Jersey City has been seeing a recent spike in development as the city grows.

One of the more extreme examples of this recent grab for land in the city is a small property on Johnston Avenue. A developer is seeking approval to construct an eight-unit apartment building with retail on the ground floor – all on a 20-foot wide lot of land.

Developer AM Development LLC is waiting on city approval for the building – but it is a great example of how development is happening fast in Jersey City.

And longtime Jersey City residents say that the real estate boom is forcing them to leave.

“It’s all about the money. It’s sad. I live here. I like Jersey City…but it’s not for us [any] more. It’s for who can afford it and I can’t,” says Jersey City resident Alberto.

Alberto says that he has lived next door to the small lot for 10 years with his wife and kids. But he says that he may move to Pennsylvania in the near future.

There is some pressure on the city and Mayor Steven Fulop to do more to protect longtime residents who are being priced out. The NAACP wrote an Op-Ed piece Wednesday demanding more action. Fulop says that a new affordable housing ordinance is in the works.