Mayor Baraka Announces Significant Milestone in Newark’s Journey to End Chronic Homelessness

A year after its launch, Newark’s ambitious strategy to combat chronic homelessness, “The Path Home,” is achieving remarkable results. Mayor Ras J. Baraka highlighted the plan’s success, which has gained global attention as a model for cities worldwide.

Mayor Baraka reported significant advancements across the strategic plan’s three main goals. “One year after introducing ‘The Path Home,’ we see progress and positive impact in each of its three overarching strategies, to Better Address Street Homelessness, Improve Access and Services Throughout the Shelter System, and Expand Prevention and Housing Services,” said Mayor Baraka. “As we implement and measure the outcomes of 25 separate initiatives that support our goal, we find ourselves entering our second year far ahead of our expectations. Our comprehensive, city-wide collaboration has yielded a 57.6% decrease in Newark’s unsheltered population – one more instance of the power of people working together for people.”

Expanding Affordable Housing

“We recognize that housing is a vital part of any plan to end homelessness. That is why, as part of our city’s strategy to develop more affordable housing, we incorporated solutions to address prevention and develop housing for people experiencing homelessness. My department looks forward to continued collaboration with the Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services to further this progress,” said Allison Ladd, Deputy Mayor and Director of the City’s Department of Economic and Housing Development.

Director Luis Ulerio of the Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services shared the progress on various initiatives aimed at ending chronic homelessness. The city’s actions include building transitional housing units, securing funding for a 24/7 resource center, and commissioning a housing plan to develop additional units.

Innovative Outreach and Support

Newark has launched a mobile outreach team in collaboration with Rutgers New Jersey Medical School to address homelessness and behavioral health issues. Furthermore, a partnership with NJ 211 has led to a unique texting service that allows the public to notify outreach teams about residents needing assistance.

The city has received substantial grant funding to offer comprehensive behavioral health crisis services. Additionally, significant improvements have been made to the largest emergency shelter in Newark, ensuring better living conditions and support services.

Housing Security Vouchers and Ongoing Support

The Department of Community Affairs will issue 4,000 housing vouchers over the next two years to assist Newark residents facing housing insecurity or homelessness. These vouchers are part of the city’s commitment to ensuring positive housing outcomes.

Newark continues its commitment to an effective homeless support system, providing temporary aid and assisting residents in their transition to permanent housing. The city stands as an example of caring for its community through data-driven and community-focused actions. Newark sees the challenge of homelessness as an opportunity for unity and collective improvement.

To view the implementation update, click here.

To view the city’s strategic plan to end chronic homelessness, click here.