Newark Mayor Cory Booker plans on adding up to 600 abandoned properties to the tax rolls with a redevelopment plan.  This plan encourages neighborhood revitalization, provides downtown housing, sparks growth in underused areas, creates job opportunities and ultimately improves the quality of life for city residents.

The plan proposed to the city council begins with a list of abandoned properties.  Once identified, the city can make the owners rehabilitate the property or lose it through expedited foreclosure, tax liens or eminent domain.  The city council must approve the plan that will use inspectors from the fire department and neighborhood services to do the surveys because of their inspection power.  Part of the downtown housing plan will revise some zoning regulations thus making it easier for developers to build houses.  The increased housing requires more retail to serve residents and in turn boost job opportunities. 

City officials also wish to move forward with a previously approved streetscaping plan for a portion of Broad Street including the corner of Broad and Market Streets.  In addition to city funding there is $10.5 million in Urban Empowerment Zone funds available to improve retail corridors throughout the city.  It is a winning plan getting abandoned properties back on the tax rolls, increasing housing, stores, jobs and improving the quality of life with the environmental clean-up of blighted and industrial sections of the city.