The Newark Municipal Council held a regular meeting on May 21, 2025, focusing on a proposed ordinance granting a 30-year tax abatement to the 317 Mulberry Street Urban Renewal Company LLC. This project aims to construct 24 market-rate residential rental units in the Central Ward and is part of a larger initiative involving five interconnected projects.

Councilman Silva sponsored the ordinance, with Councilman Gonzales seconding the motion. During the discussion, Brandy Daniel, the legislative coordinator for economic and housing development, clarified that while this specific project does not include affordable housing, three of the other projects in the initiative do provide off-site affordable housing, contributing to a total of over 30% affordable housing across all five projects.

Public comments during the meeting raised significant concerns regarding the lack of affordable housing in the current proposal. Several residents expressed frustration over the perceived absence of representation for the Central Ward and questioned the council's commitment to ensuring community benefits from such tax abatements. Speakers highlighted the need for clarity on whether the 30-year tax abatement applies to each property individually or collectively across the five projects.

Deborah Salter, a resident, sought clarification on the tax abatement structure, emphasizing the importance of transparency in how these financial incentives are allocated. Other speakers echoed her concerns, questioning the effectiveness of past promises regarding job creation and community investment linked to these developments. They urged the council to hold developers accountable and ensure that the community's needs are prioritized.

The meeting concluded with a call for further discussion and clarification on the community benefits agreement associated with the project, as residents expressed skepticism about the long-term impacts of the tax abatement on their community. The council is expected to address these concerns in future meetings as they continue to evaluate the proposed developments and their implications for Newark's residents.