How can we make it better, Chelsea EDC wants to know

NanetteG

ATLANTIC CITY - The Chelsea Economic Development Corporation wants to know how to make the Chelsea neighborhood better. It has schedule two public events on Jan. 28 and Feb. 10 to seek input from the community on the neighborhood's top priorities.

The Chelsea EDC is incredibly excited about hosting these community meetings. Our collective goal is to transform the Chelsea neighborhood as we know it today by stimulating economic development and improving the overall quality of life for residents and business owners alike, South Jersey Gas President Dave Robbins said.

The first event will be held starting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 28 at the Chelsea Tower at Tropicana, 111 S. Chelsea Ave. Parking is available behind Walgreen's at 60 S. Montpelier Ave.

The program includes refreshments and community information at 5 p.m., a presentation at 6 p.m. and public input at 7 p.m.

The second event starts at 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 10 at Our Lady Star of the Sea Memorial Hall, 15 N. California Ave. Parking is available on site and on the street.

Community organizations sharing resources and grant information include the Atlantic City Police Department, South Jersey Gas Energy Assistance Team, First Time Home Buyer Incentives, Census 2020 job recruitment, AtlantiCare, Atlantic City Arts Foundation, NJ Economic Development Authority and others.

Panelists sharing their contributions and visions for the future are top leadership from large neighborhood organizations such as Stockton University, South Jersey Gas, ACPD, Tropicana and AC DEVCO.

Chelsea EDC, which includes representation from neighborhood residents, businesses and employers, will solicit from individuals and groups for several months, including online and paper surveys at www.chelsea-edc.org.

Once a CDC completes a neighborhood plan, they can apply for grant funding from several sources including up to $985,000 per year from the New Jersey Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit Program. Meaningful public input is evaluated with the grant applications, so community turn-out is critical to getting funding.

AC DEVCO will serve as the partner non-profit for the application until the Chelsea EDC establishes a financial track record.

Some examples of projects that can be funded by the NRTC Program include:

construction or rehabilitation of housing for residents

home buyer education and incentive programs

actions to increase business activity in the neighborhood including grants and loans to small businesses

programs that increase job opportunities of neighborhood residents, including education, training, child care and transportation assistance;

youth programs that provide recreation, job, career, or skills training

In addition, the NRTC program can fund infrastructure, beautification, public open space, community services, health care, crime prevention, recreation activities, community health services and community outreach.

The plan requires information on the neighborhood, such as population, number of businesses, and community buildings. Community recommended projects will serve as the catalyst to attract grant funding. The proposed focus area, Texas Avenue to Annapolis Avenue, qualifies for the funding based on household income levels of the residents in those Census Tracts 3, 4, and 5.