HHA Opens Up Waitlist, Hundreds Wait in Line

Freddie Perez, 39, entered the line in front of the Hoboken Housing Authority's main office at 5:45 a.m. on Wednesday.

About 500 people did the same, he said, to pick up an application to get a much coveted spot on the wait list for one- and two-bedroom apartments at the HHA. The office didn't open up until 8:30 a.m.

"Some people camp out all night," Perez said.

The Hoboken Housing Authority voted to open up the wait list during a recent board meeting.

Perez, a Hobokenite, picked up the application early in the morning and returned in the afternoon to deliver it to the office.

The HHA has multiple wait lists, said HHA Commissioner Eduardo Gonzalez, depending on which type of apartment a hopeful resident wants.

In total, there are about 700 people on all the different lists, Gonzalez said.