Newark Municipal Council Regular Meeting - September 9, 2026

The Newark Municipal Council held its regular meeting on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, in the Council Chamber at City Hall, Newark, New Jersey. The meeting was called to order at 12:32 PM and adjourned at 5:20 PM. All nine council members were present after staggered arrivals; Council President Luis A. Quintana presided. The council gave final approval to nine ordinances, approved a large resolution agenda, advanced several new ordinances to public hearing, and heard extensive public testimony on housing, tax abatements, development, water infrastructure, and municipal services.

Consent Calendar

• Accepted the Office of the City Clerk, Marriage License Division financial reports for January through March 2026 (7-0; Jackson and Silva absent).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Felicia Alston-Singleton said the 636 MLK tax abatement was not truly affordable, arguing the city should require units at 20-40% AMI instead of the proposed 40/60/80% AMI income-restricted units; she also called for Newark Housing Authority receivership and opposed the Virginia Street Fidelco sale and remediation credits.
• Lisa Mitchelson-Parker accused the administration of selling city land to friends, family, and donors for pennies, failing to collect revenue, and raising taxes; she called for project labor agreements, transparency on land deals, and no 150 units for KS Group, and criticized an event called 24 Hours of Foolishness.
• Alif Muhammad supported the deed restriction and Live Newark closing-cost increase but questioned enforcement; he defended public speakers' First Amendment rights and discussed the Housing Authority and water system.
• Munirah El-Bomani joined public comment during several housing ordinances, questioning deed corrections and affordability practices.
• Shakir McDougald asked where Live Newark funds come from, requested itemized water project budgets, and supported broader promotion of city programs.
• Queen Dannisha Clyburn, a McDonald's community liaison manager, described youth safety issues, police response problems, and her weekly McFamily Night programming; she asked for active council support and criticized some street teams.
• Keisha Baldwin, a Newark resident and former HUD/REAC worker, called for prevailing wage and Section 3 hiring requirements in city land sales and explained HUD inspection and REAC scoring issues affecting developments such as Georgia King Village.
• John Goldstein, a housing advocate, supported recalibrating the inclusionary zoning ordinance but warned that the proposed AMI standard could be weakened if developers add one unit to jump to higher income brackets; he urged a strengthened 20% affordability tier.
• Opal R. Wright read excerpts from the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act addressing swap regulation and consumer protection.
• Rodney Davis praised code enforcement but criticized police traffic control during a major event, saying gridlock delayed emergency vehicles.
• Darnella Lee detailed Housing Authority concerns, including lease discrepancies, maintenance problems, alleged document changes, and retaliation after complaining.

Discussion Items

Ordinances - Public Hearings and Final Adoption

• 6PSF-a - 25-year tax abatement (636 MLK Urban Renewal LLC): Adopted on final passage (7-0; Jackson and Silva absent). The project at 636-642 Martin Luther King Boulevard, Central Ward, will construct three four-story buildings with 42 residential units: 33 market-rate units and 9 income-restricted units (3 at 40% AMI, 3 at 60% AMI, 3 at 80% AMI), plus 11 parking spaces. Several residents criticized the affordability levels.
• 6PSF-b - Deed restriction on resold city property: Adopted (7-0; Jackson abstained, Silva absent). It requires a deed restriction when city property stock sold for redevelopment is resold before project completion; the city would receive 90% of fair market value at resale and purchasers must comply with applicable best efforts workforce requirements. Note: an oral administration summary referred to an 80% share, while the written ordinance and minutes specify 90%.
• 6PSF-c - Corrective deeds from Newark Housing Authority: Adopted (8-0; Silva abstained). It accepts corrective deeds to fix the city's prior conveyance for 61-69 Orchard Street, d/b/a 520-526 South 16th Street, Block 883, Lot 11.
• 6PSF-d - Live Newark closing-cost loan increase: Adopted 9-0. It amends the Live Newark Loan Forgiveness Program to increase closing-cost loans for eligible applicants from $20,000 to $30,000. Officials said 2025 had 29 applications and 13 approved; 2026 had 21 applications and 4 closings to date.
• 6PSF-e - Wayne Pump Station Upgrade: Adopted 9-0. It appropriates $7,400,000 and authorizes $7,400,000 in bonds or notes. Water Director Kareem Adeem said the station supplies about 55 million gallons of drinking water, is part of regional infrastructure, and is expected to receive 50-90% principal forgiveness. Council members asked for itemized costs and construction oversight.
• 6PSF-f - Short-term event spaces and party rental venues: Adopted 9-0. It creates a licensing and regulatory framework for short-term event spaces and party rental venues, targeting unlicensed parties in residential neighborhoods.
• 6PSF-g - Property Compliance Cost Recovery Program: Adopted 9-0. It authorizes recovery of extraordinary municipal compliance costs caused by extraordinary municipal intervention. Corporation Counsel Kenyatta Stewart said code enforcement fines have increased, citing July fines including 449 Avon Avenue ($10,533), Georgia King Village ($34,600), and 383 Clinton Avenue ($90,000), and said the fund would also assist residents in affected properties.
• 6PSF-h - Minish Park temporary easement: Adopted 9-0. It authorizes a temporary work-area easement on private property for construction of the Joseph G. Minish Passaic River Waterfront Park and Historic Area.
• 6PSF-i - Virginia Street Fidelco LLC sale: Adopted 9-0. It authorizes sale and transfer of city property (Block 3773, Lots 15, 41, 43, and Lot 53) for $13,810,000, less remediation and demolition credit, under an amended redevelopment agreement. Some speakers objected to the credit and asked why the developer was not paying for its own cleanup.

Resolutions

• Administration (7R1): Approved temporary emergency appropriations for the FY2023 Recycling Tonnage Grant ($306,848.11), Sustainable Jersey/PSE&G Urban Heat Island work ($20,000), Newark YMCA upgrade and supportive housing ($850,000), September 2026 operating expenses ($61,597,042), and UASI homeland security preparedness ($1,556,000). Also approved state-contract and bid awards, including heavy-duty vehicle repair ($150,000), police vehicle equipment ($600,000), rubberized safety surfaces ($3,000,000), road salt ($500,000), dental equipment and supplies ($900,000), paint and supplies ($402,000), fire equipment and installation ($369,435.20), water meters and parts ($3,000,000), and an amendment increasing the Bo Porter artificial turf contract by $6,550 to $379,521. The emergency water transmission contract extension (7R1-i) was adopted 8-1, with Council Member Donna Jackson voting no. Also accepted grants of $5,000 from Sustainable Jersey, $51,980 from NJDEP for impervious area data, and a $125,000 gift from the Newark Alliance for grant-process support.
• Economic and Housing Development (7R2): Approved numerous private sales and redevelopment agreements, including Wrighton Management ($92,068.30), All for the Family ($43,680), Legacy Housing & Construction ($57,750), 34 Jersey U R LLC ($173,076.80), DW2 Construction ($72,862.50), Ahmed Burks ($90,804), Lagoon Property Development ($653,000), Emmoli Ventures ($400,000), JWC Development ($69,750), Etta Investments ($31,825), Brick City Preservation ($106,730), and IAMYCO Investments ($143,764.11). Also approved a Clinton View LLC amendment ($972,000 less remediation credit up to $194,400), an SLFRF affordable housing agreement with Bergen Street Redevelopment Urban Renewal LLC ($1,534,126.83 for six deed-restricted units at 60% AMI), a $10,000,000 land and redevelopment agreement with the New Jersey Performing Arts Center Corporation, and a pedestrian-safety improvement contract amended from $1,808,441.88 to $2,051,184.77. Deferred items included Home Support Group ($187,000), GonSosa Development ($220,500), IBN Construction ($102,603), 177 Scheerer Avenue LLC ($78,960), Brice Holdings ($105,170), and Pre-appraisals Property Development ($83,470). Selected vote splits: Lagoon Property Development was adopted 8-1 (Jackson no); the NJPAC agreement was adopted 7-0 with Crump and Jackson abstaining; several sales had one abstention.
• Finance (7R4): Approved $32,368,000 in general capital improvement bond anticipation notes (Series 2026G), an $880,020 application to the New Jersey Urban Enterprise Zone Authority for the CY2027 administrative budget, confirmation of an $8,000,000 non-recourse redevelopment area bond sale (Series 2026, 930 McCarter Urban Renewal, LLC project) to The Prudential Insurance Company of America, and two tax appeal settlement packages with total credits/refunds of $978,995.61 and $25,657.76.
• Health and Community Wellness (7R5): Approved homeless outreach contracts with NJCRI ($297,000) and Integrity, Inc. ($336,100); HIV/AIDS services contract with Team Management 2000 ($356,593); behavioral-health crisis sub-recipient agreements with Circle of Life ($50,000), Distinctly Guided LLC ($30,426), Inspired By U LLC ($30,426), and Hope Love Kindness Crisis Intervention LLC ($75,000). A $20,000 agreement with Yolanda Alonzo's Love, Inc. was returned to administration. Also accepted grant funds or amendments for WIC breastfeeding performance (+$2,000), a DCA grant no-cost extension through 2027 ($418,900), immunization ($388,000), public health emergency preparedness ($255,608), childhood lead exposure prevention ($1,775,025), Delta Dental oral health ($37,500), and Essex County Code Red services (up to $113,000). Council requested a full lead-program status report.
• Law, Mayor's Office, Council, Public Safety, Recreation, and Water/Sewer: Approved four civil litigation settlements totaling $654,000.18: $200,000 (Daliana Vargas), $100,000 (Lashaunda Harris), $281,231.84 (Juan Espinosa), and $72,768.34 (Estate of Stephon Waddell). Approved a $75,000 forensic accounting contract with Smolin, Lupin & Co., LLC for the Newark Municipal Court. Confirmed Dashay M. Carter to the Board of Adjustment; adopted ceremonial street designations for Maurice L. Hagan and Norma Jones; waived special event fees for several block parties; and adopted support resolutions for the Polluters Pay Act, the New Jersey Statewide Black Agenda, and a 12-month data center moratorium. Appointed one Special Police Officer and accepted a $1,556,000 UASI grant, with discussion on special police classes and crossing guards. Granted Invest Newark a right of access and construction agreement for Raymond Brown Park improvements ($946,080). Approved Water and Sewer Utility items including Pequannock Aqueducts Change Order #3 (+$857,191.99 for a total not to exceed $15,733,229.21), Suburban Consulting Engineers Amendment #2 ($1,319,132), CHA Consulting services ($115,994), USDA white-tailed deer damage management at Cedar Grove Reservoir ($14,749), and CDM Smith dissolved air flotation system design/construction administration increase to $9,750,390.

Communications and First-Reading Ordinances

• Deferred the appointment of Rashaun Bertrand to the Caribbean Commission; confirmed four Federally Qualified Health Center Board reappointments: Andrea Mason, Tanisha Ginlock, Atiya Jaha-Rashidi, and Thaddaeus L. Diggs. The appointment of Omoye M. Ejalense was deferred.
• Advanced to first reading and public hearing:
  • Assignment and assumption of the Livingston Urban Renewal LLC financial agreement to Tethys Livingston Urban Renewal LLC for 82 affordable rental units (6F-a).
  • Assignment and assumption of the Somerset Homes Urban Renewal LLC financial agreement to Tethys Somerset Urban Renewal LLC for 38 affordable rental units (6F-b).
  • Assignment and assumption agreement between El Sid Properties LLC and GPOP Doremus Ave Owner LLC (6F-c).
  • Historic designation process changes replacing the National Register form with a city-specific application and nominal fee.
  • Third amendment to the West Ward Model Neighborhood Initiative Redevelopment Plan allowing two-, three-, and four-family dwellings in C-1 and C-2 districts and townhouses in C-1 (6F-d).
  • Ordinance authorizing negotiated reductions in annual service charges for redevelopment projects providing affordable ground-floor retail and enhanced affordable housing (6F-e).
  • Ordinance prohibiting landlords from imposing certain brokerage costs on residential tenants (6F-f).
• The data center moratorium ordinance was returned to administration; a separate referral to the Central Planning Board for a zoning amendment implementing a one-year data center moratorium was adopted.
• Public hearings for ordinances adopted on first reading were scheduled for September 23, 2026 at 6:30 PM.

Key Outcomes

• Final-passage ordinances were adopted for the 636 MLK tax abatement, deed restrictions, corrective deeds, Live Newark closing-cost increase, Wayne Pump Station upgrade, short-term event space regulation, property compliance cost recovery, Minish Park easement, and Virginia Street Fidelco sale.
• The council approved the large majority of resolutions without dissent; notable exceptions were the emergency water transmission contract extension (8-1) and the Lagoon Property Development sale (8-1), with several other items drawing abstentions.
• Seven ordinances were advanced to first reading and public hearing, with the data center moratorium returned to administration and separately referred to the Central Planning Board.
• The council deferred several private land sales and appointments, including the Bishop Frank Garris street designation, Wellness Fest hold-harmless item, and the Rashaun Bertrand and Omoye Ejalense appointments.
• Additional council motions adopted: expressions of sorrow for Robert Lemay Jr. and Mia Alani Lewis; commendation for the South Ward Basketball League and Kaboobie Roundball Classic; a request for Public Safety to clarify missing-person filing procedures; a request for urgent exterior grounds and lighting maintenance at Newark Public Schools; a request for a citywide eviction moratorium for non-payment of rent; and a request to place the owner of 130 Chancellor Avenue on the worst non-compliant landlords list.