NEWARK, NJ — Mayor Ras J. Baraka; Newark Homelessness Czar Sakinah Hoyte; Mike Loganbill, vice president and chief operating officer of Homes 4 the Homeless; and Craig Mainor, executive director of United Community Corporation, launched NEWARK Hope Village on March 8. The innovative 90-day program, using converted containers to shelter residents who are at-risk or without addresses, is located at 79 Newark St. in Newark.
The facility of seven containers will shelter 24 homeless individuals from the Penn Station corridor. The containers, which have been converted into code-compliant modular residences, consist of 20 dorm-style rooms, and two utility structures with private shower rooms and a multipurpose structure. The rooms have simple furnishings, including a heater, bunk bed with extra storage and a small dresser. Funding is being provided by the CARES Act, the Essex County Division of Community Action through the State of New Jersey Code Blue Grant, and the city of Newark.
“Many of our residents without addresses have been traumatized by the system that was created to serve them,” Baraka said. “Housing is the key, but we must first re-establish trust with those who have been scarred. NEWARK Hope Village will provide a welcoming atmosphere, where our most vulnerable have an opportunity to re-engage in services in a safe and therapeutic shelter. I will continue to work on pioneering strategies to end homelessness in our city in partnership with public, private and nonprofit partners.”
NEWARK Hope Village is a no-requirements, come-as-you-are safe sleeping village where people experiencing homelessness can have access to shelter and supportive services, including assistance with transition to permanent housing. Designed to attract individuals who are shelter averse and have been disengaged from traditional shelters and supportive homeless services, the service model aims to transition chronically homeless individuals through targeted street outreach to an atmosphere within the village that can promote healthy living and a continuum of social service supports.
This container shelter village is the first of its kind in Newark, and one of a few charitable container projects addressing homelessness in the United States to meet the International Code Council building codes for safe human habitation.
“This was truly a joint effort with many partners bringing forth collective resources to address this critical issue,” Hoyte said. “Our service model task force aimed to leverage the safe and tranquil village atmosphere, with the various service provision offerings, including: substance abuse and behavioral health services, intensive case management and housing navigation to promote healthy living, and ultimately a smooth transition to permanent housing.”
Various agencies convened weekly to tailor a unique service model in preparation of the pilot launch. Led by Newark’s Office of Homeless Services, agencies included United Community Corporation, Bridges Outreach, the Mental Health Association of Essex and Morris, the Northern NJ Medication-Assisted Treatment Center of Excellence, Integrity House, Essex County Division of Community Action and Essex County Continuum of Care.
The design of NEWARK Hope Village and its spaces is critical to the program’s overall success, leading to a partnership with Newark natives Andre Leon and Robert Ramon of the Rorschach Collective, who painted the village in bright hues and warm, vibrant gradients.
Collaborating designers Chantal Fischzang, an assistant professor at Rutgers University–Newark, and Rebecca Pauline Jampol, co-director of the Project for Empty Space, have created a visual system that radiates the initiative’s mission throughout. Using language and iconography emphasizing care, their design magnifies warmth and welcome. Upon checking into a residence, one will be greeted with positive messages on floors and walls, and receive outerwear and a toiletries package, designed with affirming language.
“It is an honor to work in a city that supports all of its residents and is creatively developing thoughtful and truly helpful space for under-the-radar communities,” the two women said.
With more than 290,000 residents, Newark is the largest city in New Jersey and, like many cities, shelter space is limited. The COVID-19 pandemic has added an urgent need for non-congregate housing, with each resident having their own private space. Through NEWARK Hope Village, the city is adding shelter space for both homeless individuals and those displaced by disasters, such as fires or flooding, or in need of “Code Blue” winter shelter.
“We are proud to be part of such a rapid response to help people who are living outside in the cold,” Homes 4 the Homeless founder Steve Schneider said. “When people are freezing to death, each day matters. Having the right team in place gives you the ability to do things that wouldn’t normally be possible, and in this case, we are solving this problem quickly and efficiently. It has been truly remarkable to see how all the support has come together.”
“We are 100 percent in on this project,” Mainor said. “Our mission is to help the plight of the poor in this city and help them move from desperate situations to stable opportunities. That’s what we do. I’m honored to be able to partner with the city on an issue as important as homelessness. We are ready to move mountains in order to end poverty in the city of Newark.”
Corporate and philanthropic partners interested in contributing to the NEWARK Hope Village container sheltering program should contact Hoyte at hoytes@ci.newark.nj.us or Kevin Callaghan at callaghank@ci.newark.nj.us.
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