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Hip-hop royalty breaks ground on her affordable housing complex in Newark, NJ

6 min read

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Source: RISE LIVING/Instagram@queenlatifah

Award-winning rapper Queen Latifah returned to her hometown recently to break ground on a new multi-use housing complex that will provide a total of 76 quality living apartments, 20 of which will be classified as affordable housing for local families.

Queen Latifah attends groundbreaking in Newark

On Tuesday 26 April, Queen Latifah revisited her birthplace of Newark, New Jersey, for a South Ward real estate development groundbreaking ceremony spearheaded by BlueSugar Corp., of which Latifah is co-president, alongside builders Life Assets Development and GonSosa Development. 

Dressed in a lime green button-down shirt, matching slacks and loafers — and a hard hat — Queen Latifah gripped a shovel and tossed dirt into a garden box of soil, smiling, 

“I’m a little bit emotional that we got walls up, we got windows,” the rapper and actress said, standing in front of three-story plywood-skinned structures that will soon become townhouses. — NorthJersey.com

Latifah, an award-winning rapper, singer, and actor who stars in “The Equalizer” on CBS, appeared before a crowd of about 150 people gathered at the site of the RISE mixed-use project between Springfield and 19th Avenues, west of 16th Street, near the boundary of Central and West wards, Newark, NJ.
Hip hop royalty returns home to build housing on a troubled block. Latifah, an award-winning rapper, singer, and actor who stars in “The Equalizer” on CBS, appeared before a crowd of about 150 people gathered at the site of the RISE mixed-use project between Springfield and 19th Avenues, west of 16th Street, near the boundary of Central and West wards, Newark, NJ. Source: Instagram/queenlatifah

The project has been years in the making!

Rapper, actress, singer-songwriter, film producer and talk show host, Dana Elaine Owens, known professionally as Queen Latifah, officially broke ground on her affordable housing complex in Newark, New Jersey, NorthJersey.com reporlted last month.

Entertainment mogul Queen Latifah said she first began looking to invest in properties in 2006, finally deciding on building a massive development project in her hometown that she announced to the public in 2016. In 2019, details about the $14 million affordable housing complex were released, Latifah spearheading it under her BlueSugar Corporation, in partnership with GonSosa Development and Life Assets Development. 

“I’m a little bit emotional that we got walls up, we got windows… It took a while, but we stayed with it and it changed and it morphed, and we stayed with what we needed to do, and the timing is right right now for this place to rise,” Latifah told reporters.

The RISE Living complex, an acronym for “Rita is Still Everywhere” which is a tribute to her late mother, is located along Springfield Avenue, just outside of the downtown area. It is a 76-unit mixed-use project that will house 20 three-family townhomes, 16 affordable housing units for those earning less than 80% of the city’s median income, 1,900 square feet designated for use by community nonprofits, a fitness center, business center, and electric vehicle charging stations. 

Source: BecauseOfThemWeCan

The project will include 60 two- and three-bedroom market-rate apartments in four townhouse clusters, and 16 affordable units in a separate building. It will also have space for healthcare or other professional offices and nonprofit organisations.
76 Luxury Units 2 & 3 Bedroom Apartments + Fitness Room & Community Space. The project will include 60 two- and three-bedroom market-rate apartments in four townhouse clusters, and 16 affordable units in a separate building. It will also have space for healthcare or other professional offices and nonprofit organisations. Source: RISE LIVING
Modern amenities will include touchless entry and free wifi in all common areas, online portals for maintenance and rent payment, washers and dryers in units, hardwood floors, green roofs in selected units, air conditioning, stainless steel appliances, and more. Construction is expected to be completed within a year or so.
The buildings will include a fitness center, business center, charging stations for electric vehicles, and ground floor parking spaces. 16 units will be classified as affordable housing, and market-rate rents are set to start at $1800. Modern amenities will include touchless entry and free wifi in all common areas, online portals for maintenance and rent payment, washers and dryers in units, hardwood floors, green roofs in selected units, air conditioning, stainless steel appliances, and more. Construction is expected to be completed within a year or so. Source: UrbanGirlMag
Situated along Springfield Avenue outside of the city’s downtown, the 76-unit mixed-use project will include 20 three-family townhomes at market rate prices, with rents starting at $1,800 a month.
Queen Latifah co-founded her very own real estate development company, BlueSugar. They partnered with local developer Alberto Gonclavez of Life Assets Development on this project. Situated along Springfield Avenue outside of the city’s downtown, the 76-unit mixed-use project will include 20 three-family townhomes at market rate prices, with rents starting at $1,800 a month. Source: UrbanGirlMag

Latifah’s project is the first in a long line of projects needed to solve the current crisis.

During the ceremony, joined by Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and New Jersey Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver, Latifah spoke about her motivations for the project, saying, “I’m proud to be from here… I grew up around here playing in West Side Park, a block away. My grandfather’s hardware store was blocks from here. I drove past this block. I saw what was needed on this block, houses that weren’t lived in. Some were really dilapidated, and so I thought, ‘Why not here?,’”Latifah explained. 

The city of Newark is in great need of affordable housing, an additional 16,000 low-rent units desperately needed to meet the city’s demand. According to a 2021 study by the Rutgers Center on Law, Inequality, and Metropolitan Equity, almost 60% of Newark renters spend more than a third of their incomes on housing, qualifying them as “cost-burdened.” 

The average cost for an affordable housing unit in Newark is about $763 a month, which is $330 less than the city’s average market rent and $600 less than what the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development constitutes as fair market rent. Couple that with the 19,000 facing post-COVID evictions, the majority of them in Newark, and you have a recipe for disaster. Latifah’s project is the first in a long line of projects needed to solve the current crisis. 

The units are expected to open for pre-leasing this July, with the townhomes projected to be completed between September and December, the entire structure planned to be finished in 2023. To join the Rise Living waiting list, visit their website here. 

Source: BecauseOfThemWeCan

Nearly 60% of Newark renters are cost-burdened, meaning they spend more than a third of their incomes on housing. According to the study, an affordable rental unit for a Newark household costs $763 a month. That’s $330 less than the city’s median market rent, and $600 less than what the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development considers the city’s fair market rent.
The need for affordable housing in Newark is dire. The Brick City needs an additional 16,000 low-rent units to meet the city’s demand, according to a 2021 study by the Rutgers Center on Law, Inequality, and Metropolitan Equity. Nearly 60% of Newark renters are cost-burdened, meaning they spend more than a third of their incomes on housing. According to the study, an affordable rental unit for a Newark household costs $763 a month. That’s $330 less than the city’s median market rent, and $600 less than what the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development considers the city’s fair market rent. Source: MICHAEL KARAS/NORTHJERSEY.COM
As Latifah spoke, pipes, construction equipment and bulldozers filled the development plot, contained inside South 16th Street, South 17th Street, 19th Avenue and Springfield Avenue. The Newark Art Museum has created a netted art installation around the chain-link fence that features portraits of local artists and others whom neighbours nominated.
Queen Latifah speaks during a groundbreaking for a development of market-rate and affordable housing at 650 Springfield Ave. in Newark on Tuesday, April 26, 2022. As Latifah spoke, pipes, construction equipment and bulldozers filled the development plot, contained inside South 16th Street, South 17th Street, 19th Avenue and Springfield Avenue. The Newark Art Museum has created a netted art installation around the chain-link fence that features portraits of local artists and others whom neighbours nominated. Source: MICHAEL KARAS/NORTHJERSEY.COM
The structure will also include 1,900 square feet for use by local nonprofits, as well as a fitness center, a business center and electric vehicle charging stations. Pre-leasing for the market-rate units is expected to begin in early July, with the townhouses expected to be completed between September and December, according to Tammy Hammond, vice president of BlueSugar Corp. The entire project is planned to be completed sometime in 2023.
Queen Latifah during a groundbreaking for a development of market-rate and affordable housing at 650 Springfield Ave. in Newark on Tuesday, April 26, 2022. The structure will also include 1,900 square feet for use by local nonprofits, as well as a fitness center, a business center and electric vehicle charging stations. Pre-leasing for the market-rate units is expected to begin in early July, with the townhouses expected to be completed between September and December, according to Tammy Hammond, vice president of BlueSugar Corp. The entire project is planned to be completed sometime in 2023. Source: MICHAEL KARAS/NORTHJERSEY.COM
During the summer of 2020, the City Council approved two tax abatements for the development, One is a 25-year PILOT, or payment in lieu of taxes, under which the owner would pay the city 10% of the market-rate apartments’ annual gross revenue for the first decade, then 11% after 10 years, and 13% after 20 years.
Queen Latifah during a groundbreaking for a development of market-rate and affordable housing at 650 Springfield Ave. in Newark on Tuesday, April 26, 2022. During the summer of 2020, the City Council approved two tax abatements for the development, One is a 25-year PILOT, or payment in lieu of taxes, under which the owner would pay the city 10% of the market-rate apartments’ annual gross revenue for the first decade, then 11% after 10 years, and 13% after 20 years. Source: MICHAEL KARAS/NORTHJERSEY.COM
The building with 16 affordable apartments and retail space would pay 7.5% of its revenues over the course of a 30-year PILOT agreement. Queen Latifah isn’t the only celebrity-turned Newark real estate developer. Former NBA superstar Shaquille O’Neal partnered with New Brunswick-based Boraie Development on two large complexes: 50 Rector Park, a 22-story apartment building close to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, and 777 McCarter, a 33-story building next to Newark Penn Station.
Newark Mayor Ras Baraka speaks during a groundbreaking for a development of market-rate and affordable housing at 650 Springfield Ave. in Newark on Tuesday, April The building with 16 affordable apartments and retail space would pay 7.5% of its revenues over the course of a 30-year PILOT agreement. Queen Latifah isn’t the only celebrity-turned Newark real estate developer. Former NBA superstar Shaquille O’Neal partnered with New Brunswick-based Boraie Development on two large complexes: 50 Rector Park, a 22-story apartment building close to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, and 777 McCarter, a 33-story building next to Newark Penn Station. Source: MICHAEL KARAS/NORTHJERSEY.COM
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