SITE OVERVIEW ♦ NEWARK | NEW JERSEY
Target Area: Fairmount • Population: 7,600
Fiscal Agent: Urban League of Essex County
Research Partner: Rutgers University – Newark, Joseph C. Cornwall Center for Metropolitan Studies
Crime Concerns: Gun violence, gangs, robbery, burglary
BCJI Funding Year: 2014 Planning
Neighborhood Profile
Located in the west-central section of Newark, the Fairmount neighborhood is a predominantly African-American community spanning about 40 square blocks. It is one of the city’s most distressed neighborhoods, with crime rates exceeding the city’s rate for all major crimes between 2008 and 2012. During that period, the murder rate increased by 120%, compared to only 44% for the city, and residents reported that drug issues were a major concern.
Planning Process
The Urban League of Essex County pursued BCJI starting in late 2014 as an expansion of the Fairmount Crime Reduction Initiative, a collaborative effort with the Newark Police Department, Fairmount Heights Neighborhood Association, the Cornwall Center at Rutgers and Greater Newark LISC. These partners examined crime data and conducted focus groups with residents to gain a better understanding of crime drivers and develop an evidence-informed BCJI plan. They leveraged information gathered as part of a Department of Education Promise Neighborhoods planning grant underway in the same neighborhood.
With the planning process wrapping up in mid-2016, the Newark BCJI effort has identified a range of priority issues that it will seek to address, including vacant, blighted properties, lack of recreational outlets for youth, gang activity and drug sales. Community members are participating in the selection of key strategies as lead partners pursue resources for implementation.
Crime has already dropped precipitously in one hot spot – a residential block that previously saw significant crime and violence –after the Urban League mobilized partners to replace sidewalks and plant trees, and gave residents resources to fix up their homes. Calls for service declined as of late 2015, as did property crimes such as auto theft and burglary. Residents reported less litter and a greater sense of community connection.
Featuring this Site
- Read about the Newark team’s BCJI focus groups with youth in this article published by the Institute for Comprehensive Community Development
- Learn about the Newark Resident Leadership Academy in this article featuring Fairmount leaders
- Read an article about the “model block” revitalization strategy pursued by the Urban League of Essex County in one of its BCJI hot spots.
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