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Union, residents criticize Newark Housing Authority management and possible layoffs; council urged to intervene
Summary
Public commenters and Local 617 union leaders told the council on Sept. 17 they oppose proposed layoffs or privatization at the Newark Housing Authority, blamed upper-management decisions for a reported $4 million deficit and called for preservation of jobs and resident services.
Union leaders and residents used the Sept. 17 hearing to raise alarms about proposed layoffs at the Newark Housing Authority (NHA), alleging mismanagement by new leadership and urging the municipal council to intervene.
Lorenzo Hall, president of Local 617, told the council the union was seeking council support to block the layoff of roughly 161 NHA employees and opposed privatization plans he said would likely raise rents and reduce service quality for tenants. "If the director wants to privatize the housing authority, which in fact means that the rents would go up because it's private," Hall said. He argued the authority's ground-level workers are being blamed for problems that stem from management decisions, such as failure to order materials and understaffing.
Several public commenters described specific tenant issues, including repeated recertification demands and delays in housing-authority payments, and accused prior and current management of mismanagement or worse. Cassandra Doc and other speakers urged federal attention and said long-standing problems had not been remedied.
Council members said they are following up with housing-authority leadership and the director. The council also discussed related redevelopment and affordability items on the agenda (including bond and redevelopment measures) and asked for documentation and briefings on the NHA's financial position, pending layoffs and contracts before taking additional action.
Why it matters: NHA oversees subsidized housing for many residents. Layoffs and privatization proposals could affect hundreds of tenants and workers and shift responsibility for repairs and services away from a public authority.
Next steps: Council members said they would request follow-up materials and meetings with NHA leadership and the departments involved to assess the financial picture and workforce impact and to explore alternatives to layoffs.
