New Jersey Community Capital was awarded $985,000 from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs to support ongoing programs managed by the East Trenton Collaborative, a community organizing and development initiative in the East Trenton neighborhood of Trenton’s North Ward.
This year’s award marks the sixth time NJCC has successfully secured NRTC funds for advancing the community vision of East Trenton.
“Through our incredible collaboration with community members and partners, we are making great strides in East Trenton,” said Bernel Hall, CEO and president of New Jersey Community Capital. “We couldn’t do this without the Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit Program, and I thank the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs and the contributing corporations for this critical funding. Thanks to their support, we will be able to move closer to realizing a shared vision for a thriving East Trenton community.”
Through the ETC, NJCC will use the funds to acquire and rehabilitate three additional abandoned neighborhood homes. By purchasing these homes, NJCC can continue to promote homeownership, address abandoned properties in the neighborhood, improve the housing market and foster community cohesion.
This funding will also support a grant program designed to assist homeowners in completing health and safety repairs on their properties. These home repairs not only improve the quality of life of East Trenton homeowners, but help increase their property values for the overall benefit of the neighborhood.
Additionally, thanks to this award, NJCC can offer youth employment programming for a sixth year, involving 15 teenagers during the summer and 10 during the academic year. In partnership with UrbanPromise Trenton, this program is aimed at teens ages 14 to 18 interested in gaining workplace skills through on-the-job experience.
