Camden, Urban Areas Offer Incentives For Workers To Move (POLL)

New Jersey’s urban areas are offering incentives to try and revitalize some communities.

Camden, among other cities, is working with some of its biggest employers to try to get their workers to move there.

It’s definitely not a new idea, New Brunswick has done it with similar success and now Camden is trying to capitalize on the concept. Three hospitals and Rowan University are offering employees up to $15,000 to move to neighborhoods near their facilities.

Bill Dressel, executive director of the New Jersey League of Municipalities, says “Live Camden” as its named, is a win-win for the city. “They are meeting their housing obligations and providing middle-class residents the opportunity to live where they work.”

He says the idea has big economic benefits. “You’re reducing transportation needs by bringing the housing closer to where people work, you’re fulfilling housing obligations, its going to bring an infusion of cash from the residents that are going to be living in the community, it’s a great progressive idea.”

Similar concepts have been a big part of redevelopment in other parts of the state. “Hopefully other municipalities across New Jersey will be able to look at this as a way of dealing with the housing issue and explore that as well.”