Prioritizing for Policy
Coalition leadership from six separate housing sites in the East Ward of Newark began the process of meeting to help identify shared health and housing issues tenants face at their respective homes. By creating a safe space to discuss how our coalition, the Greater Newark HUD Coalition, will organize for policy change, the leaders developed a process to identify tenants’ shared concerns and issues impacting the health and overall quality of life at each site.
Although the list is long, we agreed to prioritize the following:
- Code Enforcement
- Safety and Security
- Mental Health
- Clean Water
Our coalition focused on prioritizing these common issues that directly impact the sites. However, overall neighborhood issues that are also a priority include:
- Healthy and Affordable Food Options
- Public Transportation Access
We have also begun to meet with our partners from Rutgers University to discuss several testing methods for common hazards at sites. Connect with our project directors to learn more about our work to build a Culture of Health in the city’s East Ward.
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