Newark gets three low-income housing units, but research shows more is needed

Mayor Ras Baraka addresses the crowd at the ribbon cutting of a new low-income housing development building at 23 Jacob St., Central Ward, Newark on Oct. 22. (Photo credits: Jennah Cherry Romain for Public Square Amplified)

NEWARK, NJ – Newark’s efforts to expand affordable housing took a local focus on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026, as Mayor Ras Baraka was scheduled to cut the ribbon on three new affordable apartment units at 43 Jacob Street, amid ongoing concerns about rising rents and displacement across the city.

​The small corner development consists of one two-bedroom unit and two three-bedroom units. The city authorized an $85,000 affordable housing agreement with TMA General Contracting LLC, funded through the federal HOME program, to support the project. It is located in Newark’s Central Ward.

The homes were built as Newark continues to face affordability challenges. Research conducted by Rutgers Law School’s Center on Law, Inequality, and Metropolitan Equity (CLiME) found that rents in Newark have risen faster than incomes, increasing concerns about housing stability and homelessness. The report highlights differences among Newark’s five central wards, with the East and Central Wards experiencing new construction, which is driving rapidly rising rents.

A separate CLiME report that examined housing changes in Newark, Jersey City, and Paterson concluded that investment in market-rate housing and property renovations can contribute to rising prices without guaranteeing income growth for residents.

For Michelle Boone, who helped build the Jacob Street project, the development has personal significance. Boone, in an interview with PSA reporter Jennah Romain, shared how she had experienced homelessness herself and once needed help and assistance. The building is specifically targeted for families experiencing homelessness with children who have disabilities. She described the project as “a building for the community.”

(Michelle Boone, founder of TMA General Contracting LLC; Credits: Jennah Romain)

​The project is one effort to expand affordable housing for low-income families facing additional barriers to finding a stable home. However, Newark continues to face broader challenges in ensuring housing remains affordable for residents across income levels.

​Projects such as the homes on Jacob Street highlight the importance of addressing the needs of the families who will live there, not just the number of homes available