A Novel Pilot Brings Vertical Farms to Public Housing

A public housing community in Jersey City received an unusual amenity earlier this month: an indoor farm that will produce 550 pounds of free leafy greens a year. It’s the first of 10 aeroponic farms that will be installed across the city in a novel pilot program called ​​Healthy Greens JC that aims to tackle food insecurity by merging technology, education and food access.

The program, which will provide a total of 19,000 pounds of free greens to eligible city residents in its first year, aims not just to bring healthier food options to low-income communities, but also to better educate residents about nutrition and healthy eating “as a starting point for a healthier Jersey City,” said Stacey Flanagan, Jersey City’s director of the Department of Health and Human Services.