Theresa Castellano is Councilwoman of Hoboken's First Ward. Councilwoman Castellano has had a tremendous impact on the City of Hoboken: worked to get legislation passed, traveled to Trenton and Washington, DC on behalf of constituents, secured millions in appropriations, and built a strong and effective constituent service operation. Councilwoman Castellano has served on the Public Safety, the Parking and Transportation and Education committees and has chaired the Quality of Life, Administration and Environment committees.

During her tenure, Councilwoman Castellano has fought overdevelopment by limiting the height and density of buildings and joining with citizens groups to bring stop actions against developers flouting Hoboken's zoning laws. She worked tirelessly to ensure that Hoboken's Waterfront plans included as much open space as possible, resulting in a gain to Hoboken's First Ward of over 7 acres of Waterfront parkland already built with an additional 5 acres of recreation planned. She has been a member of the Hoboken Historic Preservation Commission since 1978 and the Chairwoman since 1991. Theresa Castellano served as Chairwoman of the Hoboken Zoning Board of Adjustment (1989 – 1995) until she was elected to the Council.

Hoboken HHPC Award Ceremony Honoring Fr. Micheal Guppleneilliof St. Francis Church	Mary Beth Asher Receiving the Service Award

She has worked to combat Hoboken's twin parking and traffic problems and helped to create over 2000 new parking spaces, change the traffic patterns around Hoboken's transportation hub to make it safer and saner, worked with the State, the County, the Port Authority and PSE&G to improve stop light performance and traffic patterns and battled the Hoboken Parking Authority and the state of New Jersey over parking rate increases. Councilwoman Castellano was also instrumental in creating numerous commercial loading zones in Hoboken's First Ward to relieve the double-parking on our streets. Councilwoman Castellano was the sole vote on the City Council against appropriating the Hoboken Parking Authorities $10 million surplus into the Hoboken City Budget to as a one-time revenue enhancement.

Theresa Castellano created a family by adopting her sons John, left, and Jesse, 8.

As a life-long Hoboken resident and Councilwoman

representing a ward containing a number of affordable and senior housing projects, Councilwoman Castellano is acutely aware of the needs for affordable and safe housing for her neighbors. She has been a constant presence in Trenton battling against management's unreasonable demands for increases and was a sponsor of legislation extending rent control protection to current residents of "subsidized" housing. As an independent businesswoman and entrepreneur, Councilwoman Castellano owns the clothing store, City Discount House at 207 Washington Street and is a past President of Hoboken's Business and Industry Association. She has brought a small-businessperson's pragmatism to her seat on the Council.

An advocate for families and children, Councilwoman Castellano's legislative initiatives have encompassed statewide issues that also affect our mile square city.

First Ward Councilwoman Theresa Castellano brought gifts from Santa to the St. Mary's Hospital pediatric ward and the Crisis Intervention Unit.

Councilwoman Castellano was a primary advocate of the State's Safe Havens program to protect newborn babies who might have otherwise simply been abandoned by their birth mothers. When the State passed new OTB legislation opening Hoboken as a potential site of off track betting, Councilwoman sponsored legislation to prohibit this type of business in Hoboken. From helmet laws to strengthening noise ordinances and litter ordinances to the We Card program, she has been in the forefront of many quality of life issues

A former member of the Council's Public Safety Committee, Councilwoman Castellano was a driving force behind the City's cell phone ban; laws restricting use of motorized scooters; children's helmet laws and the expansion of the Amber Alert system to Hoboken, NJ.

As chair of the Quality of Life Committee, Councilwoman Castellano took an active role in Hoboken's "one-way door" policy; the "No-Ads" legislation limiting distribution of handbills door to door in Hoboken; the "We Card" program further curbing the sale of tobacco products to minors; and effecting changes in the City's Noise legislation creating more stringent time and decibel limits on noise created by business and construction.

Born in Hoboken, Councilwoman Castellano is the daughter of the late Clare Ferrante Prezioso and the late Sergio (Sam) Prezioso. She grew up in Hoboken and graduated from Hoboken High School. She attended Fairleigh Dickerson University and earned her degree in Dental Hygiene from the College of Medicine and Dentistry in Newark, NJ. She has run City Discount House for the past 38 years.

Councilwoman Castellano is married to Hoboken Police Detective Robert Castellano and they have two sons.The oldest, John James, is now attending Ruger's University seeking a degree in Political Science and contemplating Law School. The youngest, Jesse Robert, is a junior at Hudson Catholic Regional High School and is planning to attend college.The Castellano family are proud owners of a Maltese, Ozzie.

The Councilwoman has been the recipient of numerous awards including Who's Who (1998); National Register of Who's Who for Women (2000); Christopher Columbus Award; and a Historic Preservation Commission Awardee for Dedication to Historic Preservation.

Honorable Theresa Castellano Recipient Of The "Christopher Columbus Award For Outstanding Community Service"