EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE
I am proud to report that, like the residents it serves, NHA has proven time and again to be resilient and its future,
like that of the City it serves, is promising. Before I was appointed Executive Director in 2006, NHA was an agency
in shambles and on the verge of being taken over by the federal government. Today, NHA is stronger than ever
and stands ready to take on all future challenges.
Our resiliency was again recently tested. Superstorm Sandy damaged several of our properties and left many of
our residents in the dark. Simultaneously, NHA was hit with another storm in the form of severe federal budget
cuts which forced the unpaid furlough of NHA employees and reduced the dollars available to maintain our
properties and programs. The federal cuts follow a long-term Congressional pattern of underfunding housing
authorities. For example, NHA’s latest assessment shows an immediate need of $160M to modernize our
housing stock. Yet, Congress only provides NHA with $13M annually to address capital needs.
NHA will therefore face many difficult challenges in the coming years but I am confident that we will
meet those challenges. Our professional staff has a steadfast dedication to serving the 30,000 Newark residents
that are housed by NHA. I have witnessed firsthand NHA staff’s extraordinary commitment to improving the lives
of the residents of Newark and so know we will weather whatever future storms come our way.
Today, I reaffirm my commitment to complete our mission of investing in our families by building and maintaining
affordable housing and by encouraging self-sufficiency and healthy communities. I am more committed than ever
to bringing quality housing opportunities to the most vulnerable in our community and to improving the quality of
life of the people of the City of Newark. The initiatives we have completed most recently have done just that
and our upcoming initiatives promise to do the same.
RECENTLY COMPLETED INITIATIVES
Baxter Park South |
Construction of 90 mixed-income apartments which included a host of green building components such as new solar panels that generate electricity for the building |
The Waterfront |
Construction of a state-of-the-art health and fitness facility for children and adults which features a rock climbing wall; a fitness center with free weights and cardio equipment; programs including zumba, group fitness, yoga, and self-defense; homework clubs and a full-size indoor gymnasium with high ceilings and bleachers |
Chadwick Village Townhomes |
Conversion of 34 shuttered and obsolete public housing units into 42 affordable housing townhomes. 15 of the 42 units receive residential support services via a partnership with The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey - University Behavioral Health Care |
NHA Promise Scholarship |
Launched to increase the number of degreed residents throughout Newark and to further promote resident education and self-sufficiency. The scholarship targets youth living in properties served by NHA and provides the award recipients with the comfort of knowing that tuition will not prohibit their academic pursuits |
UPCOMING INITIATIVES
$338 million of construction is slated to begin shortly which will deliver new mixed income housing,
renovated public housing, retail development, a vocational training center, a recreation center and new green space:
New Horizons Residences |
89 new apartments |
Baxter Park Phase II |
330 new apartments and an affordable grocery store, pharmacy and bank |
Montgomery Heights II |
124 new apartments and retail |
Lincoln Towers |
200 renovated affordable senior units |
Arena Village |
70,000 sq. ft. park with an additional 35,000 sq. ft. of retail, restaurants and shops |
Sonic Restaurant |
Chain restaurant on Springfield Avenue |
Training, Recreation and Entertainment Center (TREC) |
State-of-the-art 24,000 sq. ft. job training center and neighborhood recreational facility |
Dayton Street Area Redevelopment |
A plan is underway to revitalize the Dayton Street area which includes the TREC |
The Waterfront: Soccer Field |
Construction of a new soccer field which will be paid via a grant from U.S. Soccer |
We are constantly reminded that success comes to those that keep pushing forward even in the face of difficult odds.
But, success requires a proactive approach and so NHA has recently completed a five-year strategic plan that charts
our path forward. The plan promises to further modernize NHA and unleash its full potential while improving
efficiency, accountability and customer service. Over the next five years, NHA will continue to become more innovative
and entrepreneurial in completing our mission so that, despite the inevitable next wave of challenges, we will build
hundreds of new homes, encourage healthy lifestyles, and make higher education and vocational training
obtainable to our youth and families. Like Mayor Ras Baraka, we too believe in Newark and know that our best
is yet to come.
Sincerely,
Keith Kinard
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Newark Housing Authority |
