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Newark council approves 30-year tax abatement for Fulton Street North after public questions on developer selection and local-hire compliance
Summary
The Newark Municipal Council approved a 30-year tax abatement for Fulton Street North LLC’s proposed multifamily project in the Central Ward after a public hearing in which residents questioned how developers are selected and how local hiring and compliance will be enforced.
The Newark Municipal Council on May 7 adopted a 30-year tax abatement for Fulton Street North LLC to support construction of a new multifamily housing project in the Central Ward.
The vote followed a public hearing at which residents and community advocates pressed the council on how developers are chosen for tax-abatement deals and whether projects will meet local-hiring and community-benefit commitments. Allison Ladd, director of economic and housing development, told the council the Fulton Street North project is one of five related developments and that across the five projects the city expects about 66 units with roughly $53,000,000 in total investment and 32.5% of units to be designated affordable.
Why it matters: Long-term tax abatements are frequently used to make large housing and rehabilitation projects financially feasible. Community members said they want clearer assurances that abated projects deliver local jobs, contracting opportunities and genuinely affordable units.
Public speakers raised concerns about the selection and oversight process. Deborah Salters, who identified herself in remarks as “Warrior for the people,” said residents often receive “the bare minimum” of affordability when projects receive abatements and asked, “How do these particular developers get picked?” Alif Muhammad asked the council to consider the developers’ community commitments and noted concerns about outside compliance firms being used on projects rather than local vendors. George Tillman Jr. said contractors already selected for the project included out-of-state firms and urged the council to “pay serious attention” to compliance from day one of construction.
Allison Ladd, the city’s director of economic and housing development, described the package of five projects together and said the city had accounted for parking and affordable-unit mixes when negotiating the abatements. Specifically, she said the five projects total about 66 units, roughly $53 million in investment and 32.5% affordable housing across the portfolio. For the 69 Sherman Avenue site discussed later on the agenda, she said the ratio would be one parking space per unit.
Council action: After the public hearing closed, the council voted in favor of the ordinance. The roll-call vote recorded members present voting yes: Gonzales; Kelly; Quintana; Ramos; Scott Rountree; and President Crump. Councilman Silva was recorded absent in the roll calls for the item. The ordinance will proceed according to the city’s public-notice and advertising requirements for final passage.
What’s next: Ladd and speakers urged ongoing monitoring of compliance and local hiring commitments during construction. The council did not specify additional enforcement steps during the meeting beyond existing compliance reviews tied to abatement agreements.
Ending: Residents who testified asked the council to maintain public oversight throughout construction and to provide clearer, public documentation of developer selection and compliance performance as projects move toward building permits and occupancy.
