystar”); Aion Management LLC; Cammeby’s Management Co. of New Jersey L.P.; Veris Residential, Inc.(“Veris”); Russo Property Management, LLC; and Bozzuto Management Company (“Bozzuto”) (collectively, “defendant landlords”), who collectively own and manage at least tens of thousands of rental units statewide.” Additional landlords are referenced but not named, and further defendants could be added as the suit proceeds.
“The defendants in this case unlawfully lined their pockets at the expense of New Jersey renters who struggled to pay the increasingly unlivable price levels imposed by this cartel...Today we’re holding them accountable for unlawful conduct that fueled the state’s affordable housing crisis and deprived New Jerseyans of their fundamental right to shelter," Attorney General Platkin previously said.
With this lawsuit, New Jersey is now the ninth state to take legal action against RealPage. In August 2024, the US Department of Justice joined the Attorneys General of North Carolina, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Minnesota, Oregon, Tennessee, and Washington in suing RealPage.
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