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COMMUNITY BUILDING
IN THE CITY OF NEWARK'S
BROADWAY CORRIDOR NEIGHBORHOODS
Founded as part of a strategy to complete 22 units of low income housing, St. James CDC has become a major vehicle
for the rebuilding of the neighborhoods along the lower Broadway section of the North Ward of Newark. Founded
in 1992, the St. James CDC is developing and implementing a strategy for community development in its target area.
The components of this strategy include:
Mixed Income Housing Development
St. James has successfully developed 52 units of affordable rental housing including 22 units that were built on
the site of the former St. James Church. The CDC will shortly begin construction on its first for sale project,
the first phase of which will provide 17 units of affordable owner occupied housing. These units will be completed
in 1999 and will be followed by an additional 13 units in the second phase. Pre-development work is underway on
a small rental project that will provide another 8-12 units of affordable rental housing.
Community Organizer
St. James CDC has played a major role in helping the residents of its target area to organize themselves to improve
the quality of life in their neighborhoods. The focus has been on organizing tenant and block associations, leadership
development and building collaborative efforts with local government and police. Much of this work has been done
as part of St. James¹ participation in the Broadway Community Revitalization Collaborative that has facilitated
the creation of 20 local block associations. St. James CDC itself works with 12 of these block associations.
Due to the expansion of this effort, a second staff person will be added in 1999.
Housing Resource Center
The CDC¹s housing resource center educates community residents about the home buying process and helps them
to develop the skills necessary for successful home ownership or tenancy. Services include home buyer education,
personal money management classes and credit and rebuilding workshops. The Center is seeking approval from the
Department of Housing and Urban Development as a housing counseling agency.
Employment Initiative for Public Housing Residents
The Newark Housing Authority¹s Broadway Village development of 185 low-rise townhouses is located in the heart
of the St. James community. The problems of open-air drug sales, prostitution and other illegal activities negatively
impact the residents of these houses as well as the rest of the community. During 1998 the leadership of St. James
CDC along with Bishop Spong met with Mayor Sharpe James and other city officials to discuss this situation and
to offer to be part of a solution. Out of this process came a joint effort of St. James and the Apostles' House
to implement a pilot employment initiative for the residents of Broadway Village. As 1998 drew to a close, the
State of New Jersey awarded $90,000 to this effort as part of the initial funding from Governor Whitman¹s
Faith Based Community Development Initiative.
St. James CDC, located at 260 Broadway, expanded its office space during 1998. The CDC also plans to expand its
efforts in both housing development and community organizing during 1999. These plans include additional staff
to better serve the people of the Broadway corridor.
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