Full Notification

Below is an update from Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla on COVID-19:

Impact of COVID-19 in Hoboken
 
The Hoboken Health Department reported seven new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, two Sunday, and two today, with no change in fatalities. Hoboken has a total of 583 total, known cases.
 
We have seen a slight uptick in cases related to travel outside of New Jersey to regions with a substantial rise in new cases. If you have traveled out of state to any of these areas, I strongly encourage you to get tested at least five days after returning at Riverside Medical, and to self-quarantine for a full 14 days. If at all possible, I also encourage all residents to postpone any type of travel to other states with high rates of new cases, such as Florida, Arizona, North Carolina, and more.
  
New safety regulations
 
I’m proud that Hoboken has been able to assist our small business owners with creative and innovative ways to expand outdoor operations. The majority of business owners have taken the necessary steps to protect the health and safety of both customers and employees.  At the same time, however, based on a lot of feedback we’ve received, we are implementing additional safety measures that further protects our City and are aimed at addressing the overcrowding and social distancing issues at a handful of establishments. I’m confident that these added precautions, along with the continued partnership of the City and our small businesses, will lend to a safer experience for everyone.
 
The new safety regulations, detailed in an executive order I signed earlier today, include the following:

• All businesses must require any patrons waiting for entry into an establishment or outdoor seated area to wear face masks, and social distance at least six feet from others. Face masks do not need to be worn when seated at an outdoor café.
• No business is permitted to serve “to go” drinks to standing patrons waiting for a table
• Capacity of an outdoor café, outdoor sidewalk café, or any other outdoor area is limited to the number of seats available.
• Only patrons who are seated are able to be served, and everyone must be seated while consuming beverages or food.
• As a reminder, all tables and chairs must be six feet apart, measured from the back of a chair with a seated patron, to the back of a chair at an adjacent table with a patron seated.

I personally spoke to several business owners today, who are working to mitigate some of the social distancing issues that were reported to my office. We will continue to work cooperatively with them as they work to implement the new measures issued today. If, however, a business is not able to implement these regulations after repeated warnings, the establishment may have their sidewalk café or expanded sidewalk café revoked by the Office of Emergency Management.
 
Senior visitor parking permits
 
All senior visitor parking permits set to expire on June 30, 2020 will remain valid through August 31, 2020.
 
Fireworks
 
As Police Chief Ken Ferrante mentioned in an update to the public, Hoboken, along with other municipalities and large portions of the entire the tri-state region, continue to see an uptick in fireworks during late evening and early morning hours. I’ve heard these fireworks myself, which is understandably causing a disturbance in our community. In addition to increasing staffing levels as needed during the late night and early morning hours, we will also be closing Sinatra Drive between Newark Street and 4^th Street to vehicular traffic from 11:00 pm until 5:00 am for the next several nights. The Police Department has also asked that the Jersey Bike share system be temporarily suspended from 10:00 pm until 5:00 am as well.
 
At the request of Chief Ferrante, I’ve also asked the Hoboken law department to draft an ordinance prohibiting the lighting of fireworks on public property without a permit, as well as the sale of fireworks in the City of Hoboken, which I am in full support of and am confident will be passed by the City Council.
 
I’m hopeful that these measures will help address this substantial quality of life issue. If you observe fireworks going off, please call the Hoboken Police Department at 201-420-2100 in real-time.
 
Hoboken Relief Fund
 
If you are an independently-owned Hoboken business or Hoboken resident who has suffered adverse economic impacts as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is not too late to apply for funding through the Hoboken Relief Fund. The updated deadline is now July 3, 2020. To apply, please visit http://www.hobokenrelieffund.com. Thank you again to all of the performers, board members and volunteers who have helped make this relief fund possible, as well as to Councilmembers Jen Giattino and Phil Cohen for serving as co-chairs.
 
Thank you Hoboken,
 
Ravi S. Bhalla
Mayor