These 11 Newark Residents Will Help City Battle ‘Gentrification’

NEWARK, NJ — Newark has officially sworn in a commission of 11 local residents and activists as part of the city’s new Equitable Growth Advisory Commission. Their task is a steep one: help prevent gentrification in New Jersey’s largest city.

The new commission was sworn in during a ceremony on Thursday night at Newark City Hall. It’s made up of 11 members, who have been “drawn from the city’s community, academic, business and nonprofit sectors,” according to municipal officials.

Together, the commission will make recommendations and give advice on several important issues:

• Planning and land use laws/policies
• Housing law/policy
• Public financing for housing, real estate and infrastructure development
• Related public health matters
• Business development and procurement

“We created this commission to ensure that the benefits of Newark’s surge in new development and investment are shared by all Newarkers,” Mayor Ras Baraka said.

Baraka – who previously attested that “Newark must not become another Brooklyn” – said the chosen residents are all dedicated to fighting for equitable growth in the city, especially those who are struggling to pay their bills.

• See related article: ‘We Can't Become Brooklyn,’ Mayor Says Amid Gentrification Worries

Newark city officials offered the following statement about the need for an anti-gentrification committee:

“Newark is benefiting from economic and real estate development that will transform city neighborhoods and bring greater resources to all Newark residents. However, the city faces a crisis of affordability in housing that began long before the development surge. Research has shown that growing cities with affordability issues tend to displace the most vulnerable residents through gentrification.”

Here are the 11 inaugural members of the Equitable Growth Advisory Commission:

• Al-Tariq Shabazz (Manager, Office of Affordable Housing)
• Aisha Glover (Newark Alliance)
• Joseph Della Fave (ICC)
• Richard Cammarieri (NCC)
• Raymond Ocasio (La Casa De Don Pedro)
• David Troutt (Rutgers-CLiME Center)
• Judith Thompson-Morris (LISC)
• Ommeed Sathe (Prudential)
• Kevin Lyons (Rutgers-Business School)
• Bradley Gonmiah (Student Member)
• Carolyn Thompson-Wallace (IYO)

Newark officials added that the new commission is one of several “anti-displacement and equitable growth strategies” the city is rolling out. Others include:

• Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance
• The Homestead Ordinance
• The Amended Long Term Tax Abatement Ordinance
• Neighborhood Development Program
• Strengthened Rent Controls
• Creation of the Office of Affordable Housing
• Right to Counsel legislation to prevent evictions
• Foreclosure Prevention Programs
• Workshops and guidance to help renters become owners
• Selling homes at low cost to residents
• Preparing small Newark minority and women contractors to become developers
• Stronger code enforcement in deteriorating affordable housing

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