Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla today announced that the City of Hoboken has received a perfect score of 100 percent on the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) 2024 Municipal Equality Index (MEI). The MEI is an annual assessment of over 500 municipalities across the United States, evaluating laws, policies, and services impacting the LGBTQ+ community. Hoboken is one of only five municipalities in New Jersey to achieve the prestigious honor.
“The City of Hoboken is proud to once again be recognized as a leader in promoting LGBTQ+ equality,” said Mayor Bhalla. “Our perfect score on the MEI reflects the City’s unwavering commitment to creating a welcoming, inclusive, and safe community for everyone who lives, works, or studies in Hoboken. I am especially proud of our Pride Advisory Committee’s efforts to uplift and celebrate the rich diversity within our city.”
“I'm proud that Hoboken continues to have a 100 percent rating on the Human Rights Campaign's Municipal Equality Index, which reflects Mayor Bhalla's and the City Council's continued support for basic civil rights for Hoboken's LGBTQIA+ residents," said Catherine Williams, Chair of the City's Pride Advisory Committee. "Even more important, though, is the fact that our city government recognizes that work remains to be done to ensure that Hoboken is a safe and welcoming place for all residents, including LGBTQIA+ citizens. The City's LGBTQ+ Pride Advisory Committee looks forward to working with the Mayor and City Council members to make even greater progress for Hoboken's LGBTQIA+ community in the coming year."
The MEI, conducted by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, is the only nationwide evaluation of LGBTQ+ equality in municipal governance. In 2024, it assessed 506 cities based on 49 criteria across five categories: non-discrimination laws, municipal employment policies, city services, law enforcement practices, and public leadership on LGBTQ+ issues.
Under Mayor Bhalla’s leadership, Hoboken has implemented several key initiatives to support and protect its LGBTQ+ community. These include creating an LGBTQ+ community liaison, mandating all single-occupancy restrooms to be gender-neutral, and signing an executive order preventing discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals and other minority groups by city contractors.
In 2024, Mayor Bhalla further demonstrated Hoboken’s commitment to LGBTQ+ equality by establishing the Pride Advisory Committee through an executive order. The committee's mission is to foster inclusiveness, raise awareness, propose solutions, and build a culture of acceptance for all members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
To view the full MEI report, go to https://www.hrc.org/resources/municipal-equality-index.
