FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, July 10, 2018

 

Salem becomes the first municipality to receive assistance through the National Resource Network

Trenton, NJ – The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) today announced the City of Salem will participate in the New Jersey State Resource Network (NJ SRN or the ‘Network’), a new initiative to provide targeted help at minimal cost to municipalities in the state that have special challenges.  Salem is the first of up to six municipalities to be selected for the program, which will assist in the areas of financial recovery, economic growth and community development. 

“The City of Salem will receive a customized multi-year plan toward financial stability and economic development. We hope this partnership will put Salem on a path to economic revitalization,” said Lt. Governor Sheila Y. Oliver, DCA Commissioner. 

Salem City faces challenges that include high rates of poverty, lack of quality affordable housing and deep fiscal issues.  Through NJ SRN, Salem officials are seeking assistance to help move their local economy in the right direction. The Network and DCA will work with Salem to develop an economic development plan centered on the Port of Salem, which has been identified as the city’s best competitive advantage, and create an integrated five-year financial plan for city government.  

“Salem City is extremely excited not only to be the first municipality named by the State to participate in the National Resource Network consortium but for the resources this partnership will provide toward the goal of moving our economic and redevelopment agenda forward,” said Salem Mayor Charles Washington. “We are pleased the State and the NRN see the work Salem City has already been doing and agree that adding additional resources to our current plans would help make Salem City a more thriving community, at an expedited pace.” 

The city’s economic development plan will focus on attracting industrial manufacturing and bringing jobs to Salem. The five-year financial plan will emphasize achieving fiscal stability so the city can invest in the necessary infrastructure to build a tax base, support job creation and redevelop the waterfront. 

The National Resource Network is a consortium of private-sector and non-profit organizations with local government expertise in financial recovery, economic growth, and community development. It has received funding from the Laura and John Arnold Foundation to partner with governments to replicate the model at the state level. Working together, the National Resource Network and DCA established NJ SRN to supplement existing programs in the Department that help financially distressed communities. Applications for the NJ SRN program were accepted from invited, eligible municipalities through July 6th, 2018. 

Established in 1967, DCA offers a wide range of programs and services that respond to issues of public concern including affordable housing production, fire safety and building safety, community planning and development, local government management and finance, and disaster recovery. 

For more information about DCA, visit http://www.nj.gov/dca/ or follow the Department on social media:

CONTACT:
Lisa Ryan
Tammori Petty
Gina Trish
(609) 292-6055