Newark
Newark is the most populous city in New Jersey and the seat of Essex County. According to 2019 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city had a population of 282,011. The ACS five-year estimates for 2015-2019 report that 49 percent of Newark residents are Black, 35 percent are Hispanic or Latino, 11 percent are white, 2 percent are Asian, and 3 percent identify as two or more or other.
The Newark BHEC team focuses geographically on the Fairmount and Springfield/Belmont neighborhoods, which are on the western edge of the city and bordering University Hospital. These neighborhoods have a population of approximately 40,000 people, 92 percent of whom are Black/African-American and/or Latinx.
The strong leadership of two community anchors with deep and enduring roots in Newark, the Urban League of Essex County and the New Community Corporation (NCC), guides the Newark team. The Urban League primarily focuses on building homes and promoting homeownership, while New Communities Corporation has years of expertise in providing wraparound supportive services, including housing and homelessness intervention. The team has established partnerships with for-profit developers, University Hospital (UH), and various experts from the city of Newark and the New Jersey community development and finance fields. Many of these partners have existing relationships and have collaborated in the past to advance development projects in Newark. At a high level, the team will focus on how to best leverage resources to achieve better health outcomes in the Fairmont and Springfield/Belmont neighborhoods of Newark. To measure its progress, the team will focus on improving the financial capability and wellbeing of low-income families, integrating health supports and programs with affordable housing, and harnessing community data to inform decisions and target interventions. The team hopes that advancing numerous catalytic projects in the Fairmount neighborhood will spark inclusive neighborhood growth. In turn, inclusive neighborhood growth will improve health outcomes and housing opportunities for Newark residents.
Newark
City team organizations
- Urban League of Essex County is a community development corporation focused on civil rights, urban advocacy, and resident-driven neighborhood revitalization. Urban League provides a variety of services for Essex County residents around creating jobs, teaching new skills, and childhood education as a means for obtaining economic independence. Urban League has a 100-plus-year history of advocating for equity and opportunity for Newark residents, especially on behalf of and in partnership with the city’s Black community. The Urban League of Essex County is serving as the team lead under the guidance of Vivian Cox.
- New Community Corporation (NCC) is a comprehensive community development corporation that offers a multitude of housing, health, educational, and community services to Newark residents, including affordable housing, early childhood learning centers, youth services, adult education, family transitional housing, 6 job training programs, the New Community Career and Technical Institute (NCCTI), the New Community Federal Credit Union, mental health services, a long-term care facility, a one-stop resource center, a food pantry, and arts and cultural events. Founded in 1968 by Msgr. William Linder, NCC today manages 1,800 affordable housing units.
- L+M Development Partners Inc. is a developer and builder of quality, affordable, mixed-income, and market-rate housing with a commitment to fostering economically diverse communities. L+M has overseen numerous affordable, market-rate, and preservation projects in Newark and most notably is currently the lead development partner on the redevelopment of Georgia King Village, which will preserve the property’s existing 422 affordable housing units.
- Fairmount Heights Neighborhood Association (FHNA) is a community organization that works to maintain a collaborative neighborhood network in the Fairmount neighborhood. FHNA’s goal is to maintain a quality collaborative neighborhood network that provides programs and services, safe school environments, jobs, businesses, housing, transportation, and recreation, as well as sustainability, and equitable economic, cultural, social, and civic development (enhancement) for every person within the community.
- University Hospital (UH) is an independent state-owned teaching hospital located in the Fairmount neighborhood. UH is the primary teaching hospital for Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. UH will serve as the team’s health services anchor and contributes a nuanced approach to addressing the social determinants of health through health systems and housing.
- Greater Newark LISC is one of LISC’s 31 local offices. Established in 1986, Greater Newark LISC has leveraged $640 million in greater Newark to support the production of affordable homes, apartments, commercial, and community space. Greater Newark LISC program and service offerings include housing and real estate development, economic development through entrepreneurship and new business support, family income and wealth generation, healthy and resilient communities, and capacity building or local organizations.
- New Jersey Community Capital (NJCC) is a nonprofit CDFI that provides financial products, programs, and services to advance equity and opportunity in New Jersey communities. A commitment to the principles of healthier places, economic mobility, community-driven strategies, and cross-sector partnerships guides its approach. NJCC offers flexible, hands-on financing in addition to real estate and development services.
- The Newark CDFI Coalition aligns the capital and expertise of a diverse collection of CDFI’s, nonprofits, and community partners to meet the needs of Newark’s underserved communities. The coalition integrates consumer loans, micro- and small business loans, and financial coaching offered across its member network to scale, elevating financial empowerment and advocacy for the city’s underserved residents. Notable members include Greater Newark LISC, the Urban League of Essex County, New Community Federal Credit Union and NJCC.
- City of Newark is the municipal body of the city. Under Mayor Baraka’s leadership, Newark has prioritized transforming its economy by combining employment, procurement, and residential strategies.
- Victoria Foundation is one of the oldest private foundations in America, founded in 1924. Currently, the foundation is working to improve educational outcomes for young people, stabilize and revitalize distressed neighborhoods, improve the quality of the urban environment, promote civic engagement and leadership, increase job opportunities, help children develop into healthy, creative adults, and strengthen fragile families. Its work in Newark primarily centers on improving the lives of children and families.
- Type A Projects directs and manages all aspects of the real estate development process and offers development consulting services. Type A Project brings development expertise and knowledge of the Newark real estate market to the team.