Vacant Position on Hoboken Housing Authority Board Not Filled

The Hoboken City Council on Wednesday night was unable to appoint someone to the vacant seat on the Hoboken Housing Auhtority Board.

Former Chairman of the board Jake Stuiver's term ended officially on May 1. Stuiver has relocated to Pennsylvania recently, but will stay on as a chairman until a replacement is appointed.

With the council deadlocked at a 4-4 vote on almost all significant issues, finding that replacement might take until the end of the summer.

Fourth Ward Councilman Tim Occhipinti proposed Barbara Reyes, a HHA residents who attends those board meetings and works for HOPES.

"I'm here for the people, not for politics," Reyes said, when she addressed the city council on Wednesday night. "I do not have a problem about questioning anyone about anything that’s being done at the housing authority."

But Councilman-at-Large Ravi Bhalla said Reyes' recent remarks during an HHA meeting seemed to indicate the opposite.

"The board of commissioners has a role, and oversight function ... to make sure the director is doing his job in a proper way," Bhalla said. After attending last Thursday's HHA meeting, Bhalla told Reyes, "I was genuinely concerned of your ability to provide proper oversight."

The two sides of the HHA board is currently sparring over the terms of Executive Director Carmelo Garcia's contract terms.

After the vote failed in a 4-4 vote — Council members Theresa Castellano, Beth Mason, Tim Occhipinti and Michael Russo voted "yes," while Councilmembers Ravi Bhalla, David Mello, Jennifer Giattino and Peter Cunningham voted "no" — a long, heated public portion followed during which HHA residents expressed their anger.

The discussion also caused multiple escalations between Councilmen Russo and Cunningham throughout the evening.

"You might be the council president, but you're most certainly not Jesus Christ," Russo told Cunningham, after he banged the gavel. Later on, Russo accused Cunningham of being racist and told him to go home, get a pillow and cut two holes in it.

It's unclear when the vacancy will be filled.