Ron Bautista Releases Housing Platform Ahead of Hudson County Commissioner Race

Ron Bautista, a candidate for Hudson County Commissioner in District 5, released his “Homes We Can Afford” platform this week, outlining three housing policy proposals he says would protect tenants and expand affordable housing across the county.

The platform calls for building permanently affordable housing on county-owned land through a Nonprofit Apartment Trust Fund, establishing a Housing First approach to homelessness, and enacting a Right to Counsel program providing free legal representation to tenants facing eviction.

“We can make Hudson County affordable for all of us, we just need to use the power we have to look out for each other,” Bautista said. “My housing plan calls for new affordable housing units built on county-owned land and a comprehensive approach to homelessness that puts Housing First. Hudson County is for all of us, and that’s exactly what I’m fighting for.”

The Nonprofit Apartment Trust Fund, also described as a community land trust model, would allow the county and nonprofits to build and preserve affordable housing. The proposed County Tenant Legal Defense Fund would provide free legal representation to renters facing eviction, harassment, or unsafe conditions.

Hudson County District 5 covers all of Hoboken and the Jersey City waterfront. The primary election is scheduled for June 2, 2026.