Newark Earmarks Housing For 200 ‘Chronically Homeless’ Residents

NEWARK, NJ — A cold winter just got a little warmer for more than a dozen “chronically homeless” people in New Jersey’s largest city.

On Tuesday, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and the Newark Housing Authority (NHA) announced that 200 public housing units in the city have been earmarked for transitional housing, which will be open to people experiencing chronic homelessness.

A place to hang their hats is just one of several ways that the city will be giving “Path Home” participants a hand up. People with mental illnesses, substance use disorders or physical disabilities will be able to get support services through a partnership with Bridges Outreach Inc. and other community groups, including housing navigation, behavioral health counseling and treatment and financial assistance.

The city is putting some capital funds into renovations and will be working with the NHA to activate the housing units. And the ball is already rolling on a better future, officials reported.

Recently, 15 Newark residents who have been struggling with homelessness moved into their new digs, leaving their beds in emergency shelters behind – hopefully for good. And more will be following their inspiring lead, city officials say.

It’s proof that progress can be made into the scourge of homelessness, officials said.

“It was heartwarming to welcome the first cohort of residents from emergency shelter into transitional housing and give them solid footing on their path to permanent housing and independent self-sufficiency,” Baraka said.

“I’m thrilled for these residents who are overcoming significant barriers to carve out a home for themselves and a foundation for freedom,” the mayor added.

• See Related: Baraka Shares Plan To Tackle Housing Crisis If Elected NJ Governor

“This groundbreaking initiative is proof that we can align existing partners and resources to create access to new housing models and services that will help us continue to make progress in reducing homelessness in our city,” Newark Office of Homeless Services Director Luis Ulerio agreed.

Article continues below video

Newark – the state’s largest city – routinely leads the region in the number of homeless residents. See Related: Homelessness Is Surging In Essex County, Latest Data Shows

However, the city has been taking several steps towards fighting the problem in recent years, and has been making big progress, officials say. Read More: Newark Sees Huge Drop In Unsheltered Homeless Population, State Says

The issue of homelessness isn’t new for Essex County, which has found itself leading the state in homeless residents for the past several years. From 2020 to 2024, the county saw an 11 percent overall increase, according to the latest point in time count from nonprofit Monarch Housing Associates.

Other New Jersey counties have also been seeing increases in homelessness, with a 24 percent rise taking place statewide since 2023.

The top causes of homelessness in Essex County included:

• Being asked to leave a shared residence (404 people)
• Eviction or risk of eviction (344 people)
• Loss or reduction of job income (182 people)
• Relocation (161)
• Released from prison/jail (138 people)

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site. Don’t forget to visit the Patch Newark Facebook page.