What is the Neighborhood
Preservation Program?

The Neighborhood Preservation Program (NPP) began with the passage of the “Maintenance of Viable Neighborhoods Act” in 1975. This legislation established a program of grants to encourage and promote the social and economic strengthening and development of neighborhoods. It was envisioned that this would be achieved through the cooperative, concentrated efforts of residents, local lending institutions, businesses, municipal governments and the State of New Jersey. The Neighborhood Preservation Program takes a comprehensive approach to neighborhood development, which affords municipalities flexible and creative options. This comprehensive cooperative approach promotes a unified effort that has proven to be a successful strategy.

Boonton's Approach VOLUNTEER

The Funding

The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs

The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs' neighborhood-based programs are designed to acknowledge the crucial role neighborhoods play as the center of community for New Jersey’s citizens, and the opportunity they offer to serve as a springboard to build a stronger, more equitable New Jersey. To further achieve that goal, Governor Phil Murphy and Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver recently dedicated $2.5 million of funding to restore the Neighborhood Preservation Program (NPP) to strengthen the economic vigor of New Jersey’s threatened but viable neighborhoods and to encourage private investment in some of the state’s hard-pressed communities. This new investment was done in coordination with the funding of Main Street New Jersey communities as well.

Activities to be assisted under this act may include but shall not be limited to:

Revitalize neighborhoods through local planning and community participation.
Build local capacity to administer the program
To serve as a catalyst for economic development in business districts that are deemed “threatened but still viable.”
To serve as a platform for the coordination of efforts by the State, municipalities, residents, businesses and other stakeholders to help declining neighborhoods become thriving neighborhoods."

Our Approach

Executing Boonton's NPP Grant

In October of 2021 Boonton was awarded a 5-year designation, including an initial $125,000 grant from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs’ Neighborhood Preservation Program (NPP). After receiving our designation a survey was administered by polling various stakeholders of our district and community. These results provided us with direction to assist in creating an Implementation Plan.

Visit the official Neighborhood Preservation Program website
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Within that plan we intend to take a three-pronged approach:

District Maintenance
Commercial Facade Improvements
District-wide Improvements

Full Implementation Plan

See Our Progress

Facade Grant Application

Storefronts are highly visible components of any Neighborhood Preservation Program’s historic yet eclectic streetscape, with a mix of architectural styles and treatments. Variety adds value and is the key to making a business more noticeable and exciting. While some uniformity may be helpful in reducing overall construction costs, business owners are encouraged to imaginatively explore the relationship of their type of business (i.e. restaurant, bookstore, office, flower shop, etc.) and how that typically translates into a unique storefront treatment within a business district.

Download Application

The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs

Facade Grant Application

Meeting Minutes