[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6665496,"mediaKeyId","2352194-d9b9378066a688094d06b35aa7c72d55","parentId",2352194,"title","Council approves $6 million for citywide property revaluation after residents ask how costs will be covered","audioSeconds",487,"startMs",10052000,"endMs",10539000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2352194-d9b9378066a688094d06b35aa7c72d55&start=10052&end=10539","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2352194-d9b9378066a688094d06b35aa7c72d55/thumbnail_10052000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6665496/Newark/Essex-County/New-Jersey/Council-approves-6-million-for-citywide-property-revaluation-after-residents-ask-how-costs-will-be-covered","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6665496-6c26ca14bd849c4e5f0fb37a8fd51fdf/orig.mp4?Expires=1773780080&Signature=Ym0eC5ZUx2t8soil3bS6kzITOnRMdOhdXeJ9pLf1bJfJonrqNT3EaDLSRvXEjJTowxCyWe7Z2qssI8KnUJdmoUffgB2I30AaDqvEvoOuTgDbgWe7cTBemtDQZpHCJSnf1tRafONJe6Fdf~XS6A4JltfsrvvpWrKrdQqFzPansZHJ7~Y03x4yes7PqUzhGU-txqlownAi-QqtBH2Lr9Dj3SbEZ~CVe4ypIhvpRqWcsGzWA516qdn9TupnQ3K96MsNE3v4O2i0zK5ltSFxRv3HGu5je7ZnFSRXQ1P0vMfAD4rXzM8XrnGb2a3HJTiuWh2kIsKpT0ww4nCk33fRs4q99w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Newark","date","2025-02-20T04:08:41.773Z","article","The Newark Municipal Council voted to approve a $6 million special emergency appropriation on Feb. 19 to fund a citywide property revaluation, responding to resident questions about the cost and whether higher assessed values could raise property taxes.

Why it matters: Revaluations reassign assessed values across tens of thousands of property records and can change individual tax bills even if the city's total levy is unchanged. Residents at the council meeting asked whether the effort would increase taxes for longtime homeowners and demanded an itemized explanation for the $6 million cost.

What the administration said: Eric Pennington, the city's business administrator, explained that New Jersey statute prescribes periodic revaluations; Newark had not had one in approximately 13 years and the current contract with a vendor, ASI, will cover inspection and assessment of roughly 53,000 property lines. \"The $6,000,000 will be paid by the taxpayers just like everything else in this budget is being paid,\" Pennington said. He said the process will take until roughly 2027, and that the revaluation is an equalization exercise intended to assign assessed values consistently across properties rather than an automatic tax increase: \"This is not a tax increase process. It is an equalization ratio process so that the taxes across those 53,000 lines will be equitably assessed.\" (Eric Pennington, Business Administrator)

Resident concerns: Several residents pressed for greater detail on how the money will be spent. Deborah Salters asked why the cost had apparently increased from earlier estimates and requested an itemized budget. Other speakers worried that reassessments could lead to higher tax bills for seniors and low-income homeowners.

Council action: Council members questioned whether the city could have paid less, whether there were only a small number of firms that perform this work, and whether phasing or deliverable-based payments would be used. Pennington said only a few qualified vendors operate at this scale in New Jersey, and that the contract allows invoicing tied to deliverables over the multi-year engagement. The measure passed on roll call.

What residents asked for next: Requests included an itemized breakdown of the $6 million appropriation, clarity on payment timing and deliverables, and outreach to homeowners about how the revaluation process will affect individual assessments. Council members asked the administration to provide additional details at a future meeting and to schedule town-hall outreach in affected wards.

Ending: With the appropriation approved, the administration and council indicated they will continue public outreach and provide updates on the timeline and methodology. Residents and advocates told the council they will watch for follow-up reports and itemized invoices to ensure the work is completed transparently and without undue burden on longtime Newark homeowners.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Regular Meeting - Newark Municipal Council - 02/19/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Newark Municipal Council approved a $6 million emergency appropriation to complete a citywide property revaluation, prompting residents to question cost, timeline and whether reassessment would raise taxes for longtime homeowners. City officials said the work is statutorily required and will be completed over about two years.","taxTitle","Newark, Essex County, New Jersey","taxId",2741,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6665500,"Newark council advances multiple tax abatements as residents demand affordability, oversight",1979,5161000,7140000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2352194-d9b9378066a688094d06b35aa7c72d55&start=5161&end=7140","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2352194-d9b9378066a688094d06b35aa7c72d55/thumbnail_5161000.jpg","/articles/6665500/Newark/Essex-County/New-Jersey/Newark-council-advances-multiple-tax-abatements-as-residents-demand-affordability-oversight","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6665500-158dfbd818f3d29e1111eb9b1c54e968/orig.mp4?Expires=1773780080&Signature=Szark1osDwZYZ4kZKE8KZByv~cuPgdUInGumJ7FPxlSZQrI2GeTw-OqMlhuhxrlz5gv-YLMUZ5~RlDon8fPlyBdPWAnt0GBEH1jA9mlghOMYzmE3WBFc~Z0oL99se6vIfmwqtNFiaw5BokKyD1JFfm-8EyMjoUt5A~ybf4HbmQOtRhfSZPyfOiItJJ0G~wD0dyQuq~XWVNOtfhnpbHiasIzB0fNxLk6HJl4A-297-gHry5lew7kdj84KWZf6WGxxV07OWay6u8gTOYFeqKNUhje3jBX15c5wLGqgy-ChU-eaxkK371C5jj4aFEMQpYJ0ZSGkJsLor2cJ1lmOaKHxJQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Newark Municipal Council on Feb. 19 advanced and in several cases adopted multiple redevelopment financing measures that include long-term tax abatements for projects in the Central Ward and other parts of downtown, prompting a steady stream of public comment demanding clearer affordability guarantees and oversight.

Supporters and residents who spoke during a lengthy public hearing pressed the council to explain how abatements are awarded, who benefits and whether the city tracks developers' compliance with affordable-housing and resident-employment commitments.

The debate focused on a 30-year tax abatement for a project on Brantford Place (identified on the agenda as 20 Brantford Urban Renewal LLC) and related financial agreements that split an earlier approved project into multiple phases. Deputy Mayor Lisonbee Ladd, director of economic and housing development, told the council the underlying project was approved in 2020 and that the current ordinances divide the previously approved plan into separate financial agreements because different funders are providing financing for separate phases. \"Phase 1 has already been completed,\" Ladd said. \"The only difference is now there will be 3 as opposed to 1 financial agreement that is related to each of the projects. There is no change in the incentive that's being granted by the city that was approved in 2020.\" (Lisonbee Ladd, Director of Economic and Housing Development)

Why it matters: Residents and tenant leaders said the city's use of long abatements is contributing to displacement and is not producing housing that existing Newark households can afford. Several speakers asked that the council require developers to demonstrate compliance with prior abatements before receiving new incentives and to provide itemized reports on in-lieu payments to the city's housing trust fund.

Resident Lisa Parker, who identified herself as representing homeowners and neighborhood groups, pressed the council for immediate legislative action to protect longtime residents. \"We have 1,000 homeowners' and' we need business because we want y'all to do the work,\" Parker said. She accused the city of giving extensive abatements to outside developers who \"don't contribute into our school system\" and of failing to extend relief to homeowners facing revaluation.

Other residents raised related concerns: revised inclusionary zoning standards, whether projects that now charge \"market-rate\" rents actually deliver the low- and moderate-income units Newarkers need, and whether the city's affirmative action review process is enforcing resident-hiring rules on projects that receive incentives.

Several speakers cited the city's updated inclusionary zoning ordinance and the Mount Laurel housing doctrine, saying the standards in practice do not produce units affordable to families earning Newark incomes. \"If it's $17,000 then that means your area median income ... 30% is what your rent's supposed to be according to HUD,\" said Felicia Austin Singleton, during the hearing.

Developer, community and council responses: Bashir Ali, who said he has supported the local Muslim community's efforts to regain a place of worship lost years ago, told the council he was \"conflicted\" over the Brantford proposal because the project could return a prayer space to his community but could also worsen affordability pressures citywide. Tenant leaders and tenant-association presidents urged routine air-quality checks and enforcement of property standards on buildings that already have long-term abatements.

Council action and votes at a glance:
- Ordinance 6FA: granted a 20-year tax abatement to PGH and Associates Urban Renewal LLC for a new five-story mixed-use building — adopted on first reading (roll call: council members recorded as voting in favor). (see provenance)
- Ordinance 6PSFA: granted a 30-year tax abatement to 20 Brantford Urban Renewal LLC (Central Ward) for construction of 81 residential units — after public hearing council advanced/approved the ordinance. Several residents appeared to oppose the length of the abatement and to press for stronger affordability and compliance reporting. (see provenance)
- Amended financial agreements for phases of a previously approved project (identified on the agenda as amended and restated financial agreements / split into parts to accommodate different funders) — council advanced/adopted the amendments, while the deputy mayor said the total number of units and affordable-unit commitments remain unchanged from the 2020 approval.

What residents asked the council to do: Petition the state delegation for tools beyond local control; require developers to provide compliance reports on prior abatements; publish itemized accounting of in-lieu payments to the housing trust fund; and ensure the affirmative action review council enforces Newark resident employment goals on projects that receive incentives.

Where it goes next: The deputy mayor said the current measures reflect previously approved city incentives and that the split into multiple financial agreements responds to financing needs. Several speakers said they will keep returning to council meetings and to legal avenues, including the courts and state agencies, to press for stronger affordability guarantees and enforcement.

Ending: City staff did not announce additional limits on the length of future abatements at the meeting. Council members requested clarifying information from the economic development office and acknowledged the number of public speakers; one council member asked the administration to provide additional details on compliance and the development partners involved in the multi-phase projects. The matter remains subject to continuing public scrutiny and follow-up requests from the council and neighborhood leaders.","The Newark Municipal Council advanced and adopted several redevelopment financing measures, including long-term tax abatements for downtown and Central Ward projects, prompting sustained public comment demanding stronger affordability rules, transparency on developer compliance and scrutiny of the city's tax-incentive programs.","actionData","errors"]

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Council approves $6 million for citywide property revaluation after residents ask how costs will be covered

Newark council advances multiple tax abatements as residents demand affordability, oversight