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On April 6, 2021
C I T Y O F G A R F I E L D
Acknowledgments
Mayor and Council
Mayor Richard Rigoglioso
Deputy Mayor Erin Nora Delaney
Councilman Romi Herrera
Councilman Pawel Maslag
Councilman Joseph Delaney
Redevelopment Agency
Arthur Andreano, Chairman
Peter Amadio, Vice Chairman
Joseph Delaney, Deputy Mayor
Raymond Simione, Commissioner
John Easom, Commissioner
Daniel Rigoglioso, Commissioner
Susan Scudillo, Commissioner
Planning Board
Richard Rigoglioso
Gerald Walis
Romi Herrera
James Clark
Michael Wisnovsky
Lou Ann Visotcky
Gracie Williams
Michael Garcia
Gioacchino LoBue
Peter Santacroce, First Alternate
Constantino Conte, Second Alternate
City Manager
Thomas J. Duch, Esq.
Greater Bergen Community Action Team
Robert F. Halsch, Jr., Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Allan DeGiulio, Chief Operating Officer
Lynne Algrant, VP Planning, Development & Communications
Mike Lamendola, Neighborhood Preservation Coordinator
Mr. Francis Reiner, P.P., L.L.A., DMR Architects - Redevelopment Consultant
Partner Groups
ArtsBergen
Garfield Neighbor Network
Generations for Garfield
Neighborhood Preservation Program Advisory Council
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Table of Contents
SECTION I. COVER FORM 7
SECTION II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 8
SECTION III. ORGANIZATION INFORMATION 10
A. ORGANIZATION PROFILE (NP-2 FORM) 10
B. FINANCIAL RESOURCES 12
C. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT 12
SECTION IV. ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY AND EXPERIENCE 14
A. ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY. 14
B. CURRENT ACTIVITIES. 16
C. DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICE DELIVERY CAPACITY. 19
D. CAPACITY OF PARTNER(S). 21
E. LAPSED NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS. 21
SECTION V. NEIGHBORHOOD DESCRIPTION & STATEMENT OF NEED 22
A. NEIGHBORHOOD BOUNDARIES & DESCRIPTION 22
B. NEIGHBORHOOD STATISTICS 24
C. RELATION TO LOCAL PLANS 29
SECTION VI. ASSETS AND ORGANIZATION INVOLVEMENT 32
A. NEIGHBORHOOD ASSETS & REGIONAL ASSETS 32
B. MUNICIPAL REVITALIZATION PRIORITY 33
C. PRIVATE INVESTMENT 33
D. COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION EFFECTIVENESS 33
E. EVENTS, OUTREACH, AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT 34
SECTION VII. PROPOSED VISION, STRATEGIES, ACTIVITIES, & OUTCOMES 36
A. VISION STATEMENT 36
B. STRATEGIES 36
C. INTENDED USES OF NRTC FUNDS 40
D. NP-3 FORM 42
E. NP-4 FORM 50
SECTION VIII. PARTICIPATORY PLANNING REQUIREMENTS 57
A. EVIDENCE OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH EFFORTS 57
B. EVIDENCE OF COMMUNITY INPUT 57
C. EVIDENCE OF WRITTEN NOTICE TO CITY OF GARFIELD 57
D. LETTERS OF SUPPORT FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS 57
E. EVIDENCE THAT DRAFT OF THIS PLAN WAS MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC FOR COMMENT 57
F. EVIDENCE THAT THE FINAL DRAFT OF THIS PLAN WAS SUBMITTED TO THE CITY OF GARFIELD 57
SECTION IX. ATTACHMENTS 62
A. CHECKLIST
B. CERTIFICATE OF GOOD STANDING
C. NJ CHARITABLE REGISTRATION AND INVESTIGATION ACT FORM
D. LIST OF CURRENT MEMBERS ON BOARD OF DIRECTORS AS OF JANUARY 1, 2019
E. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S RESUME
F. ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
G. ORGANIZATION’S TOTAL BUDGET FOR CURRENT YEAR
H. THREE MOST RECENT ANNUAL AUDIT REPORTS
I. INCORPORATION DOCUMENTS
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C I T Y O F G A R F I E L D
Section I. Cover Form
FORM NP-1, COVER PAGE FOR SUBMISSION OF A NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN
Neighborhood: Garfield River to Rail NJ Legislative District: District 35
Eligible Municipality: City of Garfield Mayor: The Honorable Richard Rigoglioso
Name of Applicant Organization: Greater Bergen Community Action, Inc.
Name of CEO/Executive Director: Robert F. Halsch, Jr.
Address: 392 Main Street
City: Hackensack State: NJ Zip Code: 07601
NJ Charities Registration Number: CH 0165200
Contact Person for this Application: Mike Lamendola
Phone: 201-968-0200 E-Mail: Mike.Lamendola@greaterbergen.org
Cellphone
(optional): 973-271-0837
10
What is the time period for this Neighborhood Plan? Years
(may not exceed Ten (10) years)
Did you partner with another organization to develop YES (if YES, complete NP-1 Page 2)
the Neighborhood Plan?
NO X
Certification:To the best of my knowledge and belief, the data in this application are true and
correct. The governing body of the applicant has duly authorized the document.
Donald R. Conway Board Chairman
Name Title
January 22, 2021
Signature of Board Chairperson Date
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Section II. Executive Summary
Herein, Greater Bergen Community Action, Inc. (GBCA) lays out the framework for an ambitious and
transformative 10-year revitalization of the River to Rail Neighborhood District in the City of Garfield.
This plan, developed as part of the State of New Jersey’s Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit (NRTC)
program, reflects the aggregation of input received from the community through an aggressive outreach
initiative. Needs of the community mined from economic and demographic databases, past studies and plans
conducted in the neighborhood, and strategies laid out by City administration and community partners, are
portrayed.
GBCA and the City of Garfield have a long history of pursuing positive community outcomes in the neighborhood.
While much has been done, the capability of impactful funding and partnerships made possible through the
NRTC program would facilitate a much more expansive change in the neighborhood.
The NRTC program allows business entities within the State of New Jersey to make considerable donations
to NRTC-eligible projects in exchange for qualified business tax credits at the rate of 80% of their contribution.
As of FY 2020, there were 83 municipalities within the state eligible to enroll in the NRTC program. As non-
profit organizations are only eligible to apply for, and administer NRTC funding, GBCA and the City of Garfield
mutually agreed that GBCA should embark on NRTC admittance because of the City’s designated eligibility,
and after seeing the merits of the program through successfully funded projects across the state. The program
is responsible for stimulating the creation of parks, community centers, job training, affordable housing,
community gardens, education and childcare programs, arts and culture initiatives, and much more in many of
the state’s under-served neighborhoods.
GBCA has a 54-year history of building better communities by addressing the causes and conditions of persistent
economic insecurity. GBCA has constructed a continuum of care for its clientele: a series of linked programs
which encompass housing and shelter, education and training, and a range of clinical and support services. GBCA
has been a steadfast partner in the City of Garfield for many years. Its community facing facilities on Midland
Avenue include an education and training facility, immigration services for New Americans, ESL, high school
equivalency courses, weatherization services for low-income households, a Federally Qualified Health Center,
and an early childhood education center.
The organization has long pursued the facilitation of community and economic development efforts in the First
Ward, and its River to Rail Neighborhood District, which contains the Passaic Street Business District. In 2019, the
City of Garfield, in partnership with GBCA, was awarded one of 20 Neighborhood Preservation Program (NPP)
grants statewide, a $125,000 program to implement immediate tangible and visible improvements throughout
the River to Rail Neighborhood. It has since produced substantial improvements in the district including an
eye-catching mural at the train station and facelifts to storefront facades. A renewal of this grant program is
anticipated in July 2021. Additionally, GBCA was able to obtain critical funding, in excess of $200,000, to aid 17
small businesses along the Passaic Street Business Corridor, which had experienced significant adverse effects
from the COVID-19 pandemic. GBCA administered grant funding for businesses to come current on delinquent
rent and utilities, to purchase essential PPE, to upgrade technology, and provide for outdoor seating.
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The River to Rail NRTC Neighborhood Plan expands on the abilities of the NPP program to enact positive change
in the district through a multi-pronged approach to creating and expanding services vital to economic and social
growth. Strategies encompassed in this plan will enhance the lives of the entire spectrum of the community:
those from diverse economic, cultural, and religious backgrounds. These strategies, when implemented, will
help revive this neighborhood in areas of community development and stabilization that have been neglected
or abandoned for years, allowing for measurable growth in what is, arguably, one of the most vital mixed-use
business corridors in the City.
Among the strategies detailed in this plan, GBCA plans a reinvigoration of one of the neighborhood’s greatest
assets – the Garfield Train Station. New entrance-ways, landscaping, lighting, seating, and waiting areas will
revitalize this critical transit hub and make it safer, and more welcoming to transit users. The expansion of the
City’s Riverfront Park to the banks of the Passaic River within the neighborhood district can be made possible
through an infusion of leveraged funding made possible by this program, and so can parklets and urban
agriculture measures that add green space and food security in the district. Homeowners will be able to tap into
grants to make critical improvements to their residences, while prospective residents will be welcomed with an
inventory of new housing options made possible through rehabilitation and new construction. An emphasis will
be placed on affordability.
Existing and new businesses will receive business development assistance, while we attract diverse sources
of new commerce options in the business district through lease and start-up incentives. A culinary incubator
will increase the options for dining. Wayfinding and gateway signage will link patrons to businesses, and a free
neighborhood Wi-Fi network will link the community to others, and necessary resources. Access to businesses
will be made easier, with a goal to increase parking at existing nearby underutilized lots. And, a quality of life
team will ensure the district remains clean and is continuously beautified.
Arts and culture will take precedence through an ambitious visual arts plan. A long-range Arts Council,
built by the community, for the community, will develop a road-map for how to best integrate the arts and
cultural activities into the neighborhood for years to come. Civics and community pride, once a hallmark of
Passaic Street, will be reintroduced by a community events committee, and a dedicated fund will ensure their
sustainability.
And, in response to a 2020 community-wide survey and feasibility study, GBCA will investigate the creation of a
community wellness center to bridge the gaps in service in many aspects of community health.
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Section III. Organization Information
A. ORGANIZATION PROFILE (NP-2 FORM)
FORM NP-2: ORGANIZATION PROFILE (page 1)
A. AGENCY INFORMATION
What was the organization’s date of incorporation? 1967
What was the original purpose for which the organization was formed?
To promote, coordinate, and administer a long-term county-wide attack on economic deprivation and its side effects.
What is the organization’s current mission statement?
Reduce poverty in communities served by Greater Bergen Community Action by addressing the causes and conditions of
persistent economic insecurity.
Is the organization in “Good Standing” with the NJ Department of State?
YES X NO
When did the organization file its current N.J. Charitable Registration and Investigation Act Report (CRI-300R)?
Date: 01/2021
Documents to be submitted as Attachment(s):
• ”Certificate of Good Standing” certificate from State of New Jersey
• Copy of current NJ CRI-300R form
B. BOARD OF DIRECTORS INFORMATION
Board Chairperson: Donald Conway
Date Elected: February 24, 2015
Term Expiration
May 2021
Date:
Number of Authorized Board Members: 12
Number of Current Board Members: 12
How frequently does the Board meet? Once a month
Is the Board involved with fundraising activities? YES X NO
If YES, when was the last activity conducted, for what purpose, and how much was raised?
2019 GBCA Annual Gala – Held on October 10, 2019 (2020 event postponed due to Covid-19 pandemic),
the annual gala honors leaders in building stronger communities. Proceeds from the gala benefit the programs
and services of GBCA such as the Lois A. Braithwaite Scholarship Fund. The last gala raised $120,000.
Documents to be submitted as Attachment(s):
• List of current members of the Board of Directors, as of January 1 of this year
FORM NP-2: ORGANIZATION PROFILE (page 2)
C. PERSONNEL – TOTAL AGENCY
What is the current agency staffing level?
Full Time: 504
Part Time: 2
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Volunteers: 10
Provide the following information regarding full-time staff employed by the organization in the past 5 years:
Annual Employee Turnover Leadership / Senior Staff Included?
Year
Percentage YES NO
2014 5.6 X
2015 15 X
2016 16 X
2017 26 X
2018 22 X
For any year in which employee turnover percentage exceeded 20%, provide an explanation:
There was a reduction in force enacted in 2017 and 2018.
When was the Executive Director hired? 7/1/1989
Documents to be submitted as Attachment(s):
• Resume for the Executive Director
• Organization Chart
FORM NP-2: ORGANIZATION PROFILE (page 3)
D. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
What is the organization’s fiscal year?
Start Date: 3/1
End Date: 2/28
When was the organization’s current year total budget approved by its
N/A
Board of Directors?
Did the organization incur a deficit at the end of its most recent fiscal year? YES NO X
If YES, what is the amount, and how will the agency reduce/address the deficit?
When was Form 990 most recently completed and submitted to the IRS? 1/2021
When was the organization’s most recent annual audit report (audited
11/2020
financial statement) completed?
What was the time period covered in the audit report: 3/1/2019 – 2/29/2020
Were there any internal control or compliance findings from the organiza-
YES NO X
tion’s most recent annual audit report?
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B. FINANCIAL RESOURCES
Greater Bergen Community Action, Inc. (GBCA) operates on an annual fiscal year budget of approximately
$39 million. GBCA’s programs are funded by more than 40 grant contracts annually from various sources
on the federal, state, and county level. In addition to funding from private and corporate foundations, its
largest proportion of financial resources comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services with
approximately $23 million to fund GBCA’s administration of the Head Start and Early Head Start programs in
Bergen County, Jersey City, and the City of Paterson.
Greater Bergen Community Action’s financial resources consist of federal, state, county and local funding
sources. The Active Funding Source provides details of the names and types of programs these funds are
allocated for, including but not limited to: Education & Training, Meal Programs, Energy Assistance Services,
Crisis & Home Services, and Neighborhood Revitalizations.
In order to fit within the four-page restriction for this section, the five-year list of funds GBCA has received directly
from DCA is attached at the end of Section IX of this report.
C. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
The River to Rail Neighborhood District is an under-served neighborhood in the First Ward of Garfield. The
district is rife with potential for revitalization efforts that could help the area evolve into a thriving neighborhood
without diminishing the diverse community that exists there today, an eclectic mixture of business owners and
residents who yearn for a place with identity, services, amenities and support that puts it on par with other
thriving neighborhoods throughout the City of Garfield and Bergen County as a whole.
GBCA’s mission and strategic plan are aligned to help neighborhoods such as “River to Rail” through strategic
investments in health, economic resiliency, housing stability, education, and vital community development
efforts that not only help a community thrive, but make it an inclusive place for the residents and business
owners that call it home; a place where housing, commerce and other essential services don’t need to be sought
elsewhere.
GBCA has, since its inception, built and implemented its human, social, economic and community development
programming around the needs of the communities it serves. GBCA considers the evaluation of its service
outcomes integral to its programs. GBCA conducts an annual community needs assessment and client surveys to
provide feedback from the community’s and client’s perspective. In 2019, a series of focus groups, with several
community groups throughout the GBCA service area, were held to gain valuable data on community needs.
Each program is designed and continually evaluated with specific outcomes established at the program’s start.
All of the agency’s client demographic information and enrollment data are entered into a database, where
service outcomes are recorded. Reports are culled from this database at minimum, quarterly, and examined by
staff to ensure that goals are being met.
In the River to Rail Neighborhood District, and throughout the City of Garfield as a whole, GBCA has conducted
significant community outreach to help shape planning efforts for revitalization and proposed community
resources. In 2019, the City of Garfield, in partnership with GBCA, was awarded one of 20 Neighborhood
Preservation Program (NPP) grants statewide. GBCA is responsible for the administration of the grant and in
October-November 2019, the agency engaged in a wide-ranging community outreach project, which solicited
comments from more than 300 City residents, business owners, and property owners on the state of the
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neighborhood and possible future improvements. These efforts, facilitated by a local stakeholder team, included
a series of five community focus groups and a community engagement survey, for which the results helped
shape the long-range implementation plan.
The survey was disseminated in English and Spanish, in hard copy and on-line. Electronically, the survey could be
accessed on the home pages of both Greater Bergen Community Action, Inc., and the City of Garfield website, as
well as various social media sites maintained by both organizations and an independently moderated residents’
group. Flyers printed in both Spanish and English were passed out by various community stakeholders, including
to patrons of both branches of Spencer Savings Bank a financial institution founded in Garfield. Hard copies
of the survey were made available at City offices, including the tax office during residents’ quarterly tax bill
due date, and at clinics and other events held by the Garfield Health Department. Additionally, a paid targeted
Facebook ad campaign was launched to reach all users of the social media platform from Garfield. By the
surveys closing date on Nov. 1, 2019, a total of 259 community stakeholders had responded to the community
engagement survey.
Over two days in November 2019, GBCA hosted a total of five community engagement focus groups to
gauge the feelings about the present and future of the “River to Rail” Neighborhood District by residents,
business owners and property owners. The groups, consisting of 43 total participants, were diverse in nature,
representing different population sectors of the City, with varying backgrounds, but all integrally rooted in the
community.
In May 2020, GBCA disseminated a City-wide community engagement survey through on-line platforms to
gauge the feelings of Garfield residents, property owners, and business owners/employees on the vision of a
Garfield Wellness Center. The goal of the survey was to gauge the demographics of the respondents who took
interest in the idea of a wellness center: their household size, age, gender, income level, whether they have
health insurance, and their access to health care and wellness programs. Furthermore, GBCA delved into the
possible uses in a wellness center to solicit interest in facets such as health, fitness, arts, education and business
integration. Respondents were invited to give their own unique ideas as well. By the survey’s closing date, a total
of 176 community members had responded to the community engagement survey and their feedback is now
being incorporated into the strategic planning of such a facility.
GBCA has most recently been heavily involving its community organizing work with a focus on the pandemic
and its effects. Collaborative discussions with a new Garfield community-based organization, The Garfield
Neighbor Network (which has distributed thousands of meals to the food insecure throughout the pandemic)
is generating ideas on how to facilitate arts, culture and food sustainability in the River to Rail Neighborhood
District. This is being bolstered through the technical expertise of ArtsBergen and the Community Foundation
of Northern New Jersey. GBCA has also actively been involved with potential partners to explore greater access
to affordable health and wellness services within the district, and the city as a whole, including, but not limited
to Bergen Volunteer Medical Initiative (BVMI), the City of Garfield Health Department, NYU Langone, EXOS, and
several private corporate foundations. In the Passaic Street Business Corridor, GBCA aided 17 small businesses
by granting a total of approximately $198,000 in direct COVID-19 small business relief funding to help businesses
significantly impacted by the pandemic weather the storm. These businesses are keeping their doors open
despite severe business revenue declines, and are adapting to the new business landscape through innovative
solutions to small business commerce.
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Section IV. Organizational Capacity and Experience
A. ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY.
Demonstrate that the Applicant Organization has the institutional ability to manage the programs and activities for
which it will be responsible. Include descriptions of the financial and administrative systems in place.
Greater Bergen Community Action, Inc. (GBCA) has a 54-year history of building better communities by
addressing the causes and conditions of persistent economic insecurity. GBCA has constructed a continuum of
care for its clientele through a series of linked programs which encompass housing and shelter, education and
training, and a range of clinical and support services. GBCA’s three-year strategic planning model with annual
reviews of the plan is implemented with representation from agency staff, board and community, ensuring the
agency is addressing community needs. This represents a parallel methodology to how it has constructed this
neighborhood plan and similar plans through a community engaged approach to impact change.
Established in 1967, GBCA is Bergen County’s federally-designated anti-poverty agency, part of a nationwide
network of poverty-fighting enterprises, which were established to address the intractable and persistent
problem of poverty in America. The Board of Directors governing the agency is appointed or elected from within
the county and represents the low-income population served by the organization, local government, and private
sector entities.
GBCA has gained national recognition for leadership in developing innovative solutions to issues of poverty
affecting economically disadvantaged families. In recent years, GBCA was recognized as one of “New Jersey’s
Top Non-profit Organizations” by NJ BIZ. GBCA developed CAP Solar NJ, LLC., which installs and maintains a
green renewable energy system to lower the cost of power to participating non-profits throughout New Jersey.
GBCA is governed by a volunteer, tripartite Board of Directors, appointed or elected from within the county,
with representatives from local government, the private sector, and the low-income population the agency
serves, as noted above.
GBCA’s President/CEO and Executive Vice President/COO oversee a senior management team who hold master’s
degrees or are professionals in their fields. They provide oversight to the following divisions, which clearly
address the agency’s vision and goals of helping move low-income individuals and families to new levels of
independent living: Planning, Development and Communication; Financial Assistance, Residential and Energy
Services; Community Development, Real Estate and Asset Management; Fiscal Operations; Education and
Training; and Head Start/Early Head Start and Child Development Services.
GBCA provides a wide range of programs to assist the poor, homeless, substance abusers, children, senior
citizens, foreign born, and others. Services include; the operation of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance
Program and Universal Services Fund; Weatherization and Lead Safe Home Remediation; transitional and
permanent housing units; comprehensive housing support services; adult education including financial literacy
programs; ESL, and employment/job-readiness training; and 15 early childhood education centers.
GBCA programs draw upon multiple funding and support streams from federal, state and local governments,
corporate, and private sectors. The agency serves approximately 50,000 individuals annually.
GBCA considers the evaluation of its service outcomes integral to its programs and conducts an annual
community needs assessment and client surveys to provide feedback from the community’s and client’s
perspective. In 2019, a series of focus groups with several community groups throughout the GBCA service area,
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were held to gain valuable data on community needs. Each program is designed and continually evaluated with
specific outcomes established at the program’s start. All of the agency’s client demographic information and
enrollment data are entered into a database, where service outcomes are also recorded. Reports are culled from
this database, at minimum, quarterly and examined by staff to ensure that goals are being met.
The organization builds staff capacity through ongoing professional development, regular staff supervision
(one-to-one and departmental), and through department/agency meetings, trainings and special events.
The philosophy of promoting skill development and relevant knowledge in order to excel at one’s position is
embraced and evidenced by encouraging staff to attend trainings in their fields and by a partnership with Bergen
Community College for free tuition for GBCA staff.
GBCA’s executive leadership has 50+ years’ experience with the agency. Division Directors hold master’s degrees
or are professionals in their fields. The agency’s staff is representative of the population it serves. A multi-faceted
staff throughout all sectors of the agency is best positioned to serve the diversity that exists just a river away
from the melting pot of New York City.
• Approximately 46% of GBCA’s total full-time workforce is Hispanic.
• Approximately 28.5% of the workforce is black.
• About 9.5% of the workforce is of Asian descent.
• Approximately 86% of the workforce is female.
The Fiscal Operations division provides sound fiscal management and has capacity to operate with program
reimbursement. The division ensures maintenance of appropriate agency-wide records as well as accurate and
timely submission of all reports. Overall responsibility is provided by Robert Moore, Vice President, Finance who
has over 30 years’ experience in fiscal management, supervision and reporting. He holds a Master’s Degree in
Community Economic Development and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration/Accounting.
The following assurances attest to the efficiency of GBCA’s accounting processes:
• GBCA has the managerial and financial capacity to ensure proper management and completion of all
program and fiscal aspects of grants initiatives;
• GBCA is prepared to give all funders and their authorized representatives access to all records, books,
papers, or documents related to their grant initiatives;
• GBCA has established and maintains proper accounting procedures in accordance with Generally Accepted
Accounting Principles;
• GBCA has established policies and maintains safeguards to prohibit employees from using their positions
for a purpose that constitutes or presents the appearance of personal organizational conflict of interest or
personal gain;
• GBCA, its principals and subcontractors, are not now, nor have they ever been, debarred, proposed for
debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded by any federal agency from receiving federal funds in
accordance with Executive Orders 12549 and 12689;
• GBCA complies with all Federal and State statutes and regulations relating to non-discrimination;
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• The agency (and fiscal division in particular) is staffed for segregation of duties to ensure fiscal integrity and
internal control.
Fiscal staff are trained in 10CFR600 and have the capacity to manage multiple program grants. Fiscal
performance is monitored and considered adequate based on the results of an annual audit of the financial
transactions arising out of grant-funded programs. The audit is completed no later than four months after the
end of GBCA’s fiscal year. Each annual audit includes an audit of the agency’s books, accounts, monies, and a
verification of all cash and bank balances. The GBCA Fiscal Operations division meets frequently with program
managers to ensure that correct procedures are in place and followed for program expenditures.
GBCA has founded several partner subsidiaries focused on the financial, housing and energy needs of the under-
served population in the communities it serves. Each subsidiary will play a vital role in helping GBCA successfully
implement the strategic goals laid out in the NRTC plan.
• Community Housing in Partnership, Inc. (CHIP) is an affiliated subsidiary of GBCA. CHIP, a 501(c) (3) non-
profit corporation, was established in the fall of 1989 to undertake the development, rehabilitation and
management of affordable housing, in cooperation with GBCA.
• 1st Bergen Federal Credit Union is an affiliated subsidiary of GBCA and was founded in 2009. This entity is a
non-profit, member-owned financial cooperative. It is a federally chartered NCUA-insured CDFI, dedicated to
providing access to affordable credit and banking services for its members and businesses and to promoting
greater community economic development within Bergen, Hudson and Passaic counties.
• The Bergen County Housing Coalition is a non-profit affiliated subsidiary of GBCA that provides direct case
management services pertaining to landlord-tenant issues to low- and moderate-income Bergen County
residents/households as well as advising on a variety of housing related topics.
• Cap Solar is a non-profit solar developer aligned with the Community Action Network, a nation-wide group
of non-profit Community Action Agencies (CAA) who have served the low-and-moderate income population
since 1965. Cap Solar focuses on low-income, non-profit, community and municipal clients and also provides
services to for-profit and corporate clients who want to give back to their communities.
B. CURRENT ACTIVITIES.
Provide a description of all current programs and activities carried out by the Applicant Organization, whether with
NRTC funds or with other resources.
GBCA actively administers over 40 grant contracts from different levels of government and private entities,
which fund programs running the spectrum from early childhood and adult education to home energy services
and personal finance.
In the City of Garfield, as it pertains to the NRTC program, GBCA has been designated master developer by the
City for the Passaic Street Corridor rehabilitation area due to the organization’s track record and expertise in
building viable partnerships that add value to communities and sustainability to residents throughout northern
New Jersey. Over the course of the past 15 years, GBCA has invested millions of dollars in Garfield, building
numerous community health and education facilities and bringing dozens of jobs to the City.
In 2019, the City of Garfield, in partnership with GBCA, was awarded one of 20 Neighborhood Preservation
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Program (NPP) grants statewide, a $125,000 award to implement immediate tangible and visible improvements
throughout the First Ward’s “River to Rail” neighborhood. GBCA is handling the administration of the grant,
and in 2019, engaged in a wide-ranging community outreach project, which solicited comments from more than
300 City residents, business owners, and property owners on the state of the neighborhood and possible future
improvements. GBCA engaged its human capital to create a state and city-approved five-year implementation
plan, which is now being rolled out in the district with planned initiatives such as visual art installations, business
improvements, streetscapes, community events, shared parking initiatives and neighborhood identification
markers.
GBCA’s community facilities on Midland Avenue in the City of Garfield (529 and 535 Midland Avenue) include
an education and training facility, early childhood education center, and Federally Qualified Health Center. In
addition, 529 Midland Avenue is home to the agency’s adult education and training center and home energy
services. The education and training center, which GBCA built and operates, provides accredited courses and
assistance to those seeking high school equivalency, adult basic education and language training; with an
emphasis on the low-income and immigrant population. Funding for this $3.8 million project was provided
by the U.S. Department of Energy (grant) and the BC Improvement Authority (tax-exempts bonds). In the
same complex, GBCA owns 535 Midland Avenue, a building which is leased to two vital community-facing
organizations. The Garfield Board of Education’s Garfield Preschool Annex #3 is housed at 535 Midland Avenue
as part of a collaborative with GBCA to provide Head Start services to low-income Garfield children and families.
Also in that building, GBCA created the space for North Hudson Community Action to operate its Federally
Qualified Health Center.
A comprehensive list of all current programs and other activities carried out by GBCA is as follows:
• Head Start/Early Head Start: GBCA delivers Head Start/Early Head Start services to low-income children (ages
0-5) in Bergen, Hudson and Passaic Counties. GBCA’s Head Start program provides free early childhood
education and family services through comprehensive services and resources that prepare children for
kindergarten, enhance their emotional and physical well-being, and foster stable family relationships. Head
Start and Early Head Start are federal programs that serve the education, psychological, and health needs
of low-income infants, toddlers, preschool children and their families. Head Start began in 1965 as an eight-
week summer program that quickly expanded into a school year program. Early Head Start evolved out
of Head Start’s long history of providing services to infants and toddlers through Parent Child Centers,
Comprehensive Child Development Centers (CCDPs) and Migrant Head Start program. Since 1968, GBCA has
served more than 25,000 families through its Bergen County, Jersey City and Paterson Head Start and Early
Head Start programs. GBCA began operating Bergen County Head Start in 1968 and in 2010, it added Early
Head Start to its Bergen County program. In the fall of 2013, the agency began operating Head Start and
Early Head Start programs in the City of Paterson and in 2014 the same programs in Jersey City.
• Home Energy Assistance and Housing Safety Programs: GBCA’s Financial Assistance, Residential, and Energy
Services (FARES) division oversees a multitude of programs to help renters and homeowners reduce their
energy costs, while safeguarding their homes from potential hazards. FARES administers the LIHEAP and
USF programs throughout Bergen County, helping low-income residents reduce their monthly energy costs
during the heating season. Through program funding provided by the Department of Community Affairs,
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the division’s Weatherization team helps low-income residents upgrade home infrastructure and heating
systems through its Weatherization and Heating Improvement programs. Additionally, GBCA’s Lead-Safe
Home Remediation Program aims to eliminate lead hazards in homes built prior to 1978 by remediating the
presence of lead paint from the housing units of qualified families with a focus on those with children under
the age of 6 and/or pregnant women.
• Housing Assistance and Stability Programs: GBCA offers a full spectrum in housing assistance and stability
services. Its affordable housing subsidiary, Community Housing in Partnership, Inc. (CHIP), provides
affordable housing for low and moderate income persons, first-time home-buyers, and individuals with
special needs by constructing and renovating residences for multiple dwelling unit rentals and for single
family ownership. CHIP has leveraged over $12 million from 15 separate private sector and public sources
in creating over 140 units of affordable housing. The Greater Bergen Housing Coalition, another GBCA
subsidiary, provides outreach and guidance to low income individuals and families in matters of landlord-
tenant issues. Individuals involved in landlord-tenant disputes are counseled and informed of their rights and
responsibilities under Federal and State Fair Housing Laws, as well as local rent control ordinances and other
applicable statutes. Under GBCA’s FARES Division, the Homelessness Prevention Program (HPP) provides
resources to prevent individuals or families facing eviction or threat of eviction from losing their housing.
Financial assistance, such as a full or partial rent payment, may be given to income-eligible clients who are
being evicted. Other financial assistance includes security payments and advance rent deposits for new
housing to resolve a homeless situation. FARES also operates two transitional housing facilities. The Ladder
Project is a professionally-staffed halfway house for homeless men as the next step to a sober life, after they
have completed a drug/alcohol treatment program. PHASES is a NJ State-licensed supportive transitional
living program for homeless youth ages 16-21. Individual case plans are developed for each resident, focusing
on their education, employment, family relationships, financial literacy, nutrition and health. The overarching
goal of PHASES is to reintegrate the youth into their communities as productive, capable, functioning
members.
• Citizenship and Naturalization Services: GBCA has been providing services to low-income non-English-
speaking adults in Bergen County for four decades and English as a Second Language (ESL) classes for
two decades, having served more than 10,000 ESL clients. GBCA provides ESL classes to 320 non-English
speakers yearly through a Consortium (funded for 14 years by the NJ Department of Labor) with Bergen
County Vocational Schools and Bergen Community College. GBCA and its partner, Northeast New Jersey
Legal Services, were awarded $225,000 in 2018 by U.S. Citizenship and Integration Services to prepare Lawful
Permanent Residents for naturalization. Through its New Americans program, funded by the Center for
Hispanic Policy, Research, and Development, GBCA aims for the successful integration of immigrants into the
community and addressing the inability of receiving communities to understand and recognize the real and
potential assets of the immigrants in the community.
• Adult Education and Training: GBCA’s Education and Training Division is a state-licensed vocational training
school, NJ Administrative Code Title 12, Chapter 41 Private Career School (PCS) - that offers occupational
training. GBCA is contracted by the Bergen County Workforce Development Board to administer its Out-
of-School Youth Program, which provides High School Equivalency, job training, job seeking skills, and
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professional development services to a diverse population poised to enter the workforce. The High School
Equivalency (HSE) program helps prepare those without a high school degree for the exam that can move
them beyond entry-level careers and salaries, and increase their success for the rest of their life.
• Banking and Financial Empowerment: GBCA subsidiary 1st Bergen Federal Credit Union is a non-profit,
member-owned financial cooperative. It is a federally chartered, NCUA-insured CDFI dedicated to providing
access to affordable credit and banking services for its members and businesses and to promoting
greater community economic development. The credit union is the only one in Bergen County to hold
all of the following certifications: 1.) NCUA “low-income”designation; 2.) CDFI certification from the
Community Development Financial Institutions Fund of the U.S. Department of the Treasury; 3.) Community
Development Enterprise through the CDFI Fund; and 4.) Community Development Credit Union through
the National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions. The designations signify that 1st Bergen
serves a majority of members who are low-income, helping them access important financial services that are
often unavailable to individuals without banking accounts. Of its approximately 3,200 members, 90-percent
are low income and rely on 1st Bergen for critical access to essential financial services. 1st Bergen Federal
Credit Union serves financially vulnerable populations in areas facing precarious and challenging economic
conditions. Living in the high cost of living NYC metro area, these low-income individuals face obstacles
every day finding affordable housing, living wage jobs, childcare, healthcare, food, and transportation. 1st
Bergen Federal Credit Union has a mission to turn the tide of this inequality in a system that places barriers
on low-income residents. First Bergen is the only credit union chartered in New Jersey in the last 30 years.
• Food and Nutrition: GBCA understands that nutrition plays a key role in a person’s overall well-being, and is
a cause for concern among the communities it serves. Accordingly, GBCA’s Food and Nutrition Department
includes two Registered Dietitians, who by definition are experts on diet and nutrition working to alter
regimens based on medical conditions and individual needs. GBCA’s Food and Nutrition Services Division
currently services daycare sites, primarily Head Start programs, within Bergen, Hudson, and Passaic Counties.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the division heeded the call and supplied nutritious meals to thousands of
food insecure families throughout Bergen County, including senior citizens in the City of Garfield. The division
provided over 700,000 meals last year.
C. DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICE DELIVERY CAPACITY.
Demonstrate that the Applicant Organization has a track record of successfully carrying out activities of similar type
and scope as those outlined in the Neighborhood Plan. If the organization has a track record of successfully carrying
out activities of a different type, but of similar scope, show that the skills and experience are transferable between
the activities. If the organization does not have a track record of successfully carrying out activities of a similar
type or scope, but it has demonstrated strong organizational capacity, show that it has identified and is capable of
recruiting the staff and consultants necessary to carry out the activities.
Community and economic development in the most under-served communities served by GBCA has been a
cornerstone of the agency’s mission since its inception. In addition to its extensive work in the City of Garfield,
GBCA has carried out and continues to implement strategic redevelopment and revitalization efforts in the
neighborhoods most in need throughout Bergen, Hudson and Passaic Counties.
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GBCA has developed five new early childhood education schools, in Bergenfield, Garfield, Hackensack, and
Jersey City, and an additional new school is in the pre-development phase in Garfield. GBCA has been the
developer, construction manager, general contractor, and owner/operator respectively. Development partners
have included Pennrose Development, the Jersey City Housing Authority, and the County of Bergen. In addition,
GBCA has retrofitted an additional five schools to created expanded and improved early childhood education
classroom space. These projects in the aggregate cost $13 million, with grant funding from the US Department of
Health and Human Services and HUD CDBG.
GBCA has developed three health care facilities in Garfield and Hackensack, with a fourth in Hackensack in the
pre-development stage; a Wellness Center is envisioned for Garfield. These are centers which provide primary
health care for the economically disadvantaged. They are operated by North Hudson Community Action
Corporation and the Bergen Volunteer Medical Initiative. GBCA acted as general contractor, owner and the
property manager. Project financing of $6 million was provided by BC Community Development, (grants), owner/
equity and the BC Improvement Authority (tax-exempt bonds).
GBCA and its subsidiary, Community Housing in Partnership, Inc. (CHIP) have been responsible for the
construction of approximately 250 new residential units and currently manages 140 units of affordable housing.
GBCA has most recently signed into a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Hackensack to construct
a 42 family affordable housing development on Railroad Avenue, just steps away from the City’s growing and
revitalized downtown. This is the latest effort to revitalize the City’s under-served Central Avenue and adjoining
neighborhood districts.
Similar to the scope of the NRTC program, and running on a parallel track in the River to Rail Neighborhood
is the Neighborhood Preservation Program (NPP). In creating its NPP Five-Year implementation plan, which
was unanimously passed by the Garfield Mayor and Council in February 2020, GBCA assembled a local NPP
stakeholder planning team and conducted intensive community outreach to vision and develop strategies for
place-making initiatives reflective of the community.
Since Spring 2020, the following activities have been implemented in the River to Rail Neighborhood District:
• Between November 2020 – January 25, 2021, GBCA has granted a total of $198,222.85 to 17 small businesses
in the River to Rail district in direct Covid Relief Funding. Grants enabled small businesses to pay rental
arrears and utilities retroactive to the pandemic start in March 2020. Grantees also were reimbursed for
rents paid since March 2020. Many business owners used the grant funding for alternative pandemic related
expenses including PPE, expansion to outdoor dining, and POS and technology upgrades.
• In December 2020, GBCA purchased 750 River to Rail branded face masks and 650 branded River to Rail
personal pocket sanitizers at a total investment of $12,207.15. The essential PPE was distributed evenly
among district businesses to safeguard their employees and patrons while creating a Covid safe commercial
corridor.
• In 2020, GBCA commissioned a world-renowned interactive muralist to install a 110-foot mural on the
western end of the Garfield Train Station. The mural was installed in July 2020. The Garfield-centric mural,
depicting a train engine pulling away from the station, incorporates many historic and current elements of
the Garfield community, including the Ritz Theater and historic waterfall over the Dundee Dam on the nearby
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Passaic River. All details can be found here: https://www.nj.gov/dca/news/news/2020/approved/20200821.
html
• In June 2020, GBCA complete a Garfield Wellness Center Feasibility Study. A major impetus for the
investigation to determine the feasibility of a wellness center has engendered great interest from a GBCA
strategic health partner, Bergen Volunteer Medical Initiative (BVMI). BVMI, whose health clinic is located in
Hackensack, provides free primary, urgent, preventative and chronic care to low-income working Bergen
County residents who do not have medical insurance. Additionally, the City of Garfield is an Age-Friendly
community, one which promotes services, programs, transportation, housing and other support services
that would allow City residents to remain in Garfield into their golden years. A wellness center would strive
to align with the goals of an Age-Friendly Garfield by providing the critical services to senior citizens that are
often overlooked in many communities nationwide.
• Two Passaic Street building owners were awarded $5,000 each from the River to Rail Neighborhood District
Commercial Rehabilitation Plan to leverage private funding and make significant improvements to the street-
facing storefront facades new glass, masonry, signage, lighting, and paint have revitalized underutilized
storefronts and two new businesses have opened their doors as a result. The Commercial Rehabilitation
Program is currently reviewing other applicants for possible funding.
D. CAPACITY OF PARTNER(S).
Where an activity will be carried out by one or more partner entities, describe the capacity of each partner to
carry out the activity consistent with (a) and (c) above. Also, provide evidence that the Applicant Organization has
adequate capacity to supervise and monitor the activities being carried out by partner entities.
While GBCA will oversee, administer, and implement all facets of the NRTC Neighborhood Plan, it will rely on
strategic community partners to effectuate many facets of the plan in its entirety; including its subsidiaries who
specialize in housing stability and household finance among the under-served.
The City of Garfield, through its administration and various municipal departments and community-facing
committees, has and remains GBCA’s most vital collaborative partner for initiatives aimed at improving the First
Ward of the City – most importantly, the River to Rail business district.
GBCA has also forged collaborative partnerships with non-profit agencies and community-based organizations
whose work has complemented that of GBCA through specialized areas of need. GBCA will continue to leverage
the human and financial capital of these partnerships and those with government, state, county, municipal,
foundation and corporate partners to scale-up the objectives laid out in this Neighborhood Plan.
E. LAPSED NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS.
In addition to the other requirements set forth in these Guidelines, a Neighborhood Plan that was approved by DCA
but has since lapsed (pursuant to N.J.A.C. 5:47-3.9) must include information on whether and how the outcomes in
the lapsed Plan were fulfilled during the time period covered by the lapsed Plan, whether with NRTC funds or with
other resources.
Not applicable.
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Section V. Neighborhood Description & Statement of Need
A. NEIGHBORHOOD BOUNDARIES & DESCRIPTION
1. “River to Rail District” Boundaries
The Neighborhood contains all properties fronting on Passaic Street between Lincoln Place and River
Drive; the properties between Passaic Street and Somerset Street from River Drive to Palisade Avenue; and
between Passaic Street and Harrison Avenue or Hepworth Place from Palisade Avenue to Lincoln Place. The
Neighborhood has been named the “River to Rail” district by the GBCA and the City of Garfield. The size of the
Neighborhood is ±27 acres, and the boundaries are shown below.
Image 1. River to Rail Neighborhood Boundary Map
The delineated Passaic Street neighborhood is partially located in Census Tracts 215 and 216 in Bergen County. At
the Census Block Group level, the neighborhood is partially within Block Groups 2, 4, and 5 of Tract 215 (“215-2”,
“215-4”, and “215-5”), and partially within Block Group 4 of Tract 216 (“216-4”).
Passaic Street extends from the Borough of Lodi in Bergen County, to the northeast, to the City of Passaic in
Passaic County, across the river directly to the west of the Neighborhood. The street varies in width from 2 lanes
to five lines over that length.
Properties within the Neighborhood fall within four (4) zoning districts:
• B-1 Neighborhood Retail District: The district permits neighborhood businesses and services as well as
dwellings under limited circumstances.
• R-2 One- and Two-Family, Multifamily, and Medium Density Residential District: The district permits one-
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Image 2. River to Rail Neighborhood Zoning
family, two-family, and multi-family dwellings
• LM Light Manufacturing District: The district permits a range of manufacturing, warehousing, sales, and
service uses, as well as offices, laboratories, and limited dwelling uses.
• CA Commercial Antenna District: The district exclusively permits commercial antennas.
• P Parkland District: There are no specific permitted uses or bulk standards for this district.
2. Physical Characteristics
The Neighborhood contains a mixture of neighborhood style businesses and highway style businesses (e.g. a
multi-story personal storage rental facility and a used car dealership) along Passaic Street, industrial uses along
the railroad right of way, and residential properties north of Passaic Street (generally between Passaic Street, to
the south, and Somerset Street, Hepworth Street, and
Harrison Avenue, to the north.
Businesses along Passaic Street are diverse and
include banks, restaurants (including a banquet hall),
and small grocery or general stores. There is also an
over-representation of beauty and nail salons among
businesses in the Neighborhood. Passaic Street has
on-street parking, and some businesses have off-
street parking lots. There is a large parking lot on
Passaic Street between Bloomingdale Avenue and
Cambridge Avenue which, according to signage, is
associated with the banquet hall across the street.
Notable community facilities within the neighborhood
Photo 1: River to Rail Neighborhood looking east toward the rail line.
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Image 3. River to Rail Neighborhood Division by Census Block Group
include James Madison School, at the east-most end of the neighborhood, a church across Marsellus Street
from the School, and two other churches on Passaic Street and Midland Avenue. The neighborhood has no
plazas or park space, although there is a playground and dog park on Hobart Street, a few blocks south of the
Neighborhood. Other nearby parks are located across the Passaic River in the City of Passaic.
Residential properties in the area vary in character from one- and two-family colonial houses, to 3-story multi-
family and mixed use buildings.
Roughly along Midland Avenue, between Passaic Street and Somerset Street, is the NJ Transit’s Garfield
passenger rail station. Garfield station serves the Bergen County and Port Jervis lines, which connect to
Hoboken. The station is at grade with Somerset Street but access from Passaic Street requires ascending a steep
set of stairs.
B. NEIGHBORHOOD STATISTICS
1. Population Characteristics
The Census Block Groups containing the Neighborhood
has a total estimated population of 4,320 people in
2019. Just over a quarter of the population is non-
white, compared to nearly one-third of the New Jersey
population, but 5 out of every 9 residents in the area is
of Hispanic or Latino origin, compared to 2 out of every
9 New Jersey Residents. Over one-third of area residents
are foreign born compared to just under one-quarter of
NJ residents.
Photo 2: River to Rail Neighborhood looking west toward River Drive
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