For Trenton, Moving Beyond Ceremony

Much has been written about Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill’s decision to take the oath of office outside the Capital City of Trenton. For some, the location of an inauguration has become a proxy for whether the State respects its capital.

I understand that sentiment. Trenton has carried the weight of symbolism for generations – especially given the concentration of tax-exempt state buildings on prime real estate and the state highway that cuts the city off from its own waterfront.

But Trenton does not need another gesture. It needs a shared responsibility to make our capital city a shining city on the hill – one that residents and visitors alike can take pride in. Governors are expected to be sworn in once every four years. Cities live with the consequences of state policy every day.

Governor-elect Sherrill can take the oath of office anywhere she chooses. What matters far more to Trenton is whether her administration is willing to roll up its sleeves and work with us on the challenges our residents face every day. One of the heaviest lifts is addressing the remaining dangerous, abandoned housing stock that threatens public safety, depresses neighborhoods, and sends a damaging message to our children that neglect is normal.

Before the election, Governor-elect Sherrill did something few statewide candidates have done: she walked Trenton’s streets – not for a photo opportunity, but to see conditions firsthand. At the invitation of community activist Shanique Taliaferro of Black Women New Jersey, she toured the Wilbur Section and along Walnut Avenue, one of the most distressed areas of the city.

She saw both sides of Trenton’s reality: homes being rehabilitated by local contractors like Andre Williams, and blocks dominated by abandoned, city-owned properties long past saving.

She spoke with residents. She listened.

And then she followed up.

That matters.

Within weeks of the election, her team reached out with a serious and welcome question: What can we actually do to make a visible difference on the streets we walked?

That question goes directly to the heart of both Trenton’s challenge and its opportunity. At present, the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA) is holding approximately $9 million in demolition reimbursement funds designated for Trenton. The money exists. The need is overwhelming. Yet the regulatory and administrative hurdles are so cumbersome that the funds remain largely out of reach.

That is not a theoretical concern. Trenton has hundreds of abandoned structures – many structurally unsafe, some attached rowhouses requiring coordinated demolition – that pose risks to residents and first responders alike. The city does the work. The City fronts the cost. Yet the reimbursement process has become so rigid and disconnected from urban reality that it undermines the very purpose of the program.

I am hopeful that the incoming Sherrill Administration can further demonstrate its commitment to Trenton by working with us to transform these conditions on the ground.

Not with ceremony, but with shared problem-solving.

I would welcome the opportunity for the Governor-elect to also visit local redeveloper Brittany Littlejohn, who has done impressive rehabilitation work on Passaic and Spring Streets – and to see how much more could be accomplished if existing funding were made accessible to support local contractors improving their own neighborhoods.

With modest adjustments, the demolition reimbursement rules can work as intended. Greater flexibility for imminent hazards, recognition that emergency demolitions cannot wait for pre-approval paperwork, and a collaborative approach to support rehabilitation of abandoned properties where demolition is not the best or only solution.

That is how Trenton moves forward.

Respect for the Capital City is not measured by where a governor takes the oath. It is measured by whether the State helps us make our neighborhoods safer, stronger, and worthy of the families who call Trenton home.

Trenton does not need to be pitied. It needs to be empowered.

The money is there. The need is undeniable. This is a moment for the new administration to turn concern into results – and to show that when Trenton is seen, it is also supported.

In that, I will gratefully welcome the newly inaugurated Governor back to the Capital City.

Mayor W. Reed Gusciora, the 49th Mayor of Trenton, wrote this Op-Ed