Four Atlantic City Community Development Corporations (CDC) each received $1,000,000 in Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit Program (NRTC) funds from the State of New Jersey’s Department of Community Affairs, it was announced on Thursday, March 28, to improve commercial businesses and their facades, offer housing rehabilitation grants, clean and safe initiatives, community programs, outreach and education, and career training.
The four nonprofit entities and their respective projects to receive funding are the Atlantic City Development Corporation’s (ACDEVCO) Chelsea Neighborhood Plan 2024 project, the Atlantic County Economic Alliance and Ducktown CDC’s Revitalize Ducktown project, the AtlantiCare Foundation’s Midtown in Motion Revitalization Plan and Atlantic Cape Community College’s Inlet Community Development Corporation’s Atlantic City Inlet NOW! project.
Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small, Sr. is excited and hopeful for the citywide benefits that this funding will bring to the city and its residents.
“Our neighborhoods now have the resources at their disposal to do things they may not have been able to do in the past, like housing rehabilitation and facade improvements,” Small, Sr. said. “As mayor, I will always do everything I can to better improve the lives of our residents, and this funding will go a long way in seeing that goal through, by giving our neighborhoods the necessary tools to succeed and grow.”
State of New Jersey District One Assemblyman and former Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian feels that the four CDCs are the perfect way to achieve Atlantic City’s goals of improving the quality of life for its residents, businesses and visitors.
“It’s great to see this funding come together. It’s a great fit for Atlantic City because it specifically addresses the needs that are critical to each of the four communities that their respective CDCs represent,” Guardian said. “The CDCs have been successful so far in finding programs that make the most sense in their respective communities, such as improving safety, building parks, creating programs for residents, helping businesses and first-time home buyers.
The Chelsea Economic Development Corporation (EDC) was established in 2019 to increase economic opportunity in the Chelsea neighborhood of Atlantic City. The EDC’s actions are based on a community-driven, 10-year plan with 44 strategies to strengthen community bonds, improve public safety and housing opportunities, support local businesses, and enhance career training, resident wellness, and recreation.
The Ducktown Neighborhood CDC started as a group of concerned residents and business owners in 2018. In 2019, a planning grant was received from the Wells Fargo Foundation to develop a neighborhood plan and a nonprofit was created in 2020. After a year of meetings with residents and business owners, a neighborhood plan was developed to address economic development, housing, public safety and beautification opportunities.
In 2022, the Ducktown CDC partnered with the Atlantic County Economic Alliance as a fiscal sponsor for the New Jersey Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit Grant. Through that partnership, an updated neighborhood plan was created. The mission of the CDC is to enhance the quality of life in the Ducktown neighborhood for residents and businesses, plan for the future well-being of its diverse communities, and balance the physical, economic, and social needs of neighborhood residents.
The Ducktown CDC is committed to:
- Improving neighborhood housing stock by providing grants to low-income families, rehabilitating the interiors of eight homes, rebuilding the facades of six existing homes through grants valued at $9,000 each and razing three abandoned homes.
- Providing microgrants worth $8,000 each to five neighborhood small businesses to encourage growth and sustainability; workshops with business experts; replace four existing business facades through grants with $14,000 each; and create two murals.
- Installing 18 concrete planters in front of neighborhood businesses, four welcome signs, wayfinding signage directing residents and visitors to 10 historic and cultural locations, and installing 50 light posts._
The AtlantiCare Foundation’s Midtown in Motion Program is committed to:
- Continuing its neighborhood beautification efforts through expanded planter installations, street side gardening projects, unique wayfinding signage and murals.
- Supporting local businesses by offering grants up to $5,000 for commercial facade repairs, minor infrastructure investments and security enhancements.
- Reviving the historically-significant Midtown arts and culture scene with festivals, concerts, dancing and fitness classes in the neighborhood’s three outdoor parks.
- Rehabilitating existing housing by offering grants of up to $25,000 to current homeowners to complete necessary repairs. Meanwhile, the AtlantiCare Foundation is planning to, either through partnerships or direct involvement, rehabilitate existing unoccupied housing units in the neighborhood.
- Mobilizing an outreach and educational team to ensure that neighborhood residents are knowledgeable and aware of the community resources that are available to them at all times.
The Inlet CDC is committed to:
Housing rehabilitation by improving 10 existing homes so they meet current code enforcement requirements and Energy Star standards.
A commercial rehabilitation and facade improvement program, overseen by the Atlantic County Improvement Authority (ACIA), to provide funds for local businesses in need of a “facelift” to make the Inlet commercial corridor vibrant for its residents and visitors.
Homeownership Education and Assistance Program to provide educational and financial support for Inlet homeowners to maintain and sustain their homes.
An Inlet-resident-led committee, with support from the Inlet CDC and ACIA, to oversee the issuing of five grants to Inlet businesses and microenterprises (a business with five or fewer employees) to help them purchase equipment, get business plan/development training and retail space improvements.
Park and streetscape improvements, expanded arts and community programming events, Inlet marketing initiatives, clean and safe initiative and a full-time staff to help oversee the Inlet CDC itself.
