Newark Scores $4M For Housing From Biden-Harris Administration

NEWARK, NJ — The Biden-Harris administration is releasing $85 million in federal grant funding to help combat the nation’s housing crisis, and New Jersey’s largest city is getting a piece of the pie, officials say.

Vice President Kamala Harris and HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman announced that $85 million in grant funding is being awarded through Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing (PRO Housing). The federal program aims to identify and remove barriers to affordable housing production and preservation, and lower housing costs.

Newark will be getting $4 million, officials said. Want to know why? Read the city’s profile here.

According to the HUD:

“Over 70% of the city’s residents are renters and more than 60% of them are housing cost burdened. The city has advanced housing supply through updated local regulations, strategic planning, and investments in historically underfunded communities. PRO Housing funding will enable Newark to update local land use regulations, provide homebuyer assistance, and expand investments in underserved communities.”

“As one of the least affordable areas in the country and one of the most segregated, Newark will use its PRO Housing grant funding to expand its homeowner assistance program and its Equitable Investments in Newark Communities Program, which facilitates the development or rehabilitation of homes,” HUD officials stated in a news release.

In a separate news release, the city noted that the funds will also be used to expand the Live Newark homeowner assistance program, which provides forgivable down payment loans to first-time homebuyers and for home repairs.

In addition, the grant will help further the Equitable Investments in Newark Communities program, which enables the development or rehabilitation of homes, while simultaneously expanding opportunities for minority/women-owned business enterprise developers and contractors.

“President [Joe] Biden and I believe that every American deserves affordable housing, so they have a roof over their head and a place to call home,” Harris said. “That is why we have a plan to build millions of new units of affordable housing in communities all across our nation, which will bring down the cost of housing for renters and help more Americans buy a home.”

“Today, I am proud to announce that we are taking a critical step forward by investing $85 million to help more than 20 communities throughout our country remove barriers to building more affordable housing,” the vice president added.

Mayor Ras Baraka thanked the Biden-Harris administration for including Newark in the program’s first round of funding.

“Creating affordable rentals and putting homeownership within the reach of residents is a top priority in Newark, born from the insight that no one can have the necessary stability for personal growth and freedom without the foundation and comfort of safe, affordable housing,” Baraka said.

CREATING HOUSING IN NEWARK

According to city officials, other recent attempts to create affordable housing in Newark include:

• The Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance with first dibs to residents for affordable units
• $1 home sales to residents with low-cost mortgages for construction and renovations
• The Live Newark Programs of forgivable loans to first time homebuyers and for essential repairs
• Use of Section 8 vouchers to enable renters to become homeowners
• The Newark Land Bank and EINC programs that use City-owned properties to create affordable housing
• Revised Land use and zoning regulations (NZLUR) to prioritize housing affordability
• A $30 million dedicated affordable housing fund

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