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Newark To Create Housing Out Of Shipping Containers As Homelessness Worsens Amid Pandemic

The city of Newark, in partnership with its homeless coalition, led by community organizer/activist Kym Gilchrist and Central Ward Councilwoman LaMonica McIver, held a day of service event to mark the MLK holiday, providing hot meals, COVID and HIV testing, as well as other wraparound services. Its all part of the city's ongoing efforts to address homelessness.

WBGO's Alexandra Hillreports on the city's ongoing efforts to provide services as well as new and innovative alternatives to the traditional shelter system, through recently announced plans to create temporary housing out of shipping containers. 

Alexandra Hill began her work with WBGO in June of 2012 in the news department. A graduate of the Rutgers Newark journalism program, Alexandra was also a student of WBGO News Director Doug Doyle. Alexandra has since become the lead general assignment reporter, afternoon news anchor, and producer of the award winning live call in show Newark Today. Since working for WBGO Alexandra has covered politics in and around Newark including the 2014 mayoral campaign of Mayor Ras Baraka as well as the senate campaigns of former Newark Mayor and now U.S. Senator Cory Booker in both 2013 and 2014. Alexandra also covers a host of human-interest stories, and has been recognized by the New York Association Of Black Journalists for her piece entitled Sheltering Newark’s Homeless.