Newark council approves multiple developer tax incentives; residents press for stronger housing oversight

Newark Municipal Council on June 4 approved a series of developer tax incentives and a one-year extension to an existing affordable-housing agreement, while dozens of residents urged the city to enforce maintenance rules and to prioritize deeper affordability in new projects.

City leaders voted to advance or adopt ordinances granting tax incentives for multiple new-construction projects — including a five-story building at 449 Washington Street and a four-story building on Twelfth Street — and to designate a short stretch of East Runyon Street as one-way. The council also authorized a one-year extension to the financial agreement for Spruce Park Apartments to align with an expiring U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development housing assistance payment (HAP) contract.

The votes come as tenants from several large developments — including buildings owned or managed by New Community and other housing providers — pressed the council during the public comment portion for immediate repairs, working smoke alarms, functioning emergency pull cords and fuller security measures. Community members repeatedly called for the administration and the council’s oversight bodies to require stronger project labor and project maintenance commitments before granting long-term tax breaks.

Allison Ladd, director of economic and housing development, told the council that the 449 Washington Street project will be five stories with 20 residential units, “10 will be market and 10 will be affordable,” and that the property’s tax contribution to the city would rise from about $2,900 to roughly $26,800 once…