Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka delivered his State of the City Address, reflecting on his administration’s achievements over the past decade and his vision for the future. The Mayor outlined accomplishments in public safety, homelessness, transportation, economic development, housing, recreation, senior services, health, and technology.
The city has seen significant improvements in crime reduction in 2023, with the Mayor highlighting a decrease in burglaries, auto theft, and non-fatal shootings. This progress is attributed to increased law enforcement and more funding allocated for community partners offering therapeutic and crisis intervention services. Newark has also ramped up its community engagement efforts, tripling the number of events to foster public safety awareness.
Mayor Baraka celebrated reducing Newark’s residents without addresses by 57.6% and moving 21% of the Hope Village shelter residents to permanent housing. He also highlighted the acquisition of a $2.9 million grant to provide crisis services for individuals experiencing mental health emergencies. Additionally, the Mayor unveiled plans for a first-of-its-kind texting service, allowing the public to alert a street outreach team about those needing shelter or assistance.
The Mayor discussed economic development initiatives spearheaded by the Invest Network, which included training sessions for 500 entrepreneurs, with 25 graduates from programs such as the Executive Business Accelerator and Small Business Stronger, who collectively employed over 100 full-time employees and numerous part-time employees and contractors. The Summer Youth Employment Program engaged over 100 interns, securing over $2.7 million in funds, while the Mayor’s Raise Your Voice Academy equipped 80 youth with leadership skills and social justice awareness.
Watch Mayor Baraka’s full remarks here.
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