Camden Community Partnership announced the relaunch of the Camden Home Improvement Program (CHIP), an initiative designed to help local homeowners address pressing repair needs and improve the quality of life in Camden’s neighborhoods.
The initiative was launched in 2010 as a collaborative effort between the partnership, local organizations, religious leaders, and the city, CHIP has played an instrumental role in revitalizing the city’s housing stock.
Like many aging cities, maintaining homes and preventing disrepair in Camden is costly and difficult for residents, who also may deal with outdated infrastructure, collapsing underground systems, safety upgrade needs, and energy efficiency improvements. Camden is one of the poorest cities in America — 26.8% of its residents had income below the poverty level in 2023, almost three times the 9.7% rate for the state of New Jersey. The renting rate among poor residents was 74.1%.
“Our city faces unique challenges in maintaining and improving our housing, and CHIP provides a much-needed solution to help homeowners tackle essential repairs,” said Mayor Victor Carstarphen. “This new funding ensures that we can continue to stabilize our neighborhoods, improve safety, and promote energy efficiency for residents.”
Over eight years, CHIP attracted public and private funding, helping more than 460 homes to be rebuilt and stabilized. Because of the program’s success, CCP secured $5 million in funding to relaunch the program in 2024, allowing about 150 homeowners to access up to $25,000 in forgivable loans for home repairs. Funding for CHIP was made possible through a grant from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. Applications will be made available on June 2.
The mayor was joined by CCP Co-Chair and NJ American Water President Mark McDonough; Assemblyman William Moen; City Council President Angel Fuentes; Councilwoman Nohemi Soria Perez; Councilman Falio Leyba-Martinez; Councilwoman Jeanette Ramos; Saint Joseph’s Carpenter Society Executive Director Pilar Hogan Closkey; and Indya Walker a newly selected CHIP recipient.
“I can’t express how much this means to me,” said Walker, a Camden homeowner benefiting from this new round of CHIP funding. “My home has needed repairs for years, but the cost has always been out of reach. This opportunity is truly a blessing.”
