West Side residents urge council for sustained policing and quality‑of‑life fixes

A coalition of West Side residents and neighborhood groups told the Jersey City Municipal Council they have lived for years with persistent public‑safety and quality‑of‑life problems on West Side Avenue and Gauthier Avenue and asked for concrete, sustained action.

Speakers described open‑air drug dealing, gambling, public urination and loud gatherings outside a bodega at 733 West Side Avenue and said those activities are occurring in plain sight in front of children, parishioners and shoppers. "My daughter asked me, ‘Mommy, why are grown ups peeing on the floor like animals?'" one resident said. "How do I explain that to my child?"

Neighborhood representatives asked the council to fund regular foot patrols, assign a dedicated quality‑of‑life officer, improve street lighting, repair sidewalks and install traffic‑calming measures. "We need foot patrols. We need officers who know our streets and aren't afraid to step out of their vehicles," said Gaye Dunston, a longtime West Side resident.

The Lincoln Park North Association requested monthly progress updates, a dedicated enforcement unit and a flashing pedestrian crossing sign near a school crosswalk. Residents said they have repeatedly reported incidents to the police and the resident response center with little visible change.

Council members acknowledged the complaints and said they had received frequent messages from West Side residents. Councilman Joel Brooks, who lives nearby, urged residents to keep filing reports because the data helps secure dedicated resources. The council asked city departments to review the requests and report back on feasible near‑term measures and budget implications.