Erin Lanahan 
Heights University Hospital, at 176 Palisade Avenue in Jersey City, closed its doors for good on March 14th, 2026. The closure has led local leaders to call on the State of New Jersey to intervene, including both mayors of Hoboken and Jersey City. The hospital closure comes after the operating company asked the state for more money in 2025 and failed to come up with an operating budget. This past weekend, local leaders pushed to keep the hospital open, but a last-minute injunction failed, so the hospital closed its doors for good. The same day, police arrested two people protesting the closure outside the hospital. Read on for the latest updates on the Heights University Hospital closure in Jersey City and what local leaders are saying about it.
Weekend Recap
On March 14th, the Jersey City Corporation Counsel filed an emergency injunction to prevent the closure of Heights University Hospital. It would allow continuous access to essential health services regarding HRH’s alleged failure to follow the steps required to close a hospital.
Jersey City Mayor James Solomon expressed his frustration about the hospital closure, saying in a statement, “At every stop on the way to today, HRH failed to follow basic rules required by state law to close a hospital. Unfortunately, the allowed penalties are so small as to count as the cost of doing business. Further, in recent days, HRH sought to negotiate a deal to keep the hospital open long-term if the City agreed to fast-track the process to begin a luxury residential development project on the site. Jersey City does not negotiate with the lives of our residents, while their offer demonstrated the hospital could remain open.”
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Shortly after the city went to court, a judge declined to issue the injunction on Saturday, and the hospital continued with it’s permanent closure plans. The doors officially closed at 7:30PM.
A sit-in demonstration protesting the closure evolved into a “die-in” protest right outside the hospital on March 14th. The protestors reportedly sang protest songs and chanted while lying on the ground, their bodies encircled by chalk outlines like crime scenes, symbolizing those who will die without access to the hospital. Jersey City Police arrested two protesters during this protest, according to Hudson County View. The two arrestees were identified as Isaac Jimenez of the North New Jersey Democratic Socialists of America and Hudson County DSA, and Carissa Cunningham, a fellow DSA member and aide to Ward B Councilman Joel Brooks.
Protesters reportedly tried to enter the hospital through the Emergency Department, but found the doors were already locked. As the protest carried on, some protestors found an open door near a loading dock and gained access to the hospital that way. Once inside, police reportedly rushed to stop the protestors, leading to the trespassing arrests. Both Jimenez and Cunningham were released by Saturday evening, according to Hudson County View.
In a post on Facebook, Ward D Councilman Jake Ephros shared his disappointment with the hospital closure and the arrests made. The councilman shared, “We are also deeply concerned by the manner in which two protesters were arrested outside Christ Hospital. While we are relieved that both have since been released, we affirm the right to free speech and freedom of assembly. Our office is exploring all available options regarding Christ Hospital. Healthcare is a human right, and the health of our community must always come before profit.”
Background
Hudson Regional Health began operating Heights University Hospital, formerly known as Christ Hospital, in November 2024. HRH took ownership of the property and Hoboken University Medical Center in April 2025 due to Care Point’s bankruptcy proceedings.
In September 2025, HRH announced it would suspend non-essential services. At the time, the New Jersey Department of Health warned that the hospital could not shut down; it would need to create a plan and work with the state and other entities to wind down operations.
In October 2025, HRH announced that unless the hospital received an infusion of funding from the state, it would have to close. Hospital operators requested $25 million. The hospital received $2 million from the state, which the CEO described as a ‘stopgap measure.’
In that same month, plans came to light that showed a proposal to redevelop the hospital property into a two-tower project with 2,200 residential units and 1,150 parking spaces spread out among a series of 10-story buildings.
In December 2025, the Jersey City Council approved an ordinance limiting how the property could be re-zoned. Per TapInto Jersey City, “City officials said the change is intended to preserve the district’s original purpose of supporting hospitals, acute care facilities, and related medical uses.”
In February 2026, the hospital owners sued Jersey City over the December 2025 zoning changes related to the hospital property, arguing that the Council’s decision violates the City’s own Master Plan.
What’s Next
Before the March 14th permanent closure, Heights University Hospital announced plans to work with other medical providers to continue medical care for Heights residents. Per a press release on March 12th, Alliance Community Healthcare (ACHI), a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), has entered into a partnership with Hudson Regional Health (HRH) to provide a broad range of healthcare services to the Heights community. ACHI will use space in HRH’s Heights Medical Office Building (MOB) at 142 Palisade Avenue in the future, expanding access to primary and preventive care for area residents.
HRH will continue to offer healthcare options at the Heights MOB and place an ambulance outside of the Emergency Department for two weeks following the suspension of services. The ambulance will transport patients requiring emergency care to other facilities. HRH will provide various medical services on the HRH Foundation Mobile Health Unit in partnership with various community groups in Jersey City.
Hoboken Mayor Emily Jabbour expressed her disappointment in the closure on Instagram. She writes: “The lack of transparency throughout this process, and the fact that there has not been a clear, state-approved transition plan, communicated to us is incredibly concerning. Closing a hospital without a responsible plan in place is dangerous for the thousands of people who rely on the Hudson County hospital network for care. This will surely put additional pressure on Hoboken University Medical Center as more patients are redirected here and to Jersey City Medical Center. I remain in contact with Jersey City Mayor James Solomon and Hudson County Executive Craig Guy as we continue pushing for answers and working to address the impact this closure will have on our communities.”
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Assemblywoman Katie Brennan joined Mayor Solomon and other local leaders on Saturday, March 14th, protesting the hospital closure during a sit-in.
In a statement, Rep. Brennan said, “The owners of Heights University Hospital closed this facility without following the procedures required under state law and without any plan to make sure Jersey City residents can access the care they need. They acted in bad faith, and they should be held accountable. This fight is far from over. I’m working with city, county, and state officials on a regional plan to make sure Jersey City has enough emergency beds and that all residents have access to high-quality care.”
During a Hudson County Board of Commissioners meeting on March 12th, the board decided to launch an investigatory committee into the situation at the hospital. The committee will determine how Jersey City found itself in this situation after HRH was supposed to solve the financial situation left by the previous hospital operator, CarePoint Health. The independent investigation will dive into operations, governance, financial management, and quality of care at Heights University Hospital. The committee will be made up of experts in healthcare, finance, law, and clinical governance, and have the authority to request documents and financial records, interview hospital staff and stakeholders, and review reports and audits.
The committee is required to submit a written report in 30 days. It will include their findings of mismanagement and recommend corrective action.
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