I will continue to protect constituents from predatory lending practices and unnecessary foreclosures, and to ensure that every member of the district can obtain affordable housing. As Councilman, in partnership with Mayor Cory Booker, I created the first NJ city/county partnership to address the foreclosure crisis in my ward, my city and my county in 2007. I have authored or supported several key pieces of legislation that have provided multiple units of affordable housing, low income housing, assistance to homeless families, and have made every effort to ensure that the local community benefited from jobs resulting from new construction and rehabilitation projects.
I was the lead advocate in creating the West Ward Abandoned Properties Initiative with the Booker Administration, a major neighborhood redevelopment project in the Fairmount District that is building new workforce housing with community parks and green space, using local, minority contractors and developers that hire Newark residents. The project empowers local residents to have input in the process, but does not gentrify the neighborhood.
While in Congress I will work with local and county officials to address property tax rates and to provide increased federal assistance to urban development projects that increase affordable housing and create jobs for residents in the district. I will foster public and private partnerships throughout the entire 10th Congressional District that are not only built smart but are not just about brick and mortar. I will fight to bring services through economic development that improves peoples’ lives as well.
