Photos by EmilyAnn Jackman East Orange Mayor Ted Green gives a speech at the launching of the new Critical Repair and Healthy Homes Initiative, spawned from the partnership between Habitat of Humanity of Greater Newark and the city of East Orange.
East Orange Mayor Ted Green gives a speech at the launching of the new Critical Repair and Healthy Homes Initiative, spawned from the partnership between Habitat of Humanity of Greater Newark and the city of East Orange.
EAST ORANGE, NJ — East Orange partnered with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newark for a press conference outside City Hall in East Orange on Wednesday, Sept. 25, to launch the Critical Repair and Healthy Homes Initiative, which was funded by a $450,000 Community Development Block Grant to the city from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Jeffrey Farrell, the chief executive officer of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newark, discussed the program at the event, saying, “This program will provide critical repairs for the residents of East Orange and we’re looking forward to working with the city.”
When asked about how he feels about the program coming to East Orange, Farrell was optimistic.
“This program is an amazing program to help families stay in their homes. Habitat for Humanity has been working with families throughout Essex County for the last four years and the opportunity is just amazing. We’ll be doing critical repairs for homeowners, such as replacing roofs, providing winterization. Things of that sort,” Farrell said.
Bryan Champeau, director of fund development and program strategy for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newark, said at the event, “We’re long experienced in providing critical repairs to seniors and low-income families. Repairs such as roof repair, new windows and mold remediation, etc. and we have a partnership with East Orange to provide those services to East Orange residences. We’re getting that started.”
The Healthy Homes Initiative works to enable low-to-moderate-income East Orange senior homeowners to remain in their homes through repairs that focus on their quality of life. These include mold and asbestos remediation, energy-conservation, weatherization improvements and the addition of aging-in-place functionality.
East Orange Mayor Ted Green, who attended the press conference, expressed his satisfaction.
“This is great. The event today really shows a partnership with Habitat for Humanity and the city of East Orange, but it’s more for our seniors,” Mayor Green told the Record-Transcript at the event. “We value our seniors here in the city of East Orange, so this grant that we’re getting for $450,000 really says volumes to our seniors, who want to stay in our community and be here in our community. Now we’re able to help them even more with interior and exterior things in their homes.”
Carlton Daniels, board chairman for Habitat of Humanity of Greater Newark, called the partnership gratifying.
“I feel rather delighted and it’s rather rewarding, because we’ve been strictly dealing in the Newark area and then to branch out further into East Orange and Orange, it’s rather gratifying,” Daniels told the Record-Transcript. “Especially with a project that meets the needs of the seniors and helps to build value in their homes or at least maintain the value. So we’re delighted and looking forward to a long-standing relationship that adds value to the city of East Orange.”
Dan Jennings, director of policy planning and development for East Orange, said the collaboration with the city’s own rehabilitation program, which is coordinated by Amber Montgomery, will be positive for residents.
“We’re really excited,” Jennings told the Record-Transcript. “We already have a program that’s been very effective and Amber Montgomery has been managing that program so well. So we see this as a way of expanding the excellent work that she’s doing and serving more homeowners.”
Montgomery told the Record-Transcript, “We are excited about this collaboration with Habitat for Humanity and we look forward to doing more and more work for the citizens of the city of East Orange.”
According to 2nd Ward Councilman Christopher Awe, the new initiative will have a direct impact on local seniors and their families.
“They’re the backbone of our community,” Awe told the Record-Transcript. “The impact that this program has the opportunity to have, for our city, is very widespread and it’s direct. It’s a direct impact and that is affecting people right now and their everyday lives, in terms of making the homes healthy, making them functional and, as I’ve said in my remarks, it’s almost a generational effect as well, too. It’s not just for our seniors, but a lot of our seniors are passing down these homes to their kids. A lot of our seniors are taking care of grandchildren in these homes, so it’s important that these homes are not only functional, but healthy and set them up so they can actually stay in the home, because that’s sometimes a difficulty for some of our seniors.”
East Orange homeowners interested in participating in the Critical Repair and Healthy Homes Initiative may register for an information session by calling 973-624-3330, ext. 103, or sending an email to gbernal@habitatnewark.org.
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