Hoboken Man Arrested for Trespassing in Housing Authority

Hoboken police arrested 24-year-old Eugene Ortiz, from Hoboken, and charged him with defiant trespassing early Monday morning, according to a report about the incident. According to the police report, Ortiz was found yelling and kicking the walls in the hallway of a Hoboken Housing Authority building on 300 Marshall Dr. 

When police approached Ortiz, police said he told the officers: "I'm not talking," before he kicked in the door of an apartment in the building, according to the police report. Police then placed Ortiz under arrest. 

According to Executive Director of the Housing Authority Carmelo Garcia, trespassing is a big problem in the HHA buildings. Although in this case, the trespasser was from Hoboken, often out of towners come to the buildings, "up to no good," Garcia said. 

Garcia said that in order to curtail trespassing, cameras have been placed by the entrances of HHA buildings. Although residents have complained in the past about the lack of surveillance of the cameras, Garcia said that the Hoboken Police Department as well as the Housing Authority monitors the cameras. 

"Public safety is the responsibility of the police," he said. Garcia further explained that the Housing Authority enforces a strict "one strike" policy. If a resident is caught doing drugs, or being in possession of drugs, it could mean eviction for an entire family.

According to the police report, Ortiz had two active warrants out of Jersey City.