Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Council advances tax abatements, redevelopment agreements and multiple contracts; votes at a glance
Loading...
Summary
At its April 15 meeting the Newark Municipal Council advanced and adopted on first reading several redevelopment tax abatements, approved contract extensions and accepted grants (including HIV/AIDS subrecipient agreements) and discussed a Section 108-backed loan for a community-center project.
The Newark Municipal Council on April 15 advanced multiple redevelopment ordinances on first reading, approved a series of purchasing and professional-service contracts, and adopted grant agreements and subrecipient contracts for public-health and violence-intervention programs.
Key actions recorded by roll call included advancing and adopting a 20-year tax abatement for Namor South Orange Urban Renewal LLC (a West Ward five-story mixed-use project) and ratifying a second amendment to the Spruce Park abatement. The council also approved a sale and redevelopment agreement with Bergen Street Partners LLC and authorized a lease with South Orange, New Jersey LLC for office space.
Council members adopted emergency appropriations for urban and community fostering programs and Ryan White HIV health-and-support services, then approved contracts for elevator-inspection services, traffic-sign materials and emergency professional services. The meeting included roll-call approvals of multiple subrecipient contracts to provide community-based violence intervention, youth mentoring, safe-passage programs and HIV/AIDS related services to community providers.
Council discussed using Section 108 loan authority (HUD) to provide a loan guarantee for a community-center project; Deputy Mayor Lisonbee Ladd said the program had prior approval and that Invest Newark handled underwriting. Ladd said the loan covered a funding gap and that HUD had to provide affirmative approval; the city's CDBG funds back the program.
Votes at a glance (selected items):
- Namor South Orange tax abatement (ordinance advanced and adopted on first reading): roll call recorded affirmative votes from present members; outcome: approved on first reading; public hearing set for May 6. (SEG 3171'SEG 3180)
- Bergen Street Partners sale and redevelopment agreement (ordinance advanced): approved on roll call. (SEG 3216'SEG 3230)
- Affordable/supportive housing loan agreement (resolution K): approval recorded for a 4-story, 19-unit affordable and supportive housing project (sponsored item approved by roll call). (SEG 3651'SEG 3671)
- Section 108 loan discussion and related resolution(s): Council discussed a $2.5 million portion of Section 108 funds for a community-center portion of a development; the council recorded a vote to proceed with the related resolution; some members abstained on sponsorship calls and staff agreed to provide additional documentation. (SEG 3494'SEG 3596)
- Multiple purchasing and contract resolutions (security services, water/sewer equipment state contract, elevator inspection emergency extension, traffic-sign materials) and professional services for environmental consulting and redevelopment land-use legal work: adopted by roll call. (SEG 3300'SEG 3440)
The council also adopted an array of grant-acceptance resolutions for COVID-related reimbursements, Ryan White HIV funds and other public-benefit programs and recorded roll-call approval for several settlements authorized by the law department.
What happens next: the ordinances advanced on first reading will be advertised and held for public hearing on May 6; staff said they will publish backup documentation required for some loan and development items and will provide further detail on the Section 108 underwriting and HUD reporting obligations.
The meeting record includes full roll-call sequences for each adopted measure in the transcript; the city clerk will publish minutes and the ordinance backups as required by law.
