Newark City Council Meeting Summary – May 6, 2026

Please stand for the National Anthem, a Pledge of Allegiance and Invocation by Senior Pastor Dr.

Pete Palmer.

We come before you today seeking wisdom and guidance and peace for the people of the city of Newark.

We pray for every resident of this city, those who call upon your name and those who do not.

You see the burdens our city, our communities, and our nation are carrying.

Many among us are struggling with food insecurity, rising costs, housing instability and uncertainty about tomorrow.

Seniors are worried about their future, and too many hearts are weighed down by fear and division.

And we who believe hold fast to your promise.

And so today, on behalf of our mayor, these council members and all who serve the city.

And fear too often shapes our words, our decisions, and our relationships.

Grant us the courage to resist the temptation to retreat into suspicion and scarcity.

Remind us that compassion is not diminish us.

It strengthens the soul of a city.

Give these council members wisdom beyond politics and vision, beyond personal interests.

Help them to lead with integrity, humility, and courage, choosing what is right even when it is difficult.

May their decisions be rooted in justice, mercy, and a sincere commitment to the common good, recognizing the dignity and worth of every person, regardless of background, belief, or circumstance.

Teach us to move from fear to faith from division to understanding and from indifference to service.

Help us to listen to one another with grace, to seek solutions with humility, and to work together for the betterment of this city we share.

And for those of us who believe we testify with the psalmist that we've been young and now we're old, that we have never seen the righteous forsake, nor your seed begging bread.

We trust that your ear is not too heavy to hear the cries of your people, nor your arm too short to save those who desperately need your assistance.

As this meeting begins, grant clarity of mind, unity of purpose, and a spirit of cooperation.

May what is said and done here today contribute to the peace, progress, and prosperity of Newark and all its residents.

In the name of Jesus, taught us to love our neighbors and serve one another.

Amen.

In accordance with New Jersey law, adequate notice of this meeting has been provided to the Star Ledger, the Jersey Journal, and the public at large, establishing the date, time, and location of this meeting.

In addition, the agenda for this meeting was disseminated on May 1st at the time of preparation and posted on the city's website.

Roll call, please.

Gonzales, Kelly, Ramos.

Here.

Scott Roundtree.

Silva?

Here.

President Crump.

Present.

Council President, Council members, we are on page three of the agenda.

Item five are reports and recommendations of city officers, boards, and commissions.

Council as a whole to adopt.

Roll call.

They absent.

Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Yes.

Kelly.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva?

Yes.

President Clark.

Yes.

Ordinances on first reading.

6FA is an ordinance granting a 25-year tax abatement to 1080 Bergen Developer Urban Renewal LLC per project located in the South Ward to construct a new five-story mixed-use building consisting of 53 market rate residential rental units and 13 affordable housing rental units.

Council as a whole to adopt.

Yes.

Gonzalez?

Yes.

Kelly?

Yes.

Kitana.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree?

Yes.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

The ordinance adopted today on first reading will be advertised in accordance with law, and a public hearing will be held at a regular meeting on May 20th or soon thereafter in the council chamber.

Public hearing, second reading, and final passage.

6P SFA is an ordinance granting a 20-year tax abatement to Neymar 763 South Orange Urban Renewal LLC for a project in the West Ward to construct a new five-story mixed-use building.

Sponsored by Councilman Kelly.

Second by Councilwoman Scott Roundtree.

Is there anyone wishing to be heard on this ordinance?

Uh anybody want to first say, did you get the information that you were supposed to get on this ordinance.

Because there's nothing to be heard if you didn't get the information.

How are all these properties connected?

Excuse me for the mask.

I have allergies, and I don't know if I'm allergic to City Hall or I stress myself out.

But did you get the information?

Yes, no.

You can't answer that.

You said it in the last meeting.

Where's Alice and Ladd to explain this to the people who couldn't watch yesterday?

Or who didn't know it's on YouTube?

Always nothing.

Nothing.

For this amount, for this person to get all these tax abatements.

There's something behind it.

But what's more important is that I've been coming to this mic since 2017.

And I've been asking you, can we go low on the AMI?

Can we do more set aside?

And Alison Ladd came up here lying.

Lying.

Because I told you I contributed to the inclusionary zoning.

She lied.

She needs to be fired right now.

I demand she be fired right now.

She excluded all the residents in North.

This still at 40% is going to guarantee somebody that's like 70,000 or 60,000 in apartment.

What about the 23,000 person or the 37 that the mayor said at the at that conversation?

You need to go 20% of the AMI.

I told you the AMI is reversed.

The 20% that you want to set aside should be 20% market rate.

80% set aside.

The 80% set um AMI that you were going, it should be 20% of the AMI, which will cover your New York residents.

Yet and still I have had not had one person up there back me.

This is what I went to school for.

That was the solution, mayor.

That was the solution.

You want solutions?

I gave it to you in 2017, and you still ain't do nothing yet.

Can I please get my meat?

And I emailed you.

You said you want it, you would sit down with anybody.

I'm begging this council to sit down to go over this inclusionary zoning with me.

I know it.

I helped write it line by line.

And then you're gonna throw this in like it's a gift.

It's not a gift.

It was what was supposed to be done by the New Jersey Supreme Court.

Yet you did nothing.

So I'm gonna ask the North residents, whatever your vote is, vote for nothing.

Vote them out.

They excluded you from the very buildings that was being built, supposed to protect you.

Thank you.

Thank you for your comments next speaker.

No, not you.

So Deborah Salters, one in for mayor, Operation Clean House, May 12, 2026.

Gonzalez, you brought up an excellent point yesterday.

Is this same developer the one getting all the other tax abatements?

And it was told that that information would be brought back to you by yesterday afternoon.

So we weren't with you yesterday afternoon, and we would like to know that information.

Because if it is the same developer, again, what is uh the community benefit?

How much are we getting from all of this that this developer is getting?

Which are questions that we always ask, and to uh Felicia's point, you know, the mayor yesterday in the conversation started using the language we've been beating you in the head with all these years.

Oh, yeah, the AMI, we have to go lower.

We have to use North, and we've told you time and time again, North can do what wants to do.

Now all of a sudden, election season, the mayor in the conversations.

Yeah, we got to lower the AMI.

You know, we gotta do this.

Oh, now you have to do it.

Now it's important.

So why is this important?

And I hope Gonzalez, which you always do bring up great points as to why we should say no.

And then you say yes.

I hope you don't do that today unless they brought adequate information as to who these people are and how we nurkers benefit.

And I know you're on your way out, but don't give us a lame duck.

I need you to be strong.

Like you don't have anything to lose, no more deals to make.

You're walking out the door.

Please bust them to the white meat if this is not for the residents, okay?

Because this is what we need.

It's not gonna hurt you or harm you in any way because you're out the door.

So, that's what we want to know.

Great point.

But we need answers.

Where's Allison Ladd?

Because I hadn't seen her for a minute.

I didn't know if y'all slid out the door like y'all did woo.

You know, on a sneak tip.

But um, we need some answers to this because again, you're giving away the storehouse, and we want to know why.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Thank you, baby.

Where's the money at Ross?

Alif Mohammed.

Felicia is right.

And the mayor, he's so discombarated, Larry.

But that young kid, Jamal, got him disgobobulated.

Just cabal, all messed up.

It's all right.

Yeah, you know?

It's all messed up.

This was right about this AMI.

She was right.

And everybody thought made me think she was crazy.

She was right.

And he told the truth.

So all this AMI that I used to support, I can't no more because, like you said, you gotta make $1,500 a week.

And most don't make $1,500 a week.

You know?

I seen the commercial where they said, This is what I did.

And I see Jamal Youngblood said, Yeah, but 95% of the population is not benefiting from what you did.

That kid didn't go to Darthman for no reason at all.

He that kid is smart.

He just started.

Oh no, no, no, no, no.

You had your chance to talk, and you would let me go first.

So vote no on this because the AMI.

See, they don't know about me.

I'm tough as nails.

I be 73 years old this year.

I'm tough as nails.

You know, when they tried to jump on Jamal the other night, guess who jumped up first?

Y'all want to talk?

I'm jumping.

I know I'm jumping off the thing, ain't I?

Where the money at, Roz.

Or is it when I become man, you become man?

Thank you for your comments, next speaker.

Lisa Parker, once again, you're extending tax abatements to those that fill up your campaign coffers, have no respect for the people in the community, negatively impacting the people in the community.

You have no legislation for tax abatement for Society Hill and University Estates Homeowners Association that's been asking you for a tax abatement extension for the last 12 years.

The same people that you increase their taxes by 24.8% in the last three years, and yet you haven't come with one piece of legislation for the people that created these communities.

Then, in addition to that, you disrespectful by allowing these developers to change the land usage laws so that they could come and force the development projects in our communities.

One of the things that De Blasio said, my former mayor in New York City, because I don't own this mayor.

He said, if you got market rate, you can't come for subsidy.

You gotta come with your own money.

And we got a clear example of that by giving tax abatement to the Halo building that's not even paying taxes on the assessment of the land.

And yet, everyday people that work working class, you are outpricing us with taxes, the people that created these communities that made it attractive for people who come to want to build in our communities.

How dare you?

In addition to that, all of these projects, you limiting the amount of parking spaces.

Why do they get a pass?

That they don't have to give sufficient parking for to accommodate the people that are live there.

The other thing that we need to talk about, half of these buildings that you have here aren't even two thirds occupied.

So we're not even collecting revenues or taxes for that.

Like the Halo building with 816 units that's not being used.

You never rescinded their tax abatement of 25 years that they don't deserve.

They were not in compliance with your regulations, but yet and still they still hold a 25 year tax abatement, and you saddle in the debt with the people that live here and pay full taxes.

How dare you?

At the end of the day, all of these little gifts are coming because of your campaign coffers, not for the care that you have for the people in the community that you're supposed to be representing and advocating for.

Thank you for your comments next speaker.

I don't even know what to say no more.

Please state your name for the record first.

Queen Danisha Clyber.

So I had the pleasure of almost fighting Sherla Montahu before I came upstairs.

Y'all gotta get this together.

We are fighting over property, the city is on fire.

Miss Clyburn, please speak to the ordinance.

You want me to say it differently?

The city is on fire.

Right?

And I'm not saying that we're on fire because we're out here rallying and making noise and we have this election.

The buildings are literally burning in the city.

We have fires almost every single week.

Every week.

But while we're having the fires, we also have buildings being built on South Orange Avenue, downtown, in the other wars, South Ward.

And then you got people fool snares being taken, and we keep giving away tax abatements.

The city is gonna be on more fire because these people can't feed their families.

So can we go to these same slum lords because that's what they are, and ask them to give back some of that tax abatement to feed some of these people that they're talking about that cannot afford or ever afford to live in the city of Norfolk no more that was born and raised here?

Like, how do we work that out?

And because May 12th is coming, I'm asking for everybody watching, listening.

Y'all need to make a real decision because you all are confusing us on who to vote for.

You have a Latino vote with different people on it.

I'm talking to the people, I don't think that it's let me get to my point.

Let me get to my point.

Speak to the ordinance.

And I am what else you want me to say?

What else do you want me to say?

They're dividing us up.

And they're giving away tax abatements, and we have to make a real choice.

If that's what you want me to say to the audience, we need to make a real choice, because if you guys are the ones that's giving away the tax abatements the way you are, and our people are suffering, then I'm gonna speak to the people, sir, because you're a part of that.

I just got something in the mail today with all black people, including Quintana.

I'm trying to figure out what tax abatements he's there for.

Who are you with, Quintana?

Who are you with?

Because we're confused.

Again, I hope that you can go to these Jews and anybody else that are building in our city and help the people that are starving.

Sir.

And I am.

What else you want me to say?

What else would you like for me to say?

And you are the politics.

So you are the audience.

I'm speaking to you, the politics, the audience.

It is in your hands that our people are suffering and homeless.

What are you gonna do about it before May 12th?

Thank you.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Say none public speaking hearing us now.

Wait.

Wait, who?

Oh, okay, Miss Freeman.

Come on, Miss Freeman.

First and foremost, when I become mayor, we become mayor.

I'm still the mayor Freeman.

Please state your name for the ordinary.

No more abatements.

No, no.

Can I ask you a question?

I'm sorry.

Tax abatements.

I need an abatement.

State your name for the record.

That's all I'm asking.

Please speak your name for the reason.

When I become mayor, we become mayor Freeman.

I'm still the mayor.

Okay.

I want a tax abatement.

You're giving out tax abatements.

Where's my tax abatement?

I'm out here funding your fund.

You get over a hundred thousand dollars for less than part-time work.

You do not make schedules so that we can talk to you so that we can get assistance.

Yesterday, Anivo Ramos, who barely says two words at any of these meetings, complained about issues of dirt and filth and dust on Lake Street where he lives, but not about what's going on with us.

I want a tax abatement.

You keep handing out everything I'm looking at on here is a tax abatement.

Where's my tax abatement?

How do I get a tax abatement?

As a longtime resident with a family history of over 120 years of my people being here in the city of Newark and owning property.

Where do I get my tax abatement?

Because I know the mayor liked to run down his pedigree.

I have a pedigree too.

My people work so that you people, you dark brown people could sit up here and have a job in government.

My people fought for you to be up there.

My grandfather went to war.

My uncles went to war.

My aunts went to war.

They were in the Navy and in the army and in the marines.

But I can't get nothing.

And I work for this community.

Reverend Round Tree knows that.

I get furniture for the elderly and beds for the elderly people.

I want I'm talking to it.

I don't want you to give out any more tax abatements.

Unless I can get one.

How many homeowners here need a tax abatement?

We all want one.

Oh, the ranchers would like some abatements too.

Since we fund you.

We fund you.

And I know you like to disrupt people's conversation.

You disrupt Queen, what she was saying and trying to tell her what to say.

She said what she said.

As I just said, what I said.

I'm not here to braid your hair and be your be your buddy.

I want services.

I'm not getting services.

I bet an evil street got cleaned up.

I am in five minutes walking distance from his house.

But I can't get this garbage out here blowing up and down the street.

I can't get nothing clean, and you're giving out abatements.

Well, I need an abatement because I'm working for you out there cleaning like I'm sanitation.

I'm gonna give you an invoice.

I'm serious.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker, concert members, the public, everyone.

Can you please take your name?

Greetings.

Okay.

Continue, please.

I apologize, of course.

Um, so I rarely attend city concert meetings and speak even less frequently.

Many of you know me as a reporter for local truck newspaper.

But today I come to speak about the situation where I live and any issues.

So let us begin.

Please let me finish my speech first, then you can applaud, criticize, and respond to what I said here.

To begin with, manor drive in Newark just had its first new pavement in years.

This was Friday, April 30th.

Previously, there were so many holes in the pavement that it is a one that dangerous ishens didn't happen.

Well, what I mean is hoes, the car got bump bump bump bump bump bump.

Whatever.

So, thank you for paving manor drive.

Could you pay nearby Mount Vernon Place?

This is Minor's wife.

This is Mount Vernon Place.

Now they're horrors in the pavement there.

This leads me to ask, what has the city council done to repave those new streets in various wards?

Center, north, south, I'm sorry, sir.

I'm sorry, sir.

Excuse me.

We're speaking to the ordinance here.

Specifically, 6BSF A.

So we speak on this time you're speaking directly to the ordinance.

That's what this moment in time is for public hearing.

I'm I'm sure, Consul President.

I'm not, I'm I'm hard of hearing you.

Can someone tell me Richard Richards?

Right now, the time is about speaking about the public about the ordinance.

This is a public hearing specifically about the ordinance.

The tax abatement to Namor.

Okay, so I do have this um tax abatements here.

The other thing that I'm seeing is orders tax abatements to developers.

I get that developers are needed to build new buildings.

Question is, should there be some sort of limit on how many developers are at any given time?

How is this going to help Newark financially?

If tax abatements are given out left and right.

Can someone explain this to me?

My question is, what are you going to attract businesses to buy this vacant properties and rent them?

A developer will take years to generate money for New York.

Here we're talking about tax abatements.

I'm talking about having a new business move into a vacant place, unboarding market streets.

Thank you for your comments.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

City of Newark.

I was gonna wait my turn.

You know, I didn't really have to come up here, be on the microphone.

I was gonna wait my turn.

So I heard this man and uh Felicia explaining me, Miss Salters, absolutely not.

This is the difference between governing.

No, you're in the hole.

I want to go downstairs to the Cafe Cafe, get a cup of coffee from the cafeteria, I gotta pay the lady.

If I can't pay the lady, I can't have no coffee.

You can't get you gotta, I mean, you gotta do something else.

Instead of the same old same.

Try something new.

You know?

Now you've seen how I felt the other day when you went to the church, Brother Crump.

Round tree was at the church.

They just let her speak.

Mr.

Davis, please speak to the ordinance.

I'll stay to the ordinance.

Now, let's take to the ordinance.

Salters just told me is a lot of information that she don't have that I hope you guys have before you vote on it.

No more tax abatement.

That's up.

That's over.

That's over.

You can't you can't keep doing the same thing.

Don't you understand?

You're broke, you ain't got nothing.

You're basically a bum.

You got no credit rating, you can't even lease vehicles, it's over.

No more tax abate.

What part you?

I mean, is how hard is it?

You know that, Luke.

If you ain't got it, you can't do it.

You're gonna have you to see you the senior councilman here.

You got the experience.

Rainbows, you ain't done.

You're from the East Ward.

You gotta know.

You gotta make it happen.

If you ain't got it, you can't go, you can't be a groupie in this business.

We can't do it this time.

Y'all come back later.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Hello, Council Atisha Davis.

I'm gonna speak real quick.

I just have something to say.

Um, in my experience with all these properties with these abatements, there seems to be a problem with registration.

Um, figuring out who owns these properties, holding these properties accountable for the things that they're doing in this community.

I want to know if you guys figured out some type of I don't know, uh, ordinance, whatever it is.

How you plan on holding these people accountable?

Okay.

I think what is this, five properties here, maybe more?

Why does it have to be five for the same owner?

Y'all can't give maybe one building, two buildings.

I mean, I understand tax abatements can be good for the community, but they also are or can be very what I meant bad.

It can be very bad.

And if as of lately, our experience in the community with these abatements have been negative.

And it's like nobody cares.

Nobody cares.

None of us meet anything.

We might come in this room, they speak.

You know, if there are a lot of educated people here, and y'all treat us like y'all treat us like, you know, uh it's very disrespectful.

And you can't be mad about the disrespect y'all get in return.

You know?

I see why you guys are addressed the way you are addressed.

You know?

You give it, you get it.

That's all.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Gail Cheneyfield Jenkins, 88 Richmond Street.

The question is, why was Carlos Gonzalez the only council person to raise the issue about the addresses and this being different company names but the same address?

Was that information ever provided to the council when the administration indicated that they would give you all the information as to why it had the same address with different titles?

That's the question for this tax abatement.

Mr.

President, can you answer that?

Was that information provided to you guys?

It was provided to us, yes.

Okay.

So is it multiple owners with uh the same address?

What we're going to do is when it's a public hearing is finished, we're gonna address the whole issue of the questions and answer those questions.

Okay, well, one of the problems that people have is public information, it's supposed to be shared with the public.

So you do it after the fact.

It would be more beneficial to the public if you were to, in fact, explain to them before everybody gets up here and asks the question.

Now, tax abatements were given years ago as an incentive to make people come in to the city.

The city obviously is on fire as it was stated.

So why are we still giving tax abatements to market rate housing and not focusing on giving tax abatement to developers as an incentive that will build low income?

We we've saturated the market.

There was a time when we only had low-income housing being done.

And then we turned around and went into market rate, but you guys have put market rate on steroid, which is pricing, which has priced out.

It's not pricing out, it's already priced out the people from the city of North that are indigenous, that have lived here, born here, raised here, or moved here for the opportunity, young families.

So the consideration needs to be that future tax abatements be given out to developers who are going to build housing that the people can afford by using the AMI for the municipality and not for the county.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Saying non-public hearing is now closed.

Deputy Mayor, we can come up and just give a brief explanation of this.

Good afternoon, council president.

Good afternoon.

Council members, I'm Alison Ladd, I'm the deputy mayor and director of economic and housing development for Mayor Baraka.

Uh, this item uh before you is around a payment in lieu of taxes.

I understand that some may confuse a tax abatement with a payment in lieu of taxes, but it is by state law that this is a payment in lieu of taxes.

So, what that means is every developer who is receiving a tax abatement, once it was analyzed, it was eligible because the project will not happen but for a payment in lieu of taxes.

So, what does that mean?

It means that we need to provide taxes that are flat for a period of time, and that they are going to also pay sometimes five to ten times more than the tax revenue we get today.

The sites that are under discussion, you may know them in the South, I'm sorry, in the West Ward on South Orange Avenue.

They were vacant for many years.

They were demolished.

They held a lot of negative behavior.

And so the new development is actually going to provide housing both market and affordable.

The second piece is is that again, any payment in Lua taxes is financially better for the city every day, because without a payment in lieu of taxes, we will get again five to ten percent less revenue, which means the city does not generate enough funding for us to provide the services that are needed in the city.

The third part is is that around affordable housing for Newark residents, the inclusionary zoning has been amended twice since the original inception about 10 years ago.

It is the strengthening of inclusionary zoning that was done by Mayor Baraka and this council that is allowing the units being produced to be 85% occupied by Newark residents.

Before the amendments and with the original inclusion zoning ordinance, that was not the case.

Most of the residents were not newarkers.

Today, 85% of the units are housed in Newark residents.

The last part I'd say is around affordability.

Affordability is a tough conversation, but what we know is the affordability requirements in Newark are by law.

And so the law inclusionary zoning is what governs the affordability AMI levels as well as the percentages.

And so as I've said, inclusionary zoning has been changed over the years since it was created 10 years ago.

So that is the thing that would be up for discussion in the future of anyone's policy decisions.

So just in closing, uh specifically regarding this site and the other site, we were able to respond to the council.

It is the same developer, but they privately purchased the two sites.

So every party has the right to buy property from somebody else.

They did not buy these properties from the city of Newark.

And then last, the reason why they have different names is because by state law, you're required to have an urban renewal entity created for each project.

So it's a state law that has to be followed, and why the names, even though the addresses are the same, the names of the entities are different.

I'm happy to answer any questions.

Councilman Gonzalez.

Just a clarification in terms of the say the fixed payment of taxes.

The payment is not fixed because the rents go up every year, and as the rents go up, the taxes that they are going to pay increase.

Oh, yes, uh, thank you, uh, Councilmember Gonzalez for that question.

So, Council President, um, to answer the question, the percentage of taxes is based on annual gross revenue.

So, annual gross revenue is determined based upon an audit and financial statement submitted to the council, the clerk, the tax office, and EHD every year.

That is how our special taxes office knows how to attribute a 10-15% AGR is based upon whatever the revenue was in the financial statement.

So as revenue increases, the tax amount will also increase.

So thank you for the question.

Thank you, councilman.

Uh council, yeah.

Can you again just speak to this whole AMI situation?

Because I keep hearing folks keep talking about the municipal uh level creating it, but the AMI is calculated by HUD, and they uh not just look at the city, but they look at regional areas, and because we're at Essex County, uh they look at the Essex County area, uh, and because of that, that is why you know we are uh critically um determined eligibility based off of that.

And I think the long-range conversation around that uh should continue to be what our federal government partners to look at changing the status uh of that, and so I know a lot of folks come here and scream uh at the council about um the uh municipal AMI or what constraints is that, and I just want uh the levity of energy uh to be shared with our congressional partners uh on the Senate level as well as the congressional level as well.

So if you can just talk a little bit about what uh AMI is and why it's calculated that way.

Um yes, uh Council President, to the question asked by council member council.

So across the country, affordable housing development is typically governed by HUD, area median income.

So that is across the country, no matter where you are, no matter what state, municipality, city, suburb, it's all governed by the federal government, and they create every year the analysis that will tell each jurisdiction what the AMI is at a hundred percent, and then you can take a percentage and go down to 30% or below.

That's the first part is it is set by HUD.

The second part is is local laws, then use HUD AMIs as we're building our local laws, and so that is why we're using the Essex County AMI.

So the third part is is that as the mayor said the other night, reducing our AMI and having a 30% of AMI and below is not impossible.

What he also said was it will be requiring a higher subsidy by the public sector in order to build the unit because if you're getting a lower rent, it requires more money to offset the operations.

So it's a balance, and so why he was saying that he agrees is because he's seen that we've been able to do that.

We've been able to do that with an initiative a few years back called Affordable Newark, where we were funding projects at 30% of AMI, and we had to invest 50% of the cost as opposed to 30%, which is what we typically invest today.

Thank you, Deputy Mary.

Any other questions from the council?

Thank you.

Thanks.

Roll call.

Council members may Kelly?

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Yes.

B is an ordinance that ratifies and authorizes the second amendment to the original tax abatement granted to Spruce Park associates under the limited dividend law extending the term of the financial agreement until March 31st, 2036.

Is there anyone willing, wishing to be heard on this ordinance?

We have some money, my house.

Mr.

Mohammed, please.

No, you ain't bothering me.

You are not bothering my constitutional.

Hey, don't do that because I sue.

I sue.

And we could go for it now.

You cannot bother my constitution right.

Plus you're not old enough.

Tell me what to do.

I'm not doing it.

Okay, so chair.

Don't do that.

Don't do that.

Because I want to, I'm the mayor.

That's what mayor said.

Anyway, what she just said is so backwards.

Let me tell you why it's backwards.

That's why Felicia said they make the AMI 20%.

Okay, so if it's $125,000, make it 20%.

That is only a person to be in what for 20% 10%, 10%.

It could go on for 25 or 30 grand.

And the town is selling.

There are 700,000 houses being sold on Baldwin Avenue.

Stanley.

What are you talking about?

And and and I think me and um Rainbows agreed one time.

You can't tax abatements.

Jersey City did, but they stopped.

You gotta get business people to run this business.

Because y'all just think that's what, oh, we gotta bait.

You ain't gotta pay nobody to come in now.

They're coming in, they have no choice.

New York is too high.

Jersey City is too high.

Oh, that's too high.

And you gotta remember when you do something by her, huh?

It's strictly subsidies.

You go down to uh uh uh board, what's it uh uh Grafton Avenue for three bedrooms, they're getting 2800, but they're only paying 50 dollars.

Now going to this one, I jumped up because Lisa is gonna go crazy on this one, and I don't want her to go crazy because what you're doing is extending a tax abatement that you couldn't do for society here.

So I just want to calm her down.

You want me to talk about it?

Okay, councilwoman.

Where's the money at?

Anyway, I'm just gonna calm her down, but what I'm saying to you, she gets up here and talk a lot of yumble jumbo.

It's simple math.

Maybe because I got a school, huh?

It's simple math.

So instead of talking 80%, that is 80% of 100 and something thousand, you charge 20%.

And if they can't do it, they can't be here.

But right now, what about over there with you guys living?

They're going for $800,000.

Ballantine is a million dollars now.

It's a different town, and it got nothing to do with who the mayor is.

Is that Jersey City, New York, Hoboken is too expensive?

Please don't, please don't bust the uh, we need to thank you.

I'll make my song, I'll leave my mind.

Thank you for your comments next speaker.

Allison Ladd.

I give it to you.

State your name for the record.

Rodney Davis.

City of New York bona five.

Alison Ladd.

She knows how to read.

You know, I give it to her.

She knows how to read.

And I don't know her education, and she knows how to comprehend.

But what she just said, it sounds good.

We went from talking about a tax abatement.

We were talking about a tax abatement, Cheney Phil.

We're talking about a tax abatement.

Then she started talking about the the fee and lo.

Which part you don't get?

This is what we got a different part of governing.

We don't want to give up no tax abatements.

That's part of the game is over.

You're gonna have to find another way to do your project because we ain't got it.

You know what I mean?

If we ain't got it, we ain't got it.

I ain't got it for you.

You know what I mean?

Your father tell you that when you were kidding I ain't got it.

You're gonna have to go get a job.

We can't do the tax abatement.

And the the I like Gonzalez's question.

He said, we stayed to the ordinance.

He was talking about the tax abatement, right?

You can't get around it, we can stay right on the subject and the target and the ordinance.

We can't do give up no more tax abatement.

There's no negotiations.

Negotiations with the tax abatement have been suspended for whoever.

So, Mr.

Davis.

Let me just I and you can stop the time for a second there.

We're referring to SPSF B, which is an extension.

I'm sorry, an amendment of a tax abatement so that it runs concurrently with the extended housing assistance payments.

No.

Don't guess that's what we're talking about.

No, I'm saying no, I I disagree with you.

Okay.

No more tax abatements nowhere.

We are broke.

B R O K E.

That's stuff Allison talking about with the feds.

I don't deal with the feds.

With the feds, that's state business.

I'm here for the citizens of Newark.

We're not doing it.

We don't care.

The Feds, the M and I, our congressional partners, the answer to all tax abatements is bye bye.

No more special ledges.

Have a nice day.

Thank you for your comments, next speaker.

Tax abatement extension?

Really, y'all?

Hold up a minute.

You gave unprecedented retroactive tax abatement to Wesley Towers.

You gave retroactive tax abatement to 444 Mount Prospect when they had an outstanding tax balance of two million dollars.

Secondly, if she's talking about affordable, she got up here herself, Allison lad, and said that you need to make 85,000 to 120,000 a year to make it affordable when the medium income here is less than $50,000 a year.

What are you talking about?

Larry Quintana Roundtree.

You came in my comp up in my neighborhood, Society Hill, January 2025.

Where's the legislation for our extended tax abatement?

You got homeowners up there that's been there 30 and 40 years.

They would have salt to the earth to that community.

And you got nothing for them.

You got retirees, teachers, doctors, everybody up there, professionals, suffering with HOA fees that y'all ain't got no regulation on.

Airbnbs, you not collecting no revenues on.

And you got the audacity to try to amend and to extend for your people, but never for the people, the grassroots people, because you say we're buggy.

We pay taxes here.

We're newarkers.

We kept this community.

Hell, we can't even get them.

You giving out these tax abatements.

They don't even contribute to our schools.

They don't pay no school taxes.

And yet, every time I come to this podium, y'all giving out nothing but jelly beans or tax abatements.

The mayor had the audacity to say he had an open door policy.

He's been here 12 years.

He ain't never opened the door for me.

He ain't open the door for a whole lot of people.

Calling us naysayers.

No, we're advocators for the people.

That's that's the that's what I can't say about y'all.

Because even when I come to you and ask you to do something, you don't have political will.

You don't have political courage.

How dare you?

And every ordinance you come up here until you come up with a tax abatement extension for Society Hill.

I'ma keep coming to this mic.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Allison Ladd indicated that um HUD is the final arbiter of the decision as to AMIs.

That's absolutely correct.

But HUD has several programs in several municipalities in several states in which they allow the AMI of the municipality to be the number in which you determine how much the person has to pay for rent.

So that has been an intent not to follow that policy.

So that's a deliberate attempt yet again.

Lisa touched on it briefly when she talked about Society Hill.

Okay.

The intent, when the people said they didn't want a project going on, this council voted to insert in the master plan to circumvent the will of the people of Society Hill and make sure that the zoning laws were changed.

You guys are not doing what you can do.

You're doing what you're told, because what she's saying to you is don't look any further.

Listen to what I'm saying.

But I'm imploring you to contact her, councilman, counsel, as a commissioner.

I'll send you anyone, Amina, um, do it all, Larry, Aniva, Louie, Mike, Louise.

I'll send you the names of the different cities in which the AMI is determined by the municipality, not the county.

So if it's the political will of this administration and this council to make sure that people can have housing that they can afford, then you will do it.

Because what we did, if you look at the housing right next to 516 Bergen Street, those townhouses, those people were able to buy those homes for $36,000.

Because it was the intent of the council at that time to make sure homeownership was affordable.

So AMI is determined by HUD, but you can go one step further.

You don't have to go just to your congressional or your senatorial people.

And then as fact, the AMI, when she says you have to go up higher, because that means that they have to pay less into the project.

That means they go out and get more people to help finance their projects.

You bring Goldman Sachs in, you get tax credit, they get money from Inspire.

This city is giving too much through the tax abatement.

Go back and look at your tax abatements from the years past, and you'll see that you've exceeded giving these developers the initial money to help develop this project.

Next speaker.

So I'm really upset right now.

Allison Lash should come before us to explain because at the end of the day, on the HUD website and the meetings I sit at, HUD recommends that every person pay 30% of their income towards rent.

30%.

So if she had said that, and then we have federal, state, county, and local.

Mostly federal supersedes all the above.

But not when it comes to rent.

Not when it comes to rent.

In 2017, again, Allison, the New Jersey Supreme Court, the New Jersey Supreme Court stated that every city should have their fair share of affordable housing set aside and the AMI.

You were only doing 80% of the AMI until I kept hounding it, kept hounding it, kept hounding it.

Then you came, oh, we got a hundred percent affordable at 50 or 40% of the AMI.

It is up to you.

Yes, it's been amended, but Felicia Austin Singleton has been saying since 2017 that the inclusionary zoning is backwards.

Don't let her come up here and tell you what I said.

I know what I said.

I said you had it backwards.

And you do.

Don't tell me you amended it.

It should have been written correctly.

I went against Bayer Wilson, ICC.

Go back.

It's written a whole article I put on my page.

It's written there how I begged the council to go 50% set aside.

Now I'm asking for 100% set aside.

I asked for 30 to 50% of the AMI.

Now I'm asking for 30% of the AI.

Allison wasn't here.

So technically, Allison does not know what she's talking about.

And I'll say it again.

HUD states, every American, every renter should pay 30% of their income for rent.

If you wanted to do it, do it on a sliding scale affordable, you could be 30, 50, 60, 80.

You did it in one of the ordinances today.

And you want somebody to play dumb Norkas.

I'm begging you.

They have excluded you out of all these projects.

Allison Ladd, come up here and lie all the time.

I said it to you over and over and over again.

And I'll say it till I die.

30% of the AMI, 20% market rate, 80% set aside for affordable housing.

That's the true inclusionary zoning.

Look up King's Ridge and Raleigh, North Carolina, right, Gail?

She wrote an op net on it.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

When I become mayor, we become mayor, I'm still the mayor Freeman.

There's a no to extending any more tax abatements unless you're going to provide these abatements to the current owners and residents of the city of Newark.

First of all, let's clarify the IZO, the inclusionary zone, that Mayor Baraka and this council were vehemently against when my myself and the group that I founded came and presented it to the mayor and council.

You didn't want an inclusionary zone.

We had to take you to court.

Litigated for this law, for this ordinance that the mayor on uh May the 4th proudly presented and touted as his idea.

When it was written as part of the Mount Laurel doctrine, it is not his invention.

I didn't write it.

I modified it for the city of Newark and then uh went and did a petition.

And only when the governor was like, don't oppose this because you look crazy, was it accepted?

We litigated.

We spent money to take you to court.

And I took you to court for uh the representation for people who are being um uh in eviction court, so you didn't come up with that either.

You can say thank you to me for for those ordinances and for those laws that I that I helped to write that you have modified, nullified, and dumbed down because the IGO was not intended for these speculators and gentrifiers to benefit from.

Okay, and the AMI somehow went from 30,000, uh, with which was shown in um uh uh all of the paperwork from the federal government.

Somehow, somebody up here in the administration has boosted it up to 57,000.

Who's making 57,000 in the city of Newark other than who's sitting up here on city council and your friends that you put into uh these various different positions, okay?

Somehow or another, the AMI was changed.

That is not part of the census.

That was not part of HUD.

All of a sudden it's 57,000.

You changed it, you can change it back.

You can put it back to the 31,000 unless that it was.

You fudged it.

Somehow it was changed.

So that that's some more litigation.

You like to be litigated?

I'm happy to do so.

I'm very litigious.

So please, let's not do that.

A moratorium on abatements, a moratorium on these extravagant buildings that are not made for us by us.

Thank you for your comments, next speaker.

Consul president, um, guests, council members public.

I wish to speak on page six, six PSF-B 26-0406.

Um, taking a look at this, uh, what comes to my mind is that you're making a second amendment to the original tax abatement, and that is stand that tax abatements are supposed to be important.

But my question is, how important are the tax abatements to the newarkers at large, okay?

I mean, not all of us have million dollar homes or fancy cars of archive view.

I don't.

Most people in this room don't either.

So the question that must go to this to the city council and newark at large is how does this second amendment to the original tax abatement help newer cost of wall?

I mean, it's it's supposed to last until 2036.

So abatement means if I got this right, they're not collecting money from that at this point in time.

But Newark needs money, and so the point being is that how is Newark supposed to get finances for whatever projects it needs to do, fixed streets or whatever have you.

If it's uh putting money aside, abatement, and now how we're going to collect money.

How is this abatement going to benefit Newark and Newarkers at large, not just a small group of people?

That's what I'm trying to understand.

I mean, a graduated political science masters from what because not an accountant, so maybe I get something not quite there.

But that's what I would like to understand.

But that's just me.

Thank you so much.

Thank you for your comments, next speaker.

Deborah Salters, you know, I really wasn't going to say anything about this, but the annoyance of another tax abatement extension, right?

And I'm hearing and I've been hearing for years about um homeowners here not getting tax abatements.

But homeowners do get notices talking about what you're going to do if they don't do this or do that, if we don't do the eval, and we don't do this.

But then you have developers who get away with murder, but they still get tax abatements and extensions to tax abatements, and they owe us millions of dollars and still get extensions and tax abatements.

But we, the residents who pay taxes, elevated taxes, upon she told you 28.3 percent or however, every year.

Taxes going up, orders going up, everything's going up except our pay, right?

And then you fudge the numbers as was said, because okay, so the AMI for Newark, average dollar, as we know, 16 to 36,000.

But because of the transplants that have come here, now the average income has gone up to 40,000.

It's not because Norkers have now uh received jobs that give them higher salaries, it's the ones that come here because it's cheaper in Newark than it is in Hoboken, New York, Jersey City.

And so you all, like we said, when Allison got up here, she said this before.

I remember when she first came with the tax abatements.

She stood up here and said, Oh, you know, uh the people we're talking about 50%, that's too high.

We should lower it.

And that day in the council chambers, I said, send her back where you got her.

I said it.

Because it should be higher for the Norkers.

So you can do it.

And that's the that's the whole thing.

You can fight on behalf of Norkers.

You have chosen not to.

And this is why when we get up here and say you don't care, and you look at us like, well, we really do care.

No, you don't.

Because if it were you or your mother or your family member, you would go balls to the wall for anybody you had to fight with to get their uh abatements or get their homes, make sure they were good.

How you living now, how you live in, that shows attitude reflects priority.

And norkers are not your priority.

Because years ago, you could have gone to the federal government or anyone else you need to go to to adjust this, but instead, all you care about, well, is it legal?

It's legal, we can do it.

It may be unethical, but it's not illegal.

So, Norkers, I want you to pay attention.

You have a big decision to make.

Big decision to make.

Because you all are showing us you don't care about us.

Constantly.

And I'm gonna talk about it more later.

May 12th Norkers, wake up.

Thank you for your comments, next speaker.

Good afternoon.

My name is Moeta Lamay.

I suggest that we cancel tax abatements for developers and start giving our citizens tax abatements.

Start giving our residents help.

That's it.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Good evening.

Good evening.

Donna Jackson.

I hope this is not a backdoor deal to change the income requirements.

Because I'm watching what's going on in my city.

It's my city.

Be clear.

However it goes, this is my city.

And we are so tired, we all gonna take over.

Win, lose, or draw.

It's over for y'all.

Over.

And I said it.

Send me another letter.

Oh, you can't say that on the mic.

Freedom of speech.

Y'all getting ready to get sued.

Stop playing.

Stop playing.

Two blocks up from here, they're doing radon testing on the other area of low-income housing.

Now you're down here on Prince Street, Spruce Street, where people have been living, have their family stay stable there, renters on their income, and here y'all come with this nonsense.

Because it needed to be an extension only because you're playing games.

It needs to be an extension because that's why you out here pounding these streets.

Because y'all already know people telling y'all to get the hell off their porch, slamming their doors in your face, and telling y'all leave them alone.

So you know what?

You're gonna leave these people alone.

You're gonna stop having a threat hanging over renters' heads that we don't know what's going on from day to day.

Y'all done helped about three or four people in landlord tenant court, that's it.

But you know what the numbers have been for the last four months?

Over 400 a day.

And you're gonna do this nonsense.

What about the tax abatement for Littleton Estates with Miss Singletary live at?

Westward, Central Ward.

There's a whole bunch of complexes around here that y'all need to take care of before you take care of big brother.

Her to handle this right here.

Been telling y'all that since you started this nonsense in 2016.

Felicia gave you the formula.

Donna told you don't do it.

Told you don't do it.

Me and her was beefing.

We still sisters, though.

We was beefing.

Because I knew what I was talking about.

I saw the lie before you opened your mouth to tell it to the people.

I knew it.

Because nobody's doing anything in the people's best interest.

It's only y'all's best interest.

I hope that your pockets have gotten fat enough from taking care of these boys right here, the LLC boys, because we all know who they are.

So you've taken care of them better than you've taken care of the families.

But while you extending this damn tax abatement, let me just ask y'all one question.

Have any one of you carried your sorry sack of sudden over there to see the conditions of these units before you extend it?

I bet you you haven't.

But you knocked on the door, you got it slammed in your face.

You sent the inspectors over there that ain't certified.

Stop giving your boys money.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Good afternoon, Christina Cherry.

Good afternoon.

A67 South 17th Street.

So, what I want to say today is that a 25-year tax abatement is too long because the value of money today, it changes over time.

What the dollar cost today wasn't what it was 10 years ago, and it's not what it's going to be 10 years later.

These abatements reduce money available for school roads, public safety, and city services over decades.

The system often relies on developers' companies' self-reporting profit over the property value.

And if the reporting value higher means paying more taxes, there's little incentive to be fully honest if we're being honest.

Without strict oversight or audits, there's no guarantee these companies will accurately report increases in value, which we lose our own.

And right now we need this income for our city.

If a project becomes successful or profitable, the communities should benefit through their fair tax contributions.

Tax abatement should be shortered and reviewed regularly instead of locking communities into these 25-year agreements.

Right now, we as tax owners are going through a tax evaluation.

Our taxes are going up while they're getting tax abatements.

That means that our rents have to go up and we have to price out tenants who have been living here so that we can sustain and stay here and not lose our homes.

It's not fair to us as a community that we're going through these strict re-evaluations and potentially looking at selling houses, and I'm tired of helping seniors move out because they're on fixed incomes.

They're not raising the rents for the communities because they don't want to lose out on good tenants, but they're gonna have to soon because that's the only way that they're gonna maintain their homes.

They can't fix or dilapidated houses because they can't make income, but we're giving businesses who can afford it abatements.

I'm looking at you guys to shorten these.

I understand the incentive to come here, but Newark is a thriving city.

I said this four years ago when I ran for South Force City Council.

Soon in four years, we're not gonna be able to afford Newark.

And right now, four years later, I'm still seeing the same thing.

My name is Christina Cherry and Levin B.

Thank you.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

No other uh speakers appearing.

Public hearing is now closed.

What I will say about this matter specifically is it extends the affordable housing, uh, the exit uh housing assistance payments or the contract.

So what that means is the subsidized housing that and rent that there's being paid by tenants and residents in the city of North that will continue for another 10 years.

So those that are being subsidized by doing this amendment, it will continue to make sure that they have lower rent to pay for the next 10 years.

With that being said, roll call.

No alleged about it.

Council members may, yes, council, yes, dollars.

Yes, Kelly, yes.

Yes, Remo.

Yes.

Yes, silver.

Yes.

Yes.

C is an ordinance authorizing the mayor and or his designee to enter into and execute an agreement with Bergen Street Partners, LLC for the sale and redevelopment of city-owned property.

Sponsored by Councilman Counsel.

Second by Councilman Kelly.

Is there anyone wishing to be heard on this ordinance?

Lisa Parker.

Once again, the LLC boys get to purchase property, and where's the assessment value on this property before you selling it for uh what is it, 316,800 dollars and zero cents.

We saw we didn't make no money off of Kawaita Towers after the assessment value was 2.27 million dollars, sold it for 23k, went into a lawsuit, settled for half a million dollars, came back, outsended, lied and said it was 900,000 assessment.

I provided y'all with the court documents with your gamesmanship, and while we would sue.

And yet, you come up here and trying to sell some more property to your friends for pennies on a dollar, and that's why the city is broke.

Broke, bankrupt, compounded debt, and deficit.

I don't care what them two lawyers over there come up here and lie and set.

The court documents and what you have in your ordinance says the real truth.

And P.S., we be going and look to see who the LLC boys are and where they live in Israel, in Lakewood, and every other branch of this state except Newarkers.

You ain't got them sweetheart deals for Newarkers.

But you got all the AMIs and the supplements for friends and family, because we know the mayor's family members are in those buildings.

And let's talk about payment and lie.

You have developers that's not even paying their 50% of the tax abatement.

Let's talk about who's paying their fair share.

And it ain't the developers that you continue to give these perks to and sell the land to.

That y'all rename something else instead of giving the money to supplement low to moderate income, you giving it to developers for their development.

How dare you?

At the end of the day, and Gonzalez, don't you dare open your mouth and say that society hill it and your university of state is deemed fee simple.

You could have wrote legislation and changed the name.

I gave y'all legislation.

Four different documents that you could have used the language to help the people in society hell, and you did nothing, and still ain't doing nothing.

Thank you for your comments next speaker.

Where the money at Rahim?

Alif Mohammed.

You know what?

He said, and what made me get up.

The mayor said that there's no serious conversations.

The mayor said that his thing is no serious conversation.

That person's not serious.

What are some serious conversations I'm listening to today?

You have to figure out here this is serious.

Ain't no BS here.

This is some real stuff, man.

And where's the assessment?

Right?

Who is Bergen partners?

Before y'all said they had to come in front of y'all to identify who you are.

Gonzales.

I might not let you go, bruh.

I'm gonna have to block the planes and stuff.

I'm telling you.

Because that's everything that you wanted.

You want to see the person first, you want to meet them.

Know who they are.

And you want to see assessments.

I don't know, bruh.

Could I talk to your wife?

No one's assessment.

Where's assessment at?

Where's the assessment at?

I'm the mayor.

We're the assessment at.

Where the assessment at?

We don't know who burger partners is.

Is it cabari?

We hope it's not kabari.

Right?

We know that caboy that been convicted, stealing from babies.

See, Larry, Mr.

President, what Vaughn did the last meeting, you can't ban nobody out of here no more.

And he got away with that.

That Pat had to come out of the seat.

If you ban anybody, you remember in the sites I send you.

Rico means that you're part of it.

Right now you're not.

You can't ban nobody no more, bruh.

Not the way you let Vaughn behave.

Don't ever ban nobody in here again.

Wallaco Marcelans.

Thank you for your comments, next speaker.

Just as everybody has asked.

When I become mayor, we become mayor, I'm still the mayor.

So now they got a new tagline moving forward.

Moving backwards.

Because you need to uh make accounting and cure some of the ills that you've created through your bogus legislation and lack of legislation on the behalf of the residents of the city of Newark.

How did you come to this assessment?

Where?

How is this property valued?

You don't give us enough information so that we can make a logical assessment and it's done purposefully.

So I would need to see how, what are these lots?

Uh, what are they valued at?

Because I know that there's teardowns that are selling for more than this.

So we need to find out exactly before you move forward.

Also, the mayor uh in uh the impromptu rally on the fourth was talking about that there's something to help homeowners.

Uh, what is this help?

And I'm gonna come to your offices, and I'm I'm I want my help.

I want my abatement, I want everything that is due me as a resident and taxpayer in the state of New Jersey in the USA before it becomes the US KKK.

So I want to make sure that we're moving forward.

Uh there needs to be a moratorium, like I said, all the luxury development, and then also on selling properties piecemeal without providing the proper background.

That is not on legislative star.

That this information is being held from the public, and it needs to be uh presented so that we understand what we're talking about here.

And as I stated before, and I'm gonna say again, people are getting up, you're being divisive.

You're trying to pit the black population against the immigrant population against the Jewish population, and there is no uh subdivide when we're not being treated properly.

It's us against you and the administration.

So please, people don't be talking about the immigrants.

Please don't come up here talking about the Jews, because the Jews can't do nothing unless they pass the ordinances and sell us out.

These developers are not necessarily developers, they're speculators.

They are bottom feeders, they're poverty pimps that come in.

And selling our parcels piecemeal without giving the information so that we know if if this is a good valuation or not.

So please don't try to eat up my time, sir, because you can't.

You can't interfere with what I'm saying and stop trying to chew up other people's time when they come up here and tell them what to say.

But see, I already said everything I needed to say, so I can chew up some of your time.

Thank you for your comments next speaker.

Uh, you understand broke?

Do you understand credit rating?

Do you understand City of Newark is the government?

It's not prudential.

You have to tighten your belt, tighten tightenship.

If you keep taking everything out of the refrigerator and don't put nothing in, then the refrigerator is gonna be empty.

Couple years back, Alif Mohammed was on the housing authority, and what he said was you're selling off these properties at the housing authority, and you're not getting appraised value.

So, as legislators, I invite you all today to put in the law right now before the city of Newark sells any property, you get appraised value.

Now I agree in South War.

Every the South War wants to be built up, they deserve a beautiful community.

But the developer got to pay his due.

You can't get over it.

You ain't getting over on my watch.

This is where we come to a different form of government.

This ain't riddles and games, posted on Facebook, Instagram, being a mayor of Newark is serious, serious business.

We gotta have what a uh what do you call appraised value?

Then you can look at selling the property.

You know, Kareem Medim, director of Dean.

He liked to go buy some new trucks, but he gotta have the money to buy it.

If you don't have no money, you can't do nothing.

You have to learn how to raise money.

You know how to do it.

Lou, let's get down to business.

Work with Crump, he and tell us to get down to business.

Right now, this way of government ain't working.

The jig is up, it's over.

I give you for your comments, next speaker.

Thank you.

Gail Cheneyfield Jenkins, 88 Richmond Street.

The majority of housing that was built in the city of Newark from 1985 until 2007 were built by nonprofits.

How is it that they were able to build and then get a tax abatement in some cases?

Not all cases, but they guarantee.

How is it that the non-profits were able to build quality housing?

These people aren't even building quality homes.

The stuff is being torn up before the residents stay in the house more than a month.

They're speculators, their solicitors.

They're supposed to bring more money to the table than what they're bringing.

But if you use the incentive of saying, hey, developers, you want to come in here and get a tax abatement, then you have to build three and four bedrooms.

You have to build home ownership.

And we'll give you a tax abatement.

Stop with the market rate because the LLC boys are not doing anything that's helping newarkers.

And when she says that the majority of the people that live in those buildings are newarkers, where?

Which buildings?

And the Walker House, if you go on the Airbnb website, all those little red dots, that means those apartments are being rented out.

They're not even using people from North.

Those are Airbnb units.

If you look at Airbnb at all these other projects, they are not newarkers.

They are people who are renting out their apartments to other people.

Where is the benefit for Newarkers?

Why can't we turn around and condense the number of tax abatements and maximize the results by giving more money if you're gonna give it to anybody that's gonna build home ownership apartments or condos or co-ops?

In lieu of taxes, yeah.

If you have a bacon lot, you want to make sure you get payment.

But in some cases, we're not even making sure we get the payments from the tax abatement properties.

We used to get a list.

Louie, you know we used to get a list.

Carlos, you know we should get a list.

Miss Cheney Phil Jenkins, this is specifically about the sale.

We're not talking about tax abatements on this one.

But even all right, with the sale.

Okay.

Thank you, thank you.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Consul members, public guests, everyone.

Um I'm speaking um 6PSF-C, 26-0294, H6, um, consul agenda.

My question, I have a couple of questions here.

You say here that um it is being sold for the amount of $360,000.

My first question that I would like to make a point is, is the land or that asset is being sold under cheap?

That's my question.

Cool, newer covering a better price because if you're selling something, it guys will say that you want to get as much as possible for it.

So that's the first question.

The second question is, which comes out from the first, is how does this benefit Newark and Newarkers?

Okay, so if you sold this plot of land, whatever, so how long is this going to take to develop it?

A, B, once it's developed, how long will that take to stop paying taxes?

And from there on Newark and Newarkers reaping the benefits of their off.

And so that is my question to the council.

Because every time you have you have this tax maintenance, so this is so that so, in general, how does this?

How does this benefit the citizens and the city of Newark itself?

And how do we get the financial benefits from Fairrack, we're just talking about.

Left and right.

Well, what do we have?

What do we have left when we don't have anything to give out?

So that's my question.

Thank you so much.

Thank you for your comments, next speaker.

Deborah Salters, 1A from Mayor, May 12th.

This is very deceptive.

Very deceptive because there's no assessment value.

There's no per square foot how much they're paying.

There's no address.

Who is the uh Bergen Street Partners LLC?

Because we know a couple of these developers that had a hundred LLCs under their names.

Who is this?

The same thing we had to do to figure out who this developer was for the school board 500 million dollar contract.

We have to dig it up ourselves.

This is stuff that is supposed to be on the agenda, so that we not only we, you yourselves, instead of cutting and pasting and doing what you told to do, should be able to look at this, evaluate it, assess it, and make an intelligent decision that's going to benefit the residents of Newark.

That's our problem.

So instead of calling us provocateurs and agents and this and that and naysayers, we are fighting for our living quality of life.

Where is the information that's supposed to be here?

Whose friend or family member is this?

Or who do you owe a favor to?

We want an address, we want a name, we want this per square foot that they're paying.

Is it $8 per square foot?

It looks like $4 for $300.

Like, what is the property?

We need an assessment value, we need a sale value, we need to know where's the address, so we can look this up and see what's going on.

This is what transparency is you legally, as much as legally possible, you give us the details so that we are on the same page about what's going on in our city.

This is deception.

This is why we say you don't care.

This is why we say things like this is the friends and family plan.

Or who owns you?

One of those.

So if you want us to kumbaya, which is probably not ever gonna happen, because y'all got to go, the way to do that is to give us what we're asking for.

Again, we are your bosses, we are your bosses.

We the people, you are obligated to do what we're asking.

We're not begging you, we're demanding that you give us transparency, and if you cannot do that as our employees, you're fired.

You are fired because you are a poor example of an employee.

We want answers, period.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker, Eric Adams.

Uh, I think the proper thing to do, given that we don't have the information to properly uh vote on this is to defer it until you have the information that you necessarily need.

It's no way you can vote on this and not have an assessed value.

Okay, it looks very deceptive as she said.

Well, as they were saying on Springfield, where I came up on sketch.

It's sketch.

Okay, so I think the proper thing to do is simply withhold it until you get the proper information.

Thank you.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Good morning again.

Keyword, what's the address?

Second question is redevelopment of what?

Have a lot of people in this city trying to have businesses, etc.

etc.

I guess you intend for none of our new entrepreneurs in this city to ever have business downtown.

Because you don't let these stores go 30 40 million dollars rent a month.

That's what it feels like when you have when you're starting out.

So what is this gonna be?

Um I don't even understand why we're reading this.

You guys just let this administration send you anything.

Like, you gotta do some pushback.

That's why that's why we just done.

Because nothing.

We have a good conversation.

Y'all answer us.

Oh, yeah, I think we should do that.

No, no, my cousin Gizal was a week.

You're good.

Y'all do it.

Y'all have us up here going back and forth for an hour on an issue, and then turn around.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

Like we ain't even say nothing.

And some of the things we present you agree with, but you still still don't have the cojones.

Just stand up.

What's the problem?

Who is this?

Who is it?

The lots could be as big as this chamber.

The lots could be as big as the parking authority building.

They don't know.

One, two, three, four, six.

What?

Come on.

And you even considering this.

You let uh Raymost would uh made this recommendation out the Northword without an address on it.

You let Silver would even thought I'm just saying.

They're still asking for the address.

But you know, we're going in this little battle now to act like we're fighting each other and holding people accountable.

There's the address.

We can't even come up here properly vet this because we don't know the address.

I wasn't able to Google it like I was the previous thing on my phone before I come up here.

So if y'all do this again, you're gonna continue to get the responses you're getting from the community, which is door slammed in your face.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Uh good afternoon, Christina Cherry.

So I have the address.

Um it's 981-99 Bergen Street is the address, and I looked up the lot.

What I find to be puzzling right now is the price of which you're selling it for $300,000 eight hundred dollars and zero cents.

The fact is that you can buy a burnt down house here in Newark for 250,000 or 300,000 because the price of NORC has gone up.

And when you look at these lots, uh, which you can Google online and find on the City of Newark tax records, um, we should have been provided an address, and it's sad to say that I had to use my pre-law uh skills here to find that.

But um I do agree that we should know what it is and that the price for six lots, that's unreasonable.

Thank you.

Christina Cherry, 11B.

Thank you for your comments next speaker.

Peace and blesses.

My name is Muta Elamane.

As a as a children's book author, this reads like a Dr.

Seuss novel.

Knick knack paddywack, give a dog a ball.

One fish, two fish, red fish, bluefish.

This is extremely vague, and it's intentional.

Peace and blessings.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Saying non public hearing is now closed.

Okay.

Um, what I will say is the sales price is the same as the assessed price.

So there's no difference between the two being sold for the assessed value.

That was a question that was asked by many.

Roll call.

Roll call.

Council members Bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

And dollars.

Abstain.

Kelly.

Yes.

Yes.

Remos.

Absent.

Scott Roundtree.

Sova.

Stay.

President Crump.

Yes.

D is an ordinance ratifying and authorizing the mayor and or his designee to enter into and execute a lease agreement for office space.

Sponsored by Councilman Kelly.

Second by Council President Crump.

Is there anyone wishing to be heard in this ordinance?

You are doing this office space for prevention of trauma and recovery.

I haven't seen prevention of trauma yet.

The new workers are traumatized by all of your yes, yes, yes, yeah.

I think we need some recovery up in here.

You haven't prevented one thing with the Office of Violence Prevention, but yet you go out to Brooklyn, New York.

How much land do we have, Alison?

That we couldn't build our own building for trauma and recovery.

Yet you go all the way to Brooklyn, New York to get somebody.

What have trauma and recovery prevented?

What had they actually?

Where's the data?

Where's the data at rest?

Shoot.

We want to see where the data is at.

Because you get to anything after it happens, so you didn't prevent anything.

You get in the way of the police when you get when they're there.

What have you prevented?

What programs have you aligned yourself with to make these people be active to make the kids be active in the programs?

What have you done?

I need to know.

What are you doing for the summertime?

I think that we're spending putting too much out.

We're gonna rent the space for sixteen thousand dollars a month.

It's for the year.

It's for the year, it's annual.

Oh, he answered, we wait a minute.

My brother answered me.

He answered me.

Sixteen thousand dollars for the year.

But what are we doing?

You have a shiny barack center over there?

You have you you have that um police building you just um built over here, the forensic place.

Maybe you could teach some kids how to do how to process the own evidence before they give the evidence to be stored there.

We're gonna go and come here at the city hall.

It's sad that you want to do so much.

You have black owned businesses in this community, nonprofits that you can be partnering with to send the kids there.

You got the black owned radio station over here, eight squad, you got Sean McRae over there with Zoo crew.

Come on, what prevention are you doing?

Put the kids somewhere so they could do something, not lease a building that they probably not even gonna go to, and we not gonna even own it.

We just giving away property or go going into a deal, and we're gonna spend money.

We don't have no money.

Y'all just borrowed 250 million dollars to balance the budget, right, Eric?

But he called Lisa a liar when she said it, but then y'all did it, and then we had to have a payment the next month to cover that.

Um, what was it, 22 million?

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker, Lisa Parker.

I want to first know what um outcomes that Office of Violence Prevention um provided to us, whether it was prevention anywhere, but here's the thing.

Grant money that's been indicted this year.

They turned around and continue to sponsor the 24 hours of foolishness with, you know, drugs, guns, and and foolishness smoking weed.

I want to know what sustainable program under office for violence prevention that had viable outcomes.

Y'all even Baddies University, a stripper school, y'all gave money to under Office of Violence Prevention.

Why is it that all of these entities that have no proven record?

And thank you for mentioning Sean McCray, a man who has spent a lifelong of stewardship of our young people here that you wouldn't give a dime to.

Not a dime.

You had somebody come up here that didn't even have a P.O.

box number to cut here with no license that y'all gave money to under office of violence prevention.

Had the fake doctor, nobody vetted to see that they had a medical license running women's health clinics.

Hello.

Putting us at risk.

Y'all haven't been good stewards over who's running these programs, who has access to our children and our seniors, and you damn for sure haven't been preventing nothing, whether it's trauma or crime in this city.

What viable programs have they produced that you could warrant extending anything?

And last I checked, wasn't they cutting funds for these programs?

Where is the money supposed to come from to sustain it?

Y'all putting my grandkids in debt between tax abatement and overly extending to programs that don't garner anything.

Y'all are shameless and complicit.

And I don't have no bones about calling you out for what you are.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

I told you three times a day.

I don't know what part you don't understand.

It don't matter if it's 16,000 or tax abandonment.

Eh, we ain't got it.

You get nothing.

Take that unit where you're leasing out for and put it already in one to the city on property.

Do some legwork, do some work, find out another property that they can go to because we ain't got it.

It's over.

This is not a public, it's not potential.

You go floating money around, sprinting money all around, because it ain't your money coming out of your shit.

I get I get it.

Y'all are bona file.

That's we supposed to do legislate.

That's what Donald Tucker used to do.

He used to say the council run the city, not the men.

You know, I don't figure I can't figure this out.

We ain't got it.

We broke.

It's over.

The credit rating is here.

Down low.

You ran it to the ground.

You went around spinning all around like it's money grow on trees.

We broke.

You know, you guys gotta do it over again.

Put that 16,000, give it to back to the city of New York, and put that unit that you want to spend the 16 G's on, put that in the city on property.

It's over with.

Do some legislation.

Hey, Lou, you the senior man up there.

Show them how to do it.

Thank you for your comments next week.

Give me two seconds, please.

Peace and blesses.

My name is Mota Lamane.

Muta El Armane on your community safe passage.

Checkpoints.

I would love to build with you on that because I think it's a great idea.

You know, um, this is whatever support that we can give you.

Let's talk about it and let's make it a reality.

I really believe that we need that, you know, definitely going up the corridor of South Orange Avenue.

So thank you for submitting this.

And uh let's build on it further to make it a reality.

Thank you.

That was Councilman Dupree Kelly four years ago.

I introduced the community safe passage program that was intended to keep our kids safe from the hours of 7 p.m.

to the hours of 9.

I mean 7 a.m.

to 9 a.m.

2 p.m.

to 4 p.m.

It was do it was on the corridor of South Orange Avenue from Bergen Street to Dover Street.

I had no intentions on getting into politics.

I wanted to keep my kids safe.

I currently operate the Bradley Cork Community Center.

I don't get paid.

I don't work for housing, I don't work for the city of North.

So when I see things going on, I'm looking, I'm like, why isn't it the Office of Violence Prevention that's going on in the West Ward up and down South Orange Avenue?

Why aren't they partnering with me?

We in Bradley Court, one of the most adversely affected communities in the entire West war.

Because I'm not part of your crew.

Do I not do the work?

That's all I got.

Peace and blessings.

Thank you for your comments, next speaker.

Deborah Salters, 1A from Mayor, May 12th.

So I have a question.

Is this the same building that they're using, the old precinct that we're talking about renting?

Because I thought that was our building.

Is that what we're talking about renting, or is this another property?

Different property?

Okay, so why are we not using stuff that we already own?

Don't understand that.

Make it make sense.

And again, what trauma are they recovering?

Because last I was aware they were adding trauma and violence in the community amongst themselves.

The groups that's supposed to be helping the community were fighting amongst themselves.

Wasn't there a gun involved in one of those incidents?

So again, we need data.

Because if they show up, and I'm telling you, I'm everywhere in the city along with others, and they've said they've been everywhere, and no, I haven't seen them everywhere.

When these things are occurring, they may have a radio, they get a call to show up, but again, it's after the fact.

But what are you preventing?

I've seen them supposedly mentoring down at the building on uh McCarter.

Kids, spark up start smoking weed.

Gotta be thrown.

Well, what else don't gotta be thrown out?

But these are the ones who are supposed to be preventing trauma and bringing recovery.

It's not happening.

But again, they pay a lot of money.

That budget, that last 24 hours of foolishness was ridiculous.

And we had violence, fighting the police, the weed, the other drugs, the fighting each other.

It was it was disgusting.

So why are we paying for a building for them to host what?

And then they're using the space at the police station.

So why again are we paying to use that space?

Because I thought there was a community space that was available for those who are doing work in the community.

So why, if we have these spaces available to us, are we spending any money at all?

So can someone please break this down and explain it?

Because it does not make sense.

For the period of one year, commencing January 1st, 2026, terminating December 31st, 2026.

They started already.

This is what I always ask.

This is what I always ask.

When you come, we come here, and these things, so I'm glad you said that because I bring this up every time.

It's already on the budget or on the agenda, and the date has already passed.

Does that mean we've already been paying?

And I always ask this and never get an answer, but there's berating after the questions are asked.

It's a legitimate question.

Thank you for your comments next speaker.

Seeing no other speakers.

Public hearing is now closed.

Roll call.

Council members.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Yes.

Helly.

Yes.

Donna.

Ramos.

Yes.

Not round tree.

Nobody?

Yes.

President Clunk.

Yes.

Mr.

President.

I was out of the room when six PFS was being voted on.

I'd like to be in order as an abstention on that.

All right.

No.

E.

Is an ordinance granting a 20 year tax abatement to name our S.

I'm sorry, name it South Orange Urban Renewal LLC for a project located in the West Ward to construct a new five-story mixed use building.

Is anyone wishing to be heard on this ordinance?

Miss Borico.

Thank you for abstaining.

Lisa Parker, once again, here we go.

There's no parking.

You're giving 20 here tax abatement.

Um you gave you wouldn't rescind Georgia King Village tax abatement that had people living in the horrible conditions.

And yet, once again, you want to keep giving these LLC boys all of all the perks, but the people that have been here, we're residents, we're voters, we paid a lion's share of taxes, and you're getting ready to give us another tax with revaluation on top of the 24.8%.

Why didn't you come up with a moratorium like the dude in the second corner said in the first term that he was going to limit it to five years and then review it?

Why didn't y'all start there instead of saddling my grandkids with debt for the next 30 years?

Because I don't know if God's gonna give me another 30, but they shouldn't be saddled with your debt, nor should my offspring be saddled with a debt that she's a homeowner and won't be able to live here.

And yet they come here charging three and four thousand dollars a month rent that nobody could afford.

You got two-thirds of the municipal workers relying on municipal housing vouchers to pay their rent, while the economic and development person come up here and lie and talk about what the law says in regards to AMIs.

When are y'all gonna start working for the people?

And in fact, I'm gonna give y'all another uh what is it, seven days, ten days left?

Because y'all got to go.

Y'all sat here for 12 years and did nothing but co-sign the corruption, the complicitness, the land deals, the tax abatements that this one put forward for you, and y'all all participated in it because I looked at your ELEC reports, including you, um Miss Bay, all of y'all.

In bed with the developers, and y'all have no recourse, no resolve, no restitution, no relief for the people like me.

And I went to Theresa Rule as Assembly Woman's state, and every last single one of y'all, and no, you didn't have political courage or the will to help us.

Thank you for your comments, next speaker.

Good morning, Donna Jackson.

I don't even know why we're voting on this.

They already building.

There's not one permit on the site.

Go about it every day.

It's like they turn down the church, 1003 South Orange Avenue.

No permits.

Old wall down on Hall Staff Street.

The level and quality of wood that they're using, we're not even checking.

They're using corrugated plywood.

These things are open.

It's raining.

So you know when stuff gets wet, takes 30 hours for the mold to set in.

Nobody coming out there making them replace nothing.

Water stains in it, all of that.

And I know this is a West War project right here.

I live there and uh I just don't see it.

I don't see it.

We building stuff.

People can't park now.

So where's the plan?

Where's the community engagement?

I don't understand.

There's no permit, so why is that still going on?

I shut down Hall State Street.

I guess I'm gonna have to shut this down too, right?

Because I gotta call the state on y'all.

Cause I shut Hallstead down.

It's down.

There's no permits out there.

They took half the ball down and the stuff's still falling off there.

Just you know, so you know the stuff is falling off the top of that building.

And that gate is not keeping it from going to the street.

It's not.

So when somebody get hit, then sue the city, sue the contractor, then we there.

What oversight are we doing?

Who's an engineering now?

You got rid of the director.

So now who's there?

Who's in UCC?

Uniform construction code.

Who's watching?

Because I'm looking at what's going up.

I'm videoing what's going up, and the people that's in the construction field are laughing.

Like they letting them put, and then you charging rent for something that's a paper mache house.

You talking about bedrooms, stuff on the floor.

Are we gonna have affordable units so the young people that come to you?

Cause I know they do, they can open up a business in there.

Are we gonna be able to do that?

Or is the rent in the business gonna be like it is downtown?

Why you keep letting these folks operate in here without the proper stuff, all of y'all?

Okay what ward you are, why we doing this?

That's another revenue coming into the city.

They don't have permits, they are supposed to be posted.

So guess what?

If they got them, y'all need to get out there for this last week and make them put them up.

Because they're not posting them because they don't have them.

This building is halfway up, it's halfway up, and you just voting on it today.

How's construction going on without y'all approval?

Y'all want that LLC blood money that bad?

That you just letting them put up anything everywhere.

I don't see no permits on the RPM buildings either.

What are we doing?

Thank you for your comment.

Donna Jackson should get like that because she actually cares, you know.

She just ain't up here to be up here.

She actually cares, you know.

But uh, I'm glad some of the counsel this afternoon starting to abstain some of this garbage.

You know, I like when y'all stay standing up like my man Douglas.

I like that.

No, I'm staying, it ain't right.

What I want to do is rebuild the new police department and a new fire to do that and the DPW, the great men and women of DPW.

To do that, you need some money.

But if y'all keep giving all the money away, then I can't rebuild the departments.

This little 36 unit, use your own money.

I'm telling you, what I'm asking you to do, they already doing it in Rockland County.

They're not letting LLC boys take over their city.

They're putting laws in place to stop all that.

So you could do it in New York.

It's time to legislate.

You know what I mean?

You ain't gotta go with the same old, same old.

And some of these questions, we got the BA sitting there.

I said, you know, the BA should be explaining this to us.

How you letting everybody get over?

I mean, what you doing?

You're supposed to be the biggest administrator for the city of New York.

Can't blame everything on Allison just because she don't know what she's doing.

You know, the BA gotta come on.

Then Crump, you intelligent, you know.

You got experience and go on the planet board the whole route.

We all know.

You ain't, we ain't, do you understand?

We don't have no money.

You know what I mean?

Like the other one.

Uh we extended the tax abatement.

Mr.

Davis was speaking on this.

All right, let's stay on this one.

We got no money.

It don't matter we go to this one or that one.

We still ain't got no money.

It don't matter.

And then don't vote on it.

So the BA break it down for you.

This ain't personal.

This is strictly business.

We got no money.

We can't afford it.

We ain't got it.

No need to vote on it.

I gotta rebuild DPW, the fire department, and the uh and the police department.

You gave that $200,000 lease on Burger Street, which was a stupidest idea.

You know, we gotta do better than this, Crumb.

And you put your foot down.

Don't go with it.

If you're friend with the mayor, tell the mayor, this ain't personal, but I disagree with you.

Thank you for your comments, next speaker.

So, Felicia Austin Singleton.

This is the project I was telling you about.

How is 80% market?

You're still using the same old inclusionary zone, and please bring Allison Ladd back in here so she can explain this.

You got 36 apartments, 28, which is market rate.

So you're using the 80% market rate, 20% affordable.

Who are y'all fooling right here?

You're lying to the residents.

I'm gonna put this up on Facebook, y'all, so you can see it.

It says it's 36 apartments, right?

28 market, 16, one bedroom.

I don't even know how y'all coming up with these numbers.

It says 36 rental dwellings.

But then you go down and say one bedroom unit will be restricted to 40%, one bedroom unit to 60%.

How is that including us?

You got 28 market rate.

I want to know where's the oversight.

Who is looking into these projects?

My Allison last signs off in.

It can't just be the mayor and her design and his designee.

Who is making sure that we get affordable housing?

Who is monitoring these landlords to make sure that they give out these apartments?

Who?

God rest his soul, he's deceased now.

Who is it?

Y'all really pissing me off with this affordable housing because y'all sitting up here, yes, yes, yes, and it says the 80 20 rule right here that she had.

But she said, the mayor amended the inclusionary zoning.

Obviously, he did.

Look at it.

Obviously, he did.

Then you want to say, oh, we got 100% affordable going over there in Cowboy the tower.

Somebody care about Cowboy the top.

Don't nobody care about it.

We care about what's living and what's breathing in this city today with deplorable conditions, and y'all sitting up here voting on something that does not help the residents.

You have people in homeless shelters, being evicted, and you want to put 80% of market rate?

Are y'all crazy?

Yes, I'm being disrespectful because this is disrespectful to the residents.

And Allison Ladd comes up here and lie.

She better not lie on her to get on me.

Poor her in my meeting every first month Friday.

I'm gonna report Allison Ladd and all of you to her in Washington, DC.

Y'all thought I was playing Axe Miss G.

Was she on Washington, D.C.?

Talking about George King Village, do.

I don't have to play games with y'all no more.

I told y'all I was stepping out of the city.

You don't want to help?

I am gonna report you.

I'm tired of this administration lying.

Sit down and explain this to the residents.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Deborah Salters.

Okay, let me help y'all out.

Maybe you don't know what the definition of affordable is.

So affordable means priced low enough to be within a person's financial means.

Typically referring to goods, services, or housing that are inexpensive or budget friendly.

It signifies that an item can be purchased without financial struggle.

Often used to indicate accessibility for low income households.

Now let me give you some synonyms.

Inexpensive, economical, reasonably priced, accessible, budget friendly, cheap.

Okay.

Not in quality, but in dollars.

And you know, someone said this to me one time.

They said, you know, y'all giving them too much credit.

So I'ma dumb it down.

Because you can't get any more basic than that.

So when you're using the word affordable, remember those definitions.

Because this is the quality of life that the residents of the city of New York need.

We're not begging for it, we're not asking for it.

It's not a luxury.

It's a necessity.

You all live well.

I'm gonna keep telling you that.

Very well.

Two pensions, padded salaries, two six figures, free cars, free gas.

But we're paying for it because we're your bosses.

We pay your salaries.

Yet we don't receive the services that we're paying for.

You are supposed to legislate on behalf of we the people.

Where's our legislation saying, okay, developers, you come in here?

Our businesses, we need uh set aside 50% for our businesses.

Because guess what?

They know what we have here in this city.

You all don't.

Nork is a gym.

Why do you think they come here and pat you on the back and they're laughing all the way to the bank?

Because you're giving it to them for pennies.

They know how much this is worth.

And you all clearly doomed, because the bad deals have been made on the backs of the people.

Lord have mercy.

Norkers, what are you prepared to do to rectify this?

May 12th, 2026.

Good afternoon, council members, public everyone.

Okay, I was just looking at um uh six PSF dash, 26-0282.

Now, this thing I will divide into two parts.

I get that you're going to have um affordable housing residential units, and so forth.

Now, the idea, if you will, is not a bad idea.

But as with everything and I play chess, you have to have the implementation of the idea, the implementation of the plan.

So having said that.

My question is: the problem I have with this, is there an ordinance granting, a 20-year long-term tax abatement?

Okay, so it's 2026 right now.

The abatement is into 246.

So the first thing that comes to mind is how does Newark benefit from this financially?

And secondly, materially, because this thing, I don't know how long it's going to take to build it.

Fine, be building.

Then you gotta have customers bringing to rent in there.

So that's gonna take some up some time up too.

Alright.

And from there, but then they're still not paying taxes.

The abatement is into two or 236.

So even if we build this thing, and even if you get the clients, question is for the city council and the residents of Newark as a whole, is how do how does Newark, the city council, and the residents of Newark in here and outside, benefit from this whole thing, alright?

That's what happens to God.

And hold on, I've been speaking here.

I mean, tax abatement, this tax abatement fact.

Okay, great.

But how do we benefit from it?

The tax abatement means that those who we give the tax abatements to do not pay taxes, period, and that that's benefit.

That's where do we get what you call it?

Taxes, money, take your pick, so that we can go forward and improve to make Newark a better city.

That's my bone to pick with this project.

And I would like to hear from the council for their UAT survivor.

Thank you so much.

Thank you for your comments next speaker.

Peace and blessings.

My name is Mota Lamin.

I did an Oprah for this, I did an Oprah request for this property about two weeks ago.

I have realized that there were no black people on the entire project.

Not a security guard, not a brick mason, nothing.

Not a machine operator, nothing.

And they're getting a 20-year tax abatement.

So this means that our kids aren't able to get training on this site.

This means that people that are struggling are not able to get jobs on this site.

And then we're gonna talk about affordable housing.

Affordable housing is a scam.

The whole term is a scam.

The average and the average household income for Livingston is 270,000 a year.

And we group that in with Newark, New Jersey, with an average household income is 42,000 a year.

So whose affordable are we talking about?

Especially when we're talking about 80%.

I need us to make this make sense.

Are you guys representing us, or you guys representing the developers?

The city needs to know.

Peace and blessings.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Alif Mohammed.

Um be careful on some of these because, like on the three bedrooms, it seemed like they were going up.

And it seemed like the AMI maybe should be lower for people that got three bedrooms because they have more responsibilities.

Just a thought.

You know, when I was on the housing authority and we used to get proposals, we would get the financials.

Like, not talking to you in general, I'm talking, you know, to say the person is doing this, their money's putting in.

Because you have a tax credit now.

Back when I came in, the tax credit was like 4%.

And if you got a 9%, that was great.

Now you got this aspir that's giving them almost 70%.

And Allison didn't mention that.

That they get tax credits.

Like that new uh the pack deal.

They're getting almost a hundred and fifty million dollars.

The deal is 200 million.

Even my man Miles, he's doing the 10 park place, but he gets 90 million dollars.

And another tax credit is giving them 13,000.

So it was mostly costing them nothing.

You know?

So that should be, I'm just saying it's a thought that should be in there with a person is putting in the deal.

And bro, forget about the uh affirmative action.

Mark Monster, you can't do it.

You say you don't have the skill set anymore.

You say you can't do it.

So don't worry about it.

You're gonna be all anybody but black because the what's his name?

He's a deputy mayor of uh work.

He said you can't do it.

He said you can't do it.

You said you can't do it.

Set it up here.

Say, why waste your time, right?

You can't do it.

We don't have the workforce.

So forget about that, bro.

Well, you can't rock mine.

Say you can't do nothing.

Don't rock my say something, don't listen.

So that's an idea.

Like in other words, because like she was saying, oh, they can't do it.

They're getting more tax credits now than they ever got.

I remember when I was on housing party, you get 9%.

That was like you jumped up, the bells would jump up and do flips.

And because it was an average of 4%.

But now they're getting over 60, 70%, man.

This is sweet.

And you're getting a tax credit.

You ain't gotta get it.

And then, oh, the uh Academy uh the person said that runs the uh affordable, I mean, not the uh, you know, about the jobs, he said he got five people he needs 10.

It's five people, and he said that the library thing, we museum got one person working for North, and uh Pat got two people working for North, and he was putting around, he said, we got 15 people working in Norfolk, so they don't have to because they don't enforce it, they don't enforce it.

They don't enforce it, but a lot of things the mayor had to say the other night because the pressure was on.

Thank you for your comments.

Well, like my slow speaker.

See, no one else, public hearing is now closed.

Roll call.

Council members, bank, yes, council, yes, dollars.

Yes, Ellie?

Yes.

Yes, Raymond?

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

F is an ordinance granting a 20-year tax abatement to Marvin Holdings Urban Renewal LLC for a project located in the West Ward to construct a new four-story mixed use building.

Sponsored by Councilman Kelly, second by councilwoman Scott Roundry.

Is there anyone wishing to be heard in this ordinance?

Once again, y'all had the money and the political will to continue with these 20-year-long tax abatements, and nothing for the residents here.

I'm so disgusted with y'all because at the end of the day, you are supposed to be serving the people.

You could have came up with legislation to give us a tax abatement extension for five years, and you didn't.

Excuse me, I'm talking.

For all y'all got your heads down and reading on the teleprompter, I'm talking silver.

You too.

Disrespectful is what it is.

That you continue to give perks to the people that are slumlords that don't honor project labor agreements to give people a living wage and benefits, that you continue to allow people to live in deplorable housing conditions when you extend their tax abatements.

And then you turn around and want to terrorize the seniors in them same buildings that call you about no heat, no hot water, and you ask for their vote.

Want to give them a little chotsky, play bingo with them, give them some crumbs.

But when they call you in a state of emergency, when we got freezing temperatures out there, their landlord got the tax abatement extensions, but you could care less about them and have the audacity to continue to vote for these things and not put a moratorium up.

At the fact that the seniors there, they don't call, when they don't call you, they call in me and my district leader partner, talking about the hardships that they're having because they're on fixed incomes, fixed incomes, but yet Society Hill could raise their HOA fee that's unregulated to pay $700 a month by you taxing their asses out the woodwork with 24.8% property tax.

How they supposed to live, but y'all don't care about that.

Long as you and your crew get theirs.

Vote no or get voted out.

Thank you for your comments next speaker.

Listen, uh, just copy down Tucker format.

This format ain't working.

If you don't know what you're doing, and you're a council person or the administration, then you just follow, you know, what they've been doing.

These little tax abatements was with Sharp James was in office when Uncle Sharp was here.

Because it was all blight, you know.

So we had something to generate.

Now we got a chance with the proper leadership to make the city a you know a nice place in the United States of America.

Right now, Newark Ford is definitely as you can see that they stuck in reverse right now.

There's no black people are working on no sites in Newark.

I say about 95%, no black people nowhere.

I hope do it all.

Do it.

I hope you could do something as a West World Councilman and step up with the contract developers, tell them you're gonna go there every day.

You want to see the affirmative action laws, because there's no black people working in the central, the west, the north, the east, or the west.

Now what happens is you know my background.

So the construction people, the construction workers, even local three who I'm looking to partner up with.

I got a phone call this morning.

There's no black people, a majority of black people working on the construction sites in the city of Newark.

Therefore, until we get it fixed, they don't deserve any tax abatements.

You might be getting over now, but the jukes are up, because you won't be getting over when it comes to black people in Newark getting a job and starting a career and taking care of their families.

That's one aspect of it.

And getting back to Alison Laugh, she talk a game, she come up here talking to y'all.

She sounds good.

But as you know, well know, Crump, I work with Penrose and Michaels, and it's other way to finance these projects without getting money from the city of Newark, which we don't have.

The jukes is up, the game is over.

How many times?

That's it.

We can fix it today.

Well, Tanner, we can get new legislation in there.

Crump, we can get new legislation in there, and we can stop this.

Ray Mosa, thank you for your courage.

You know, step up and abstain some of this, not go with the flow.

I appreciate you.

Raltree, you got a little hard too.

Just because those boys are your friends, you can tell, well, you know, I think we should do it another way.

Just want to let you know one thing, Round Tree.

And no black people working on the sites in Newark.

Y'all have a good day.

Next speaker.

Good afternoon, Felicia Austin Singleton.

So as you see, I play major roles in life, helping communities coming to fight for affordable housing.

But I need y'all to really answer this.

And wait a minute, dude.

Didn't I text you and told you they was gonna come about those union contracts and those black people not being there?

I text you so you could address it before it ever came to the mic.

You'll thank me later.

Um is again at 80% and 20% of affordable.

Do y'all go to any of the planning board meetings?

Because half of these projects don't even meet the square footage of what the city of Newark is supposed to have.

So it's a lot of things that go on in here.

I see they got 975 square feet of commercial space.

We don't need no stores.

Nobody's not gonna go downtown and buy nothing from these little stores, go to the Westmore and buy nothing from these little stores because they too expensive.

Your bodegas want like $10 for a little small thing of laundry detergent, you can go to Walmart and get a big thing for 15.

Like y'all need to really start coming into the neighborhoods and walk around.

Not at election time.

Come look at these apartments, look at the ground before it's built.

What could be here?

What should be here?

Is this gonna be affordable for our residents?

It's not.

You just did the 8020 right here.

80% market weight, 20% affordable.

I told you, since she since Allison Lab wanted to bring up her, her said a person's um afford affordable for a person would be 30% of their income, including the electricity, including the amenities.

So 30% of a hundred and fifty thousand is not gonna be the same thing as someone making 27,000 a year.

It's not the ad, they it won't back up.

That person that's making 150 will be paying more.

But y'all got 80 in this one, 50 in this one, 40 in this one, but only 20% set aside.

I'm okay.

I'm gonna I'm going live tonight on Facebook and I'm gonna break this um council meeting down for the residents.

I'm gonna show play by play how y'all see in.

I'm so glad.

Stop asking them to turn this TV around.

The people are watching y'all.

As we stand here and you're not looking at us, they're watching you.

So I'm glad they turned it off of us.

I don't need them seeing me hold my mask out anyway.

Shoot.

I need them to be looking at you.

Because half of y'all wasn't even looking at me.

And I saw that with one eye.

Thank you.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

All right, left overman's game.

I wish to speak on the tax abatement that you're talking about.

Um, six I speak, six, six, six PSF-F 26-0289.

So I have to speak to you half here before us and ordinance grants and a 20-year long-term tax payments, which is a credit and investboard, 247-249 staves and having you.

I happen to live in the West Ward, and I know exactly where it is.

Because I sometimes go to pick up my post, my postage at the post office.

Stop being said.

Um, here's what I have.

Here's what I would like to say.

First of all, you're talking about this 20 year long-term tax abatements.

Uh, I've said here repeatedly, tax abatements mean that we do not collect money.

So my question is to the council.

How will this tax abatement have to solve us problems?

Such as getting kids up the streets and giving them an education in colleges, giving them good scholarships.

That means money.

Tax abatements is not gonna raise that kind of money.

And so I'm wondering, I see it stated, stating again.

That's gonna take time.

Then we gotta get the clients to move into that.

That takes even more time.

So bottom line is I fear, I fear to see how the 20-year tax long-term tax abatement helps us.

Where do you get revenue from?

Businessman or one, taxes.

And how can you collect taxes if they have a tax abatement?

Bottom line is they can't.

And so we need to come up with some original solutions to improve the city of Newark because again, tax abatement this, tax abatement that, tax abatement that, tax abatement that.

Hello, are the Santa Claus that they have foreign out, tax abatements left and right?

Okay, we are out of elves.

Where's the Christmas to you?

Tax abatement, tax abatement, tax abatement.

What's gonna happen when we have no more tax abatement to give out?

How is this gonna affect the city of Newark?

That's that's the question that I want everyone to think about.

There's a limit to how many tax abatements you can give out.

Ah, looks like my time is up.

So thank you very much, Council President, Council.

Thank you for your comments, next speaker.

Peace and blessings.

My name is Muta El Ame.

I'm speaking to the youth in New York.

A tax abatement means a discount.

So they are discounting Newark for 20 years.

They won't be in office in 20 years.

They taken away from your future.

This election is important.

We gotta understand and look at the faces of the people who are selling us out, who are not making sure that these developers are offering us job opportunities, these legislators who are in bed with the developers who do not give us employment.

To my youth of New York, this is your hour.

Stand up, because your future will be sold at a discount price.

The only time fire sales happen is when things aren't valuable, when nobody is coming to buy it, when you have too much of something, that's when you do a fire sale.

Not when you're the hottest thing in the market.

Louis Vuitton doesn't do sales.

You know why?

Because they're premium.

We have an airport, one of the largest seaports, a thriving district, multi-culture.

Newark is caviar.

New York is Louis Vuitton.

We do not need to do fire sales in order to get people to come in.

They want to.

Peace and blessings.

Thank you for your comments, next speaker.

Deborah Salters.

One eight for mayor, May 12th.

Um, you know, 20 more years.

And like the brother said, y'all won't be here in 20 years.

So the deals that you all have made continually are left here for anybody else to deal with it.

Yo, I'm out.

Dropping it, I'm out.

So Norkers.

Please pay attention.

Another 20-year tax abatement.

We're talking, um, and it doesn't even mention the parking as far as from what I see here.

Uh yeah.

Because that's huge.

And I've brought that up before many times.

So I mean, you know, unless y'all have an answer for me, y'all going back and forth.

I hope it's about this.

Y'all got something to tell me.

Okay.

The disrespect.

What y'all care about New York?

New Yorkers, remember these faces.

Remember the responses to the tax abatements, remember the non-responses.

Remember how you do not benefit from these things that they're voting yes to.

Remember that.

You got a few more days, May 12th, 2026.

It's time to change this regime.

Who clearly doesn't give two cents about it?

Salters, please speak to the ordinance.

I'm speaking to the ordinance.

Election is not the ordinance.

Yes, it is, because you know why?

The tax abatements that you continually give out.

I'm talking and you're talking over me.

I'm talking about the tax abatements.

Let's hear.

I was talking and you started talking over me.

Now, the way you let Vaughn run you in this council chambers.

You should have nothing to say to any of us at all.

Tax abatements that do not benefit we the people is the problem.

We have been sold for less than 20 pieces of silver.

And to whose benefit?

Certainly not ours.

What have we gained, as Lev was saying from these tax abatements?

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Say none public hearing is now closed.

Any comments from the administration.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

Council President, Council Members, Allison Ladd, Deputy Mayor and Director for Mayor Raj Baraka.

So I wanted to just give you a sense of what was approved today and what may be your totality of investment.

So first, today, the projects that you considered currently yield the city twenty-one thousand nine hundred and eighteen dollars in tax revenue.

So currently, the projects that you approved generate twenty-one thousand nine hundred and eighteen dollars.

What will happen is once the development occurs, is that it'll be one hundred and seventy-six thousand four hundred and fifty-two dollars.

So you are generating tax revenue through your approvals.

The second is is that you are also building housing that's needed in our city.

You are building a total of 80 units.

And that ratio is actually greater than the inclusionary zoning requirement.

So it's greater than 20% of the projects.

And then finally, in closing, through the extension of that tax abatement for spruce, you're actually able to keep housing affordable for the residents that live there.

Without the tax incentive, those families could be displaced because the project could become market rate and no longer be affordable.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Roll call.

I'm sorry about what before that.

No.

Let's finish this and we'll come back.

Alright, we're in the middle.

We're in the middle of the ordinance.

That's a roll call for the ordinance.

Council members Bay?

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Yes.

Kelly?

Yes.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

G is an ordinance amending traffic to broaden the definition of commercial vehicles and to regulate the parking of construction related vehicles in residential districts.

Sponsored by Councilman Silva.

Second by Councilman Ramos.

Is there anyone wishing to be heard on this ordinance?

I see none.

Public here.

Oh, Mr.

Davis is coming.

We're on 60 SFG.

Ordinance.

It's the last ordinance on page eight.

Right now, traffic and signals is a joke.

Rodney Davis, A3.

Mayoral Candidate City of New York.

35 Mulberry Street.

I've got work with Council Silverman.

Last week on a uh situation on hand.

His office was very, very, very helpful.

I don't know if I can ask him a question.

Is this a get Mike the trucks to park in the residential areas?

Because I had a squad on our commercial property.

So I know the trucking in the East Ward is a serious, serious issue.

Uh I don't know if Mike can interact with me or elaborate like this, or we're still going by the old rules, you know.

Can I ask you a question on that?

Councilman Silver.

So what happens is that yesterday North Police was kind enough to give us some numbers.

It's not only the East Ward, it's the rest of the city.

We've been giving out four or five hundred tickets to commercial vehicles from January first till yesterday.

So it's not only an east ward problem, it's a citywide problem.

And it's commercial vehicles that are taking over the parking for our residents.

Yeah, okay, I understand now.

Reverend Round Tree's uh first cousin.

They live on Wilbur Avenue, my good buddy Carlton.

So now in the mighty mighty South Ward, they even come up there so we're parking the trucks all over.

And this what they what people are saying, New York uh there's no more parking left, they pay charge of $50 to thirty thousand dollars a month to rent out a lot to park trucks, and the ones that can't afford it, they'll clog up the east ward, the south ward, and it's gone out.

And one of the traffic and signals you they don't put out no signs, you know.

You can't park your truck here between so many hours.

So I thank you, Silver.

Somebody standing up, not wait for the administration.

That's what type of council people we need, the type of leaders we need to stand up.

Did you create this law?

Did you create?

Yeah, that's what we need, you know.

So Rainbows created one the other day with Ruez about some stuff, and now so I need I need the council people, the legislators to stand up, make laws, not just ride around all day in a city vehicle.

Make laws and legislate.

So we ask it.

Do your job.

Thank you very much.

Next speaker.

Help me understand how you are regulating one area and don't regulate another area.

You have on Central Avenue, you got one, two, three, I think it's about four charter schools.

And yet you had LM over there not given access for people to walk on the street, let alone the children that go to school in the surrounding areas, and the infamous Kawiita Towers there on Halsey, there's no sidewalk.

You demoed it in the middle of the day with no protection.

So who is this benefiting?

The people even on James Street came down here complaining about how all of these construction projects in the area are accessing parking for the residents.

So tell me how this benefits the people versus uh the city ordinances, and then for the most part, you aren't even finding the people that are illegally parked in these areas, but yet you want to expand it for home.

I'm just trying to get a clear understanding of what we're doing here that benefit some and don't benefit the public safety of the people that live here.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Peace and blessings.

My name is Muta Lame.

So I just want to ask the question.

Are we gonna put up more signs after this is passed in the areas that they're needed?

So on South Orange Avenue and Telford, we have Joe's Market, which is a commercial place.

So they get a lot of deliveries, but directly across the street is residential.

And the trucks take up the spaces for the residential area.

Matter of fact, the trucks damage the residential property.

So when they go in and back up and they back up on somebody's property, that concrete gets messed up, the homeowner has to then repair it.

These are these are our residents of North.

Are we going to start putting up signs?

Commercial parking for we need this in every commercial district.

Wherever there's a commercial district, we need clear signage that's gonna tell us this is commercial parking on this side.

This is not commercial parking.

And can we please get a residential task force so that when the residents see a violation, they can make sure that it's properly taken care of?

They can make sure that they take a picture and that a ticket is issued for these commercial vehicles.

Peace and blessed.

Sorry, thank you for the comments next speaker.

Seeing that this legislation is passed to broaden the definition of commercial vehicles, um, and it says to regulate the parking of construction-related vehicles in residential areas.

And this is all over the city.

North Six has been the worst.

And then they're just all over the place.

And then we have people that's splicing our fiber at night.

They're cutting up the streets, the parking on the streets is all taken up.

It's crazy.

But again, there's no one out here regulating it.

But I want to ask this question, Silva.

You you passed legislation for this, and how long have I been asking for our parking decals?

Uh in our residential areas?

So I knew you could do it the whole time.

The monica before she left said you could do it.

You're the councilman of the ward.

And then she showed you by giving parking to by taking away event parking altogether from a certain area in the central ward.

And still, you refuse to give we the people, the residents of the East Ward, parking when you can make it happen.

You made it happen for this.

So it is discriminatory, as I said before.

You were told not to, so you threw your hands up.

There's nothing I could do.

But you do it for everyone else.

You're not just the councilman of the iron bound or certain sections.

You're the councilman for the East Ward.

That's where the black people are, too.

Beyond Ferry Street.

You passed you legislated for this.

We have it all around us.

But not where I asked and did the petitions for.

Broaden the definition.

So we the people don't matter.

The regular Eastward folks don't matter.

Because I asked for it and gave you the petitions of the people who took the time to sign the petition.

But you passed legislation to broaden the definition of commercial.

Thank you for your comments next speaker.

Seeing no one else, public hearing is now closed.

Roller call.

Council members fame.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Helly.

Yes.

Yes.

Raymond.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

No, yes.

President Trump.

Yes.

Resolution.

Before we get there, Councilwoman Scott Roger.

I just want to.

So when we make to address Carlton's name being mentioned and his um where he lives, uh, to complete the statement, uh, there are vehicles that I believe Councilman Council is dealing with uh commercial vehicles that park in that area.

The vehicle was not his, but he mentioned his name, Mr.

Davis, and his address on record.

Uh he's not in the meeting, and he did not make the complaint.

Someone else on that avenue did make the complaint, and it is being addressed.

Those vehicles and those commercial vehicles that are in that residential area.

I just want to say that for the record.

Thank you, Councilman.

Mr.

President.

Uh for Rim.

Yeah, I just want to uh commend uh Councilman Silva for his efforts on this.

I mean, currently, there is no allowance for commercial vehicles to park overnight.

The issue that we have in Norway and in other municipalities is that we have vehicles that we know are being utilized for commercial purposes, but for whatever reason, they're able to get um regular license plates from the state of New Jersey's division of motor vehicles.

Many of these vehicles have decals that showcase that they're uh utilized for construction companies, they have ladders riding on the top of these vehicles.

Uh, some of them are obviously being utilized to um conduct, you know, transport of goods and items, um, clearly labeled for commercial purposes, but again, they're being uh able to to bypass the regulations and get a regular uh license plate.

This ordinance, thanks to councilman Silva and his collaboration with the council, is gonna allow the police division to target those vehicles because they're creating a big nuisance uh in our neighborhoods.

And in yesterday's meeting, I asked the police division to tell us how many summonses they've been issued, uh issuing year-to-date for um, you know, commercial vehicles parking overnight or violating other uh municipal laws, and then they just share a report with us, which is broken down by Ward.

So thank you.

Thank you, Councilman.

Resolutions.

I hate to say I'm sorry.

Uh good afternoon, uh Kenya Stuart City of North Corporation Council.

So, so uh council president, we do want to address some of the comments that were made.

We didn't want to introduce uh interrupt the flow of what was happening as far as the agenda, but there has been a number of comments that have been made uh in reference to different departments.

We just want to address them very, very swiftly.

Um I know there was a number of comments in reference to um the affirmative action office and the work that they do.

Uh Mr.

Baptiste is here, who's also who's uh of course involved in the process of of confirming at the different locations and with the development that's happening that A, that the ordinance is being followed.

Now recognize that we do appreciate the fact that the ordinance just says local and minority people, right?

Now I do understand that you know we all have a preference as to we would like to be at different locations, but everyone should have an opportunity to be there.

When it says local, his job is to make sure he's insured that there are the proper amount of local people at the locations and minorities at these locations.

Uh, he does checks on a regular basis.

He has uh contacts with the developers so that if they're ever out of compliance, he makes sure they do what they're supposed to do.

Um, I know that um Khalisa Hill will come up and address an issue, and I know uh Director Adams will come up and address another issue, and then we'll be done.

Thank you.

Good afternoon, Council President, um, municipal council, Kylisha Winkfill Hill, director of the Office of Islands Prevention and Trauma Recovery.

Um, just want to address a few things.

Um, the Office of Violence Prevention and Trauma Recovery has four pillars.

Uh, one being bridging the gap between law enforcement and community.

Um, the second pillar is mobilizing law enforcement and community to focus on hot spots.

The third pillar is investing in the capacity of organizations working to help prevent violence, and then the fourth pillar is shifting the culture to think about trust healing and resilience.

And so as it relates to Bessie May, I believe that was uh, you know, raised here, uh Bessie May Foundation was funded by the Office of Violence Prevention and Trauma Recovery for Domestic Violence, um, and they were funded for us to provide safe houses for domestic violence victims immediately after this incident, their contract was terminated.

However, it's important for us to know that they were never um funded from us for any medical services, only domestic violence and safe houses.

I also understand that a comment was raised here as it relates to the Batty University.

I think we have these organizations confused.

The organization, the Batty University that was funded by the Office of Islands Prevention and Trauma Recovery, is university high school graduates, Howard University graduates, Rutgers University graduates, kids that grew up here in the West Ward of Newark that have been committed to mentoring young girls here in the city for the past five years.

That is the organization we funded.

We did not fund the organization that was spoken about here at this mic.

These individuals are in fact from Newark educated and graduates of the Howard University.

WWVO, I believe, was raised here in terms of our lease.

That uh uh location has existed uh for several years.

Uh, even before the Office of Violence Prevention and Trauma Recovery Recovery, when we were doing this work with the health department, that South Orange Avenue location has always been there to support individuals in the West Ward.

Um, and then I know we were talking about measurables in terms of how do we know uh what the Office of Violence Prevention and Trauma Recovery is doing.

First, I'd like to state that on Friday we are going to graduate 33 students here from the city of Newark at St.

Elizabeth University on a full ride, those kids that had a 1.7 to a 2.5 GPA, and I invite individuals here to become a part of that graduation if your schedule permits you to.

Um, as it relates to the RFP, all of the scorecards in terms of the organizations that we fund, all of the school cars are updated in Legislatar before the council even approves the RFP and who is getting funded by the Office of Violence Prevention and Trauma Recovery.

And lastly, I just want to say year to date the Office of Violence Prevention and Trauma Recovery received 234 direct NPD crisis notifications.

Out of those 234 direct NPD crisis notifications, the Office of Violence Prevention and Trauma Recovery has been present for 176 on-scene and post-incident crisis responses.

Year to date, 3,021 police referrals connected residents to prevention services.

These are facts.

We use an APRICA system, and we are more than happy to share this data with the municipal council.

And I'd also add that 2,048 residents served through direct intervention in services.

I also just want to say 1,470 mental health counseling sessions took place at the Office of Violence Prevention and Trauma Recovery.

We have four locations, one in the West Ward, one in the central ward, one down here.

Well, two in the central ward, 10, 17th, and also the Metro Office.

And we also have a site at 695 Bergen Street, the new police facility.

Just wanted to come and raise those points here before the council.

Thank you, Council President.

Thank you, Director.

Come on, Miss Singleton Austin.

You know you know not to yell out.

We're not yelling out here.

Director.

Good afternoon, Council President, Municipal Council.

James Adams, Acting Director of Engineering for the City of Newark.

There was a comment made concerning municipal council item 6P SF-E, concerning 753, 755 to 757 South Orange Avenue and the issuance of permits.

Um as you know that any project in Newark goes through an extensive planning and zoning board approval process.

Once that process is completed, the engineering department will check to make sure that any comments that they've made or incorporated in the final plans and specifications.

Once that's done, the package, the application package is submitted to the technical assistant office of the UCC with the plans and specifications.

The plans are reviewed by plumbing electrical building, and if applicable, they're reviewed by the electrical subcode.

In this case, this property was previously demolished a few years ago.

The three associated lots were merged, and the final permit for construction was issued on September of 2025.

So this property does have all applicable permits and approval.

Thank you, all right.

Let's move.

Let's go on to the resolutions.

7R1A and B are temporary emergency appropriations.

A is to provide funds for the 2026 operating budget, and B is for the summer youth employment program.

Council as a whole to adopt A and B, please.

Roll call.

Council members say.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

He said yes.

I don't know if you heard him.

He said yes.

Okay.

Kelly.

Yes.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Absolutely.

Silva.

Yes.

President Clump.

Yes.

C through E are purchasing resolutions.

C is amending the resolutions for law enforcement firearms and equipment.

D is a co-op purchasing agreement for synthetic turf at Beauporter Sports Complex.

Sponsored by Councilman Council.

Second by Councilwoman Scott Roundtree.

And E is a bid contract for the family fund day.

Council as a whole to adopt with sponsors.

Roll call.

Council members bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez absent.

Kelly?

Yes.

Mintana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree absent.

Sova?

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

F is a collective bargaining agreement for the Newark Fire.

Before we go back, yeah.

Let's continue.

F is a collective bargaining agreement for the Newark Fire Officers Union.

Council as a whole to adopt.

Roll call.

Council members bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Kelly.

Yes.

Mintana?

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree?

Yes.

Silva?

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

7R2A.

Council as a whole to defer.

Roll call.

Excuse me.

Mr.

President.

I'm sorry.

Councilwoman Roundtree is trying to get your attention.

A through E.

I would like to be on record for yes.

So I cannot hear you.

7R1A.

7R1B.

7R1.

C.

I'd like to noted as a.

Yes.

Yes.

Okay.

Thank you, Councilwoman.

And Mr.

Chair.

I think I'm just set 7 R uh 2A.

Like to send back to the administration.

All right.

Motion to return to administration.

As a whole.

Second.

We do it as a whole.

Roll call.

Return to administration.

E.

Council members Bay.

Yes.

Council.

Yes.

Gonzales.

Kelly.

Yes.

Titan?

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva.

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

B is a grant agreement to provide GAP funding for the construction of a 24 residential dwellings consisting of 3D restricted affordable housing restrictions for occupancy by qualified low-income tenants pursuant to the city's affordable housing trust fund for property in the West Ward.

Council is a whole to adopt.

Roll call.

I'm sorry, Councilman Gonzalez.

Somebody from Economic Development.

Come up, please.

Good afternoon.

Brandy Daniel, legislative coordinator for economic and housing development.

Council president to councilman Gonzalez's statement.

That is correct.

Um I did send an email yesterday stating that there was a typo in the purpose.

It should be four deed restricted units versus the three.

Let's move to a yeah the motion to amend.

For four deed restricted affordable housing, as opposed to three.

Correct.

Roll call to amend.

Council members bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Gonzalez.

Kelly?

Yes to amend.

Quintana?

Yes.

Ramos?

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Silva?

Yes.

President Crump.

Yes.

Motion to adopt as amended, please.

Roll call.

Council members bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Gonzalezales.

Kelly.

Yes.

Montana.

Yes.

Ramos.

Yes.

Scott Roundtree?

Yes.

Yes.

President Quunk.

Yes.

C through I are reading and adopting the 2026 annual budget for various bids in SIDS.

C is for the Mount Prospect Avenue neighborhood improvement district management corporation.

Sponsored by Councilman Ramos.

Second by Councilman Gonzalez.

Is there anyone wishing to be heard on this budget?

We're on page 167R2C.

16.

2026 annual budget for Mount Prospect Avenue neighborhood improvement district management corporation.

Anyone want to wish you to speak?

Good afternoon.

Mayor candidate Rodney Davis.

A three for the city of New York.

This is I would like to ask Councilman Ramos.

And this is his ward.

I don't know if he wrote the legislation here.

I'm glad he did.

That's what we need council people to write legislation.

That's what we need.

This election, all the people running at large.

We need people to make legislation, do their job.

So this is about I would like to ask Councilman Ramos if possible.

Can you explain to me, sir, regarding this improvements district?

If possible.

I know Councilman Silva responded when I asked a question in the east.

So done?

You'd be going to.

Let's do this.

I'm sorry.

I don't want to interrupt you, man.

You're good?

You're done?

No, I just wanted to ask.

Okay.

Yeah, some years ago, I was involved in um helping the community set up this improvement district.

This is the baby improvement district, the smallest one in the city of North.

They don't have a full-time executive director.

The board takes a pretty active role in managing the organization.

They spend very little of their money in administration and a lot of the resources that they do have, they invest in a cleaning contract along Mount Prospect Avenue and helping the corridor promote whenever they have um vacant storefronts.

We have very few vacant storefronts along Mount Prospect Avenue, and a lot of that I think is attributed to their work, and they also work with the Essex County Sheriff's Department to uh contract with them to provide additional security services along Mount Prospect Avenue.

So for a small district, they definitely do a lot of good work and they have a lot of support amongst the people that contribute toward the district, and they have regular meetings, um, they have a few events that they sponsor every year, including the holiday lights parade, which is a big attraction, not only for the ward but the city.

So that's it.

Thank you, Ramos.

That's the type of leadership we need.

I only have one question.

Is the secure uh the maintenance contract sort of like similar to what they do in Iron Bowl?

Like that, oh yeah, we need that.

Good work.

Thank you.

Next speaker.

I'd like to ask the question about these improvement districts, the funding for them, because a lot of the businesses are being forced to put your campaign literature in their businesses.

Is this a condition of them with the improvement that they are compelled to put your campaign literature in their businesses?

Like a lot of the businesses in my area were told they will force to put it in there, or they're gonna mess with their permits.

So is this tied in with that?

No, it is not, yeah, Mr.

President.

Could I could I just say that um the improvement district?

They'll take everybody's sign off the polls, including mine, because that's their job.

So I don't have a problem with that as long as they keep the area clean.

Any other speakers?

Hearing none.

Hearing is closed, roll call.

Council members Bay.

Yes.

Council?

Yes.

Yes.

Gonzalez?

Yes.

Kelly?

Yes.

Yes.

Ramos?

Yes.

Scott Roundtree.

Yes.

Yes.

I think.

D's for Bloomville Avenue, Lower Broadway Business Improvement District.

Sponsored by Councilman Ramos.

Second by Councilman Gonzalez.

Is there anyone wishing to be heard on this budget?

Okay.

Deborah Salters.

Now, is this we talked about this before?

Is this Lower Broadway coming down where they're going to put the new Chick-fil-A?

Is this the area we're talking about?

Okay.

Have you all figured out that traffic pattern yet?

Because it's already disastrous, which we told you, in that area.

I have seen some improvement with the uh folks who were hanging out in that area.

But that is going to be a major problem, in addition to the streets are horrible.

It's like craters over there.

When are we gonna get those streets paved?

Because you're coming down hitting everything on each side.

You try to dodge one, you hit another one, the other one's bigger than the last one.

So that needs to be addressed.

I see the amount of money here.

I don't know if this uh because it is the improvement districts.

I don't know if that covers that particular area.

I know you all talked about raising money to pave the streets and things like that.

That's part of it, but have you figured out what that traffic pattern is going to be like when that when that trick filet comes there?

Thank you for your comments, next speaker.

7R2D.

This is the North Ward.

Council President.

Is it possible to have the city clerk or the city of Newark read this over again?

I didn't quite hear or understand what she was saying.

I will say it is the budget for the Bloomfield Avenue Lower Broadway Business Improvement District in the North Ward.

And this is the public hearing for that.

Okay.

And how much money we talking about?

It says 448,000 under amount.

Well, I want to ask somebody honest that I could trust.

I'm gonna ask Ramos.

Not talking about you.

I'm talking about this agenda right here.

I'm not talking about I'm gonna ask uh, I'm not talking about you, Crump.

But being Mayor New York is serious, I want to ask Ramos this question because it's in his ward.

Can you explain a little me about this, Councilman?

Can you give me some clarity?

This is about the I don't understand completely.

And it's a public hearing.

So, if you'd like to.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

So, so this improvement district extends from North 13th Street in the North Ward, um, all the way down to uh the central ward, actually, where in front of where Vermella is.

So it's uh it covers a long geographic area.

Um they they are not responsible for street paving, um, but they have expressed uh concerns about the city's decision to have reverse angle parking on Lower Broadway because it does create, I agree with Ms.

Salters, some traffic issues when you're um, especially during rush hour, trying to access the downtown area.

Uh they they too um the their board of trustees, their chairman is a person by the name of PJ Callelo, who voluntarily kind of runs this district, so they don't have a full-time director.

Uh, they spend a considerable amount of their budget on quality of life on cleaning services because it is a long corridor.

Um, they actually, over a three year period, under spent their budget uh and were able to invest about $300,000 out of their budget to help um build uh the new park, which is gonna be located across from uh Calandra's Bakery, which is where the water tower is.

So they were the ones that came to us with that idea.

More than just an idea, they came to us with resources to invest in that project.

They've also invested some resources, which we matched to fix the um plaza in front of St.

Francis Church, which is a little bit up on the upper part of the North Ward.

So they also put some of their savings into redoing the pavers, we're doing the lighting.

It's a nice little plaza that's utilized a lot by the community, but was in disrepair for a long time.

So they they also have a contract with the sheriff's department for security.

Two quick questions, councilman.

What street actually is it gonna be on?

And the paving uh, you know, City of New York got to do something about the paving, you know.

That's it, but I just want to know where exactly is the Chick-fil-A's gonna be at.

Mr.

Davis, your time is up.

I don't need to talk to you.

You asked the question and your time is up now.

Once we finish the public hearing, if councilman Ramos has an additional response, we'll let him do that.

Thank you.

Oh, old Burger King right there.

Oh, okay.

Okay.

Lisa Parker, then I'll ask the question.

Because I go to the barber over there.

What are y'all doing about the congestion in that area for the business district right there on Lower Broadway?

I mean, the garbage and and everything else that's around there.

How are they improving that area when I go over there to get a haircut and there's a whole line of dope things where y'all tore down um Burger King, right?

And all along that corridor looks filthy and dirty.

That's real.

So I like to see what they're gonna be doing to really improve that area and to deal with the congestion in that area during prime time.

Four, five, six o'clock is gridlock all in that area, and I haven't heard a sustainable plan for um public safety in that area.

Thank you for your comments.

Next speaker.

Just two suggestions.

Um I like how some of the cities are moving.