Frequently Asked Questions

The food pantry is only one of the programs the Hub hosts. The Hub, a key component in the West & Central Village Neighborhood Plan, serves as both a community meeting space and a resource center for neighborhood residents offering financial literacy sessions, job training, ID restoration, and more.

Over the past thirty years, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newark organized volunteers, partner families, and donors to provide over 50 homes in its catchment area, The West & Central Village. Now, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newark is partnering with community stakeholders to move beyond brick-and-mortar home construction to address broader neighborhood issues and realize the neighborhood’s full potential and capabilities. Neighborhood Revitalization (NR) is a community development effort that strives to enhance the quality of life for the entire neighborhood and everyone who lives there by nurturing ongoing civic engagement and sourcing resident-driven solutions in order to establish a sustainable, healthy community.

How is this project being funded?

This project is made possible by a grant from the Wells Fargo Regional Foundation. The Foundation provides Neighborhood Planning Grants to 501(c)(3) organizations within communities to make these efforts possible. In 2016, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newark submitted a proposal for a Neighborhood Planning Grant. The grant was awarded in the spring of 2017. The Wells Fargo Regional Foundation has specific guidelines for grantees to follow when developing their neighborhood plans. These guidelines are included in the responses to many of the questions below.

How will West and Central Ward residents and other neighborhood stakeholders be engaged in the planning process?

The Steering Committee aims for broad participation from neighborhood residents and other stakeholders in this process and will be assisting in promoting the planning process. Neighborhood residents and other neighborhood stakeholders are invited and encouraged to participate in this process in several ways:

This website will be the main online source for information and updates about the project.
A visioning workshop will be held in the fall of 2017. Check the website for location information and more details.
A community survey where residents will be asked about their perception of the neighborhood.
A neighborhood-wide meeting to present and get input on the draft plan, which took place November 2017.

What are the boundaries of this Plan? How were the boundaries determined?

The map shows the boundaries of the planning area. The Wells Fargo Regional Foundation recommends that neighborhood planning areas are compact to facilitate tracking of progress and outcomes after the plan starts being implemented. The planning area for this study was determined in consultation with the Foundation. While the planning area does not include the entire West and Central Wards, all residents and interested individuals are welcome to participate in the planning process. We fully expect that many of the discussions will focus on issues that affect the entire city.

What aspects of this community will this project focus on?

The neighborhood planning process and the resulting neighborhood strategic plan will focus on:

Children and families
Economic development
Affordable housing
Neighborhood building

What is the purpose of this project?

The purpose of this project is to undertake a neighborhood-driven planning process to create a comprehensive and market-driven revitalization and engagement plan. A key objective is to determine the needs, desires and dreams of the neighborhood residents in terms of their social (safety, education, employment, health, etc.) and physical environment (housing, public spaces, commercial activity, etc.). In turn, a plan will be developed to mitigate the negative and build on the positive.

What is the timeframe for the plan and what will be in the plan itself?

The plan will include a 10year vision for the future of the neighborhood and implementation goals for the first five years. The plan will identify and prioritize various neighborhood revitalization strategies within each of the categories listed above and also provide cost estimates and a timetable for implementation. The plan will include a 10-year vision for the future of the neighborhood and implementation goals for the first five years. The plan will identify and prioritize various neighborhood revitalization strategies within each of the categories listed above and also provide cost estimates and a timetable for implementation.

What is the timeline for completing the Plan? What happens when the Plan is complete?

The projected completion date for the Plan is spring 2018. Having this neighborhood plan complete is a prerequisite to be considered for Neighborhood Implementation Grants from the Wells Fargo Regional Foundation that would fund many of the implementation of strategies within the plan.

Who will be devising the strategies and developing the actual plan itself?

Urban Partners, a Philadelphia-based economic development consulting firm, is the lead consultant developing the plan, facilitating the community engagement process, and preparing the final report. Furthermore, a Steering Committee has been formed to guide the consultants throughout the planning process and the development of the plan. The Steering Committee draws from a broad cross-section of the neighborhood, including representatives from local neighborhood/ civic groups, institutions, social service agencies, and residents. The committee will meet at least five times during the project and also have ongoing communications electronically. The steering committee consists of:

Eucaris Barros, Habitat Homeowner (Study Area residents)
Roneasha Bell, Youth Development Manager – Outreach & Community Programs, YMCA Newark
Pedro and Carmen Benitez (Study Area residents)
Tracy Boyland, Property Owner (Study Area residents)
Lyndon Brown, District Leader of the West Ward (Study Area residents)
Qamar Carr, Director, Patient Registration and Financial counseling, University Hospital
Larry Crawford, Coordinator at St. Ann’s Church
Dan Denose, Senior Manager, Family and Community Engagement, Newark Public Schools
Katherine DeVeaux (Study Area resident)
Kevin Hill, Chief Operating Officer, The Leaguers
Pastor Veronice Horne, Community Leader, Pastor Kingdom Builders Ministry (Study Area resident)
Kym Gilchrist, City of Newark, Department of Health and Community Wellness
Detective Kevin Johnson, Community Affairs Division, Newark Police Department, 4st Precinct
Craig Manior, Executive Director, United Community Corporation
Mary Modlin, LISC Leadership Program (Study Area resident)
Sara Pena, Senior Community Outreach Coordinator, University Hospital
Kyle Screen, Chief of Staff – Central Ward Councilwoman Gayle Chaneyfield Jenkins
Kiana Thornton, Community Engagement, YMCA Newark