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PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
29 North Day Street
Orange, NJ 07050
973-266-4052

Valerie Jackson, Director
Christopher Mobley, Deputy Director
    & UEZ Coordinator
Donald Meisel, City Planner
Asisat Adewunmi, Economic Development Rep.
Jauhara Pressey, Economic Development Rep.
Haneefah Norman, Clerk Typist

Summary of Major Functions

• Maintain The City’s Master Plan
• Provide Staff Assistance To The Planning & Zoning Board Of Adjustment
• Supervise & Coordinate Community Conservation, Redevelopment, Rehabilitation & Renewal Programs
• Inspect & Enforce City Building, Electrical, Plumbing And Housing Codes
• Prepare, Coordinate & Submit State & Federal Grant Applications For Projects

Central Orange Development Plan

Downtown Revitalization Video

Redevelopment Update as of March 2009

Foreclosure Prevention and Management

General Description

The purpose of the Planning and Development Department is to plan, organize, lead, control, and deliver housing and economic development services to meet the needs of the private and public sectors of Orange’s economy.

The function of the Division of Planning Administration is to advise the Mayor, City Council, Planning Board, and the Zoning Board on planning issues affecting the physical development of the City.  The Division prepares, maintains, and updates the City's Master Plan, and recommends changes to the City's Zoning Ordinance.  The Master Plan is based on three principals - sustainable development & redevelopment; managed growth; and, a healthy community.  

Planning also conducts “area in need of redevelopment” ("blight") investigations to determine whether areas within the City are in need of redevelopment.  The redevelopment process is conducted pursuant to criteria established by the State's Local Redevelopment and Housing Law.  If the Planning Board approves the finding, Planning then prepares a redevelopment plan and works with qualified and experienced developers to implement the plan.  Click here for an overview of current redevelopment activities.

The task of the Economic Development staff is to promote economic development throughout the City, its neighborhoods, and wards.  Much of the City’s economic development activity is focused in its downtown Main Street area, which is supported by the Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ) program.

The objective of the Housing program is to administer the planning, new construction, rehabilitation/renovation of safe, affordable housing and public facilities and non-profit owned, non-residential facilities.

General Information

The Housing Division provides grants/loans to qualified investor owners and owner occupied homeowner for the rehabilitation of sub-standard housing of one to three family units. 

All rehabilitation work are necessary to correct sub-standard conditions including abatement of all state and local code violations or housing quality standard violations.

Definition of "Substandard Housing Unit" means a housing unit with health and safety code violations that requires the repair or replacement of major system.  Major systems include the following: roof, plumbing, heating and cooling, electrical, structural and weatherization.

All occupied households must meet income eligibility, which is determined by household size income, i.e., employment, social security, pension, and other income.

The following requirements must be met at time of application process:

• Copy of homeowner’s Insurance
• Copy of property deed
• Most recent pay stub
• Copy of pension and/or social security award letters
• Current tax and water bills paid-to-date

For more information, please call Wendy Brown at (973)266-4062 or email wbrown@ci.orange.nj.us