NDC housing plan scrapped
By John Zornow  

A Newark Village board workshop Monday evening drew a number of spectators. They were looking for information about a plan by the Newark Housing Authority to convert buildings on NDC property into mixed affordable housing. (The former Newark Developmental Center campus is owned by the state, and much of it has been vacant for many years.)

Upon opening the workshop, Newark Mayor Peter Blandino announced that the board would immediately enter into Executive Session to discuss real estate matters. The result of the executive session was an announcement by Mike Tonovitz, Executive Director of the Newark Housing Authority that the NHA Board had voted to table the current proposal indefinitely. This announcement drew applause from a portion of the spectators.

Tonovitz addressed the village trustees and audience at the Newark Middle School, indicating that 'the Newark Housing Authority will continue to pursue affordable housing for area citizens. He added that recent correspondence with the private sector indicates that they are sold on the need for more three and four bedroom housing units in the village, and will work with NHA to accomplish that end.

This news is the main reason that NHA tabled the NDC plan, according to Tonovitz, "as we have no desire to compete with private landlords."

Village board member Kurt Werts read a prepared statement stressing that "the Newark Village Board acknowledges the need for three and four bedroom housing in the community, and encourages the private sector to develop such projects." The board voted unanimously to adopt a resolution reflecting Werts's statement.

Blandino praised the Housing Authority, calling them good neighbors, but expressed nervousness over the $25 million dollar project. He reminded the citizens that the NDC project would have been four times the size of the village budget. Blandino cited problems on the horizon for village budgeting, including huge increases in state-mandated pension contributions for fiscal year 2004. "That kind of thing interferes with attempts at planning," said Blandino.

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