Newark Holds First Round of Lottery for $1 Houses

A program aimed at boosting local homeownership offers city residents entry into a lottery to purchase city-owned properties for $1.

1 minute read

February 2, 2024, 5:00 AM PST

By Mary Hammon @marykhammon


Aerial view of Newwark, New Jersey at sunset with river in foreground.

Christopher Boswell / Adobe Stock

City officials in Newark, New Jersey, raffled off seven city-owned properties for just one dollar on Monday, January 29 — the first round of a program looking to boost homeownership among existing city residents, reports Eyewitness News, ABC7NY. Newark has one of the lowest percentages of homeownership of any major American city.

To qualify for the “Home Ownership Revitalization Program,” potential buyers must have lived in the city for at least five years or be residents displaced by gentrification. They must also commit to living in the properties for at least 10 years and undergo homebuyer counseling with the Neighborhood Assistance Corp of America (NACA), which provides low interest mortgages to help people become homeowners.

The properties, which were seized by the city for non-payment and public debts, are dilapidated and will require extensive repairs. City officials hope the new owners will rehabilitate them into multifamily homes.

“"It's more than affordable homeownership," said Bruce Marks of the NACA, the article reports. "It's neighborhood stabilization.”

Wednesday, January 31, 2024 in ABC7 Eyewitness News

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

View of dense apartment buildings on Seattle waterfront with high-rise buildings in background.

King County Supportive Housing Program Offers Hope for Unhoused Residents

The county is taking a ‘Housing First’ approach that prioritizes getting people into housing, then offering wraparound supportive services.

July 11 - Real Change

Aerial view of suburban housing near Las Vegas, Nevada.

Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing

Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.

July 11 - Shelterforce Magazine

Green bike share bikes parked in a row on a commercial street with outdoor dining and greenery.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive

Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.

July 11 - Cities Today