Why This Matters: Many of New Jersey’s cities, like so many cities across the country, have been compromised by the growing number of abandoned and problem properties. Further exacerbating the situation are the difficulties connected with the continuous surge of foreclosures. Acquisition, rehabilitation, and putting these properties back on the market as viable and affordable, either for sale or rental, requires seamless collaboration among key community stakeholders, such as municipal departments, financial institutions, private and non-profit developers, and community leaders at a minimum.

Why The Network is Doing This:  The Network is uniquely positioned to serve as a central partner of a statewide effort that will bring national, state, and local resources together to address the multitude of issues caused by problem properties in New Jersey cities. The Network has always worked with and reached out to cities within the state to assist them and the non-profit community development entities working within them to identify and provide assistance for greater effectiveness and efficiencies. By creating the Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative and this website toolkit, the Network is aggregating lessons learned by establishing a clearinghouse of best practices, available strategies, and other resources that will be brought to bear on one of the most difficult issues New Jersey cities are facing. The strength of New Jersey cities lies in the strength of its neighborhoods.

Who Else is Involved: The Network is not working alone to coordinate this effort. National support is being provided by the Center for Community Progress, a national organization that has been studying the re-engineering of underlying policies and practices that affect land acquisition, management, and reuse in cities across the country. The New Jersey Community Capital Corporation is another partner that provides innovative loans, grants and equity to organizations that support housing and sustainable community development ventures.