The city of Newark will create the Equitable Growth Advisory Commission, consisting of 15 members from academic, community, and business sectors. Its members will make recommendations on land use, housing, and other related matters.
“It’s intentionally structured to be a collaboration. A cross sector of voices that help shape policy and serve as an equity compass,” said Aisha Golver with the economic revitalization non-profit Newark Alliance.
Mayor Ras Baraka says the commission gives Newark leverage over developers as they begin to build beyond the downtown district.
“Once the market turns, they’re going to go to the neighborhood you don’t want to be in, and they’re going to develop there, and then you won’t be able to live there. The point is we don’t want the market to dictate to us how to develop and move in our city.”
City officials have concerns with maintaining affordability for low-income residents as more high-profile development projects come to Newark. But still, Baraka says prioritizing them is necessary.
“If we say no to everything then we miss the boat. The idea is, we have to have some level of development because you can’t distribute wealth that you don’t have. You have to bring wealth into the city and distribute it in a way where most of us can benefit from it.”
The Advisory Commission is the Baraka Administration’s latest step to ensure economically vulnerable residents won’t be priced out of Newark.