Jersey City Breaks Ground on Canal Crossing, Bringing over 100 New Homes with Affordable Rents to Bergen-Lafayette
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 21, 2026
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Jersey City Breaks Ground on Canal Crossing, Bringing Over 100 New Homes with Affordable Rents to Bergen-Lafayette
Groundbreaking marks a major step forward in Mayor Solomon’s commitment to jump-start affordable housing in Jersey City
JERSEY CITY, N.J.— Jersey City Mayor James Solomon joined state and county officials, housing advocates, labor leaders and community representatives today to break ground on Canal Crossing, a major redevelopment that will expand housing opportunities in the city’s Bergen-Lafayette neighborhood. The first phase will deliver 508 homes, including 102 affordable homes with units renting below $1,000 and $1,500 a month, creating more opportunities for Jersey City residents to find housing that meets their needs and build their futures in the city.
“Every Jersey City resident deserves the opportunity to find a home they can afford and build a future in the city they love,” said Mayor James Solomon. “Canal Crossing is an important step toward making housing more affordable for working families. Through developments like Canal Crossing, we are moving forward with housing that serves our residents, strengthens our neighborhoods and keeps Jersey City accessible to the people who call it home.”
Canal Crossing advances Mayor Solomon’s Building for Working Families initiative, which is expanding housing opportunities and making it possible for more people to live and remain in Jersey City. The first phase marks an important step toward not only attracting residents to Jersey City, but helping the people who already call it home stay here. With one in five homes in the initial phase designated as affordable, Canal Crossing will expand housing options for working families and households across income levels, giving more people the opportunity to put down roots as a part of the community.
“I’ve said it time and again: development in Ward F has to benefit the people of Ward F,” said Councilman Frank “Educational” Gilmore. “Canal Crossing checks all the boxes—cleaning up abrownfield, creating good union jobs, delivering much-needed affordable housing, and providing larger homes for growing families. But most importantly, it’s about making sure the people who helped build this community have an opportunity to remain here and share in its future. That’s what responsible development and real progress should look like.”
Canal Crossing is part of the city’s broader effort to address housing needs and create more opportunities for residents to live in neighborhoods connected to jobs, schools, public transportation and other essential services. By adding hundreds of homes in Bergen-Lafayette, the development will expand the local housing supply and provide additional options for residents at a time when affordability remains a pressing concern for communities throughout the region.
“It’s important that any development in Greenville reflects and serves the needs of the people who live here,” said Sandra Lovely of the Greater Neighborhood Association. “I’m looking forward to seeing Canal Crossing become part of the neighborhood and the community we continue to build together.” The development will include family-sized housing, including three-bedroom units, offering additional options for families who need more space. The project is also expected to use union labor, supporting skilled workers and connecting the development to the region’s building trades workforce.
"Canal Crossings is a brownfield-cleaning, job-creating, home-building project that only happens when government operates at its best,” said Mike Hellstrom, Vice President, Laborers' International Union of North America. “LIUNA is proud of its long-time support of Canal Crossing and looks forward to providing the skilled, safe and productive workforce to help build this important housing project–a project that supports families and strengthens communities."
As Jersey City continues to grow, Canal Crossing represents an investment in the people who live and work here. By bringing affordable homes and family-sized housing to Bergen-Lafayette, the project will broaden access to housing and help more residents find a place in the community. “For families across New Jersey, finding an affordable home determines whether they can stay near their jobs, keep their children in the same schools and remain close to the people they love,” said Jacquelyn Suarez, Commissioner, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. “By creating more opportunities for families at different income levels, we can help build more stable communities across
the state.”
Learn more about Mayor Solomon’s Building for Working Families initiative and the city’s efforts to expand affordable housing at jerseycitynj.gov/cityhall/housinganddevelopment/building_for_working_families.