FAQs

• We plan to be intentional and strategic when addressing the blight in our community. Our plan is to assess the viability of each vacant or abandoned property before deciding to demolish, re-stabilize, or sell.  
• In our decision making, we want to encourage foresight and promote homeownership and neighborhood revitalization, while preserving Trenton’s historic architecture.

NRRP is a state funded investment plan that provides funding to reduce neighborhood blight and create affordable housing. The funds can be used to purchase, rehabilitate, sell or rent foreclosed and abandoned properties.

HMFA is a state agency that provides funding for affordable home ownership and housing opportunities. HMFA encourages mixed-income and owner-occupied housing growth to stabilize urban neighborhoods.

CDBG is a federally funded entitlement program that provides annual grants to help entitled cities and counties develop viable urban communities. CDBG funds are used to provide quality housing and expand economic opportunities, principally for low and moderate-income persons.

• The Department of Housing and Economic Development manages the planning and development activities of the City government and offers a variety of programs and services, ranging from affordable housing to businesses recruitment and support.
• Within the department, The Division of Housing Production works with private housing developers to increase the supply of quality housing in the City and to ensure economic diversity through new construction and rehabilitation projects. These goals are accomplished using federal, state and City funds.

• The new urban blight initiative is a community-building project geared towards improving and developing Trenton neighborhoods while encouraging entrepreneurship among Trentonians. 
• The “Fight the Blight” program will seek to combat urban blight by targeting individual city-owned houses and bring them back to minimum standards for auction, rehabilitation, redevelopment, or eventual demolition.

Log on to Trentonnj.org and use the “Report a Concern” feature

The priority grade is determined by the following:

• Public Safety Hazard
  • As identified by sub-code officials and/or emergency response departments like Fire or Police.
• Citizen Priority
  • Complaints that come through report a concern.
• Large Redevelopment Effort
  • Priority given to address as many properties as possible that are in close proximity. These properties are typically surrounded in pockets of urban blight that we plan to address as a large redevelopment project.