Bill to Protect Firefighters From Solar Panel Dangers Advances

Assemblyman Robert Schroeder sponsors bill requiring emblem on buildings where solar panels are attached to the roof to protect firefighters from electrocution.

With an increasing number of buildings investing in alternative energy, emergency responders are often unable to immediately identify structures that have installed solar panels on their roofs — putting them at risk of electrocution in the event of a fire.  In an effort to protect firefighters against the danger of electrocution posed by solar panels, Assemblyman Robert Schroeder (R-Woodcliff Lake), a volunteer firefighter in the Township of Washington since 1980 who has twice served as fire chief, has sponsored a bill that would require buildings to clearly label with an exterior emblem whether they have solar panels. The bipartisan bill was approved by the Assembly Homeland Security and State Preparedness Committee, on which Schroeder …

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Mile Square Parenting

A Short PATH Ride for Some; A Long Leap for Others

Kathy Zucker is a third-generation Brooklynite who needed more space for her family at an affordable price. She found what she was looking for in Hoboken.

I remember the moment when I first considered moving to Hoboken. My husband was complaining about a slacker co-worker who paid almost no commuter tax because he was a New Jersey resident working in New York City. That was the first time I heard about the huge income tax difference (New York City residents pay about 21 percent more income tax). As much as I  hated the idea of leaving New York, I hated the idea of paying 40 percent of our income in taxes even more. The second time I thought about moving to Hoboken was when a colleague was pumping me for information about Brooklyn Heights and told me in all seriousness that the only building he would consider living in was 180 Montague. He wound up renting in the Hudson Tea Building, where he…

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Mile Square Parenting

Hoboken Is More Affordable Than The 'Burbs

The New York Times reported that living in a Brooklyn apartment is about 20 percent cheaper than a suburban house. But Hoboken apartments are larger and cheaper than Brooklyn.

The New York Times recently reported that it's 18 percent cheaper for a family to live in a Brooklyn two-bedroom apartment than a house in suburban New Jersey. New York City's higher income taxes are canceled out by high New Jersey property taxes; the cost differential comes from transportation expenses and home upkeep. All I could think while reading the article was that Hoboken is an even better deal than both the house and apartment. You get the cost efficiency of apartment living and not needing a car along with a lot more space (a family of four crammed into a $675,000 two-bedroom, 1-bath apartment? Seriously?) And the price is right. You can get a 1,500 square foot Hoboken three-bedroom condo for $595,000, the same price as the …

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Mile Square Parenting

The New American Dream: Long-Term Planning To Own a Home

Kathy Zucker and her husband saved for over ten years to buy their dream home in Hoboken.

About a year ago, I was contacted by Sam Eaton, host of NPR's Marketplace segment, about a piece he was working on titled, "The New American Dream." Sam was interviewing young families across America to get their perspective on the future, and the choices they are making now in anticipation of it. Sam interviewed me because he found a local newspaper article about my family's trade up from a Hoboken two-bedroom to a four-bedroom. He liked the theme of raising a family in an urban setting with the intention of sending our kids through the local public schools, and our frugality in managing on a single income. However, he ultimately opted not to go with us in favor of an urban Chicago family who chose to rent rather than own their home. Most…

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Mile Square Parenting

Having a Second Child in a Hoboken Apartment

Hoboken resident Kathy Zucker and her husband knew they wanted at least two children, but struggled to manage timing, space and expenses.

The arrival of a second child is usually the point where most Hoboken families hit the eject button on their life in Hoboken. Parking headaches, squeezing baby gear into tiny walkup apartments, and the simple math of fitting four people into a small space – any one of those factors could be the final straw that sends so many families fleeing for spacious houses in the suburbs. School concerns and cost are also major factors in the flight to the suburbs. Yet even in the face of those seemingly insurmountable circumstances, there are some families who make it work. I don't know how they do it— although I suspect they are luckier than I am in their children's sleep habits—but I know families with two and even three children who squeeze into …

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Kathy Zucker

10:50 am on Sunday, April 18, 2010

CORRECTION: I have heard from a number of Hoboken moms letting me know about daycare/preschool sibling discounts. Daycares: Kidz City (amt unknown), Hoboken Childrens Academy (25%), World of Wonder (30%) Preschools: All Saints, Waterfront Montessori, Stevens. Possibly Prime Time. Thanks, moms, always glad to learn more from you!   more ›

Suburban Living in Hoboken

When Kathy Zucker's family outgrew their Hoboken two-bedroom condo, they found that a South West Hoboken four-bedroom provided an excellent alternative to the suburbs.

Backyards. Open spaces. Swing sets. Swimming pools. Each child in his or her own bedroom. Perfect high schools with tons of funding for sports, music and art. Sounds like a suburban nirvana, right? I have all that in Hoboken. Okay, not the high school (yet). But I also don't have property taxes at the level of Montclair (easily double the $11,000 I currently pay in annual property tax). For an additional $14,000 per year, I could send a kid to the Hudson School and still break even. Sure, we have to share the backyard, swing set and swimming pool, but socialization is good for kids. I would have to supervise them even if we had a private backyard, and the Sky Club pool is much nicer and far less dangerous than a private pool would be. …

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Kathy Zucker

12:52 pm on Friday, October 21, 2011

One of the joys of being a homeowner is diagnosing & repairing appliances. My wonderful handyman has repaired my washer & dryer many times for $50-$100 a shot, but this time I'm out of luck. Fortunately I had a plan for rendering big scary home repairs painless. More at http://bit.ly/momappliances   more ›

Mile Square Parenting

A Hoboken Mommy Dilemma: Stay at Home or Work Full-time?

Four years ago, Kathy Zucker was a Manhattan marketing director. Becoming a parent forced her to reevaluate her life goals and make surprising choices. Living in Hoboken added unexpected twists to her decisions.

Almost every mother has struggled with the question whether or not to stay home with the kids. Hoboken's proximity to New York City, as well as the high cost of real estate and living expenses,  make working full-time the most economically viable option. But is it?  Before I became a parent, I assumed I would continue to work full-time. But once I became pregnant, reality was vastly different from my expectations. Prolonged sleep deprivation, breastfeeding complications, and the difficulty of balancing work demands with the need to get home to relieve the babysitter made one parent staying home the better option for our family. Full-time child care costs are not trivial, especially when you have more than one child. In Hoboken, average …

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Starting a Family in a Hoboken Two-Bedroom

Kathy Zucker and her husband moved into a Hoboken two-bedroom and had two children. She discovered the many charms of raising a family in Hoboken but also found that their second child arrived with an expiration date on their two-bedroom.

My husband and I moved to Hoboken because it is similar to Park Slope, Brooklyn, one stop on the PATH train to Manhattan, and has an abundance of large new two-bedroom condos with a second bathroom and parking. We moved here to get more space, but once we had that second bedroom, we rarely used it for anything except storage (wedding dress, golf clubs, books, random furniture). When I became pregnant with our daughter, it was imperative to clear out the second bedroom to make room for baby gear. A few trips to Ikea provided ample storage, and we set up a combo baby/guest room complete with queen bed (convenient for all-night feeding sessions).  Our daughter slept in a bassinet in our bedroom for the first six months and then moved without …

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Mile Square Parenting

What Size Apartment Do I Need in Hoboken?

Kathy Zucker moved to Hoboken to get more space, but struggled with getting enough space at an affordable price. Buying a Southwest Hoboken two-bedroom solved the space vs. price dilemma.

Space is a real issue in Hoboken. We simply don't have enough of it. At an average cost of $500 per square foot, Hoboken apartments are certainly not cheap. Many of my friends constantly rearrange furniture in their apartments to make the most of every inch. Floorplans are an invaluable part of any real estate transaction since they give potential renters/buyers the ability to see whether the space will work for their needs. Nobody wants to spend more on real estate than you have to, but you also don't want to get stuck in an apartment that is just too small. Two people can squeeze into a one-bedroom, but what if one of them works from home or they have a baby? With the economy still in the doldrums and unemployment at its highest level …

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