The Urban Enterprise Zone Authority (UEZA), an affiliate of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, is proud to showcase the positive changes being made in the City of Bridgeton, aided by $2 million in UEZ funding. This funding, allocated over the past year, has supported a range of community enhancement projects, particularly aimed at beautifying the downtown area and strengthening public safety.
UEZA offers participating businesses benefits such as tax incentives that encourage business growth and stimulate local economies in urban communities. These incentives drive growth by promoting business expansion, creating private sector employment opportunities, and generating a blend of public and private investments.
“The UEZ Program evaluates business and community proposals based on eligibility criteria and provides Zone Assistance Funds to underwrite projects that promote economic development. Bridgeton used the program to enhance public safety and improve transportation,” said DCA Commissioner Jacquelyn A. Suárez. “These efforts are helping stimulate Bridgeton’s small business community, which is having a positive effect on its residents and neighborhoods.”
Stephanie Gonzalez, a transplant from Los Angeles, is the UEZA coordinator who assisted the local businesses through the proposal process.
“When I first arrived in Bridgeton, I found the biggest problem was the language barrier,” said Gonzalez, who is fluent in Spanish. She notes that more than 70 percent of the city’s businesses are run by Spanish speakers. “I made it a point to visit a few businesses every day, and now we have a close bond.”
Bridgeton also holds a monthly merchant meeting, where Gonzalez listens to concerns and tailors the city’s UEZ programs in response. “The business owners like knowing they’re helping to reshape the city,” she said.
One of the biggest projects to date is Bridgeton’s $888,548 Bulkhead Repair Program, which was approved by the UEZA Board and funded earlier this year.
The project will stabilize the city’s bulkhead and add improvements that feature the beauty of the Cohansey River, including floating docks, as well as better drainage to address the odor issues. The project’s goal is to attract businesses and visitors and allow Bridgeton to host events.
Bridgeton is using a UEZ revolving loan program to fund the upgrades.
The loan program has been in operation for about a year and is backed by $350,000 in UEZA funds. This allows small businesses to apply for low-interest, long-term loans to help with costs such as façade upgrades and equipment purchases.
“Recently, the loan program allowed a local bakery to buy a new professional oven,” said Gonzalez. Without the loan, that bakery may have gone out of business. “Businesses are staying, and I’m really happy about that.”
The Bridgeton UEZ also applied for and received Zone Assistance Funds to install surveillance cameras in high traffic areas and acquire two portable, solar-powered message boards for pedestrian safety. Future projects will focus on roadway improvements and downtown events to boost local businesses.
“A lot of my passion comes from my grandmothers, who ran restaurants. They started from nothing and became successful, and I’m excited to bring that energy to Bridgeton,” Gonzalez said. “Also, my parents were first-generation immigrants who dedicated their careers to public service in California. My family’s hard work inspires my energy and drive in Bridgeton.”.
The Urban Enterprise Zone program was originally established in 1983. In August 2021, Acting Governor Sheila Y. Oliver signed legislation that appropriated $42.5 million to the program, enabling an expansion of UEZA services within the designated UEZ zones.
A main benefit of the revitalized UEZ program is the Zone Assistance Funds, providing flexible revenue to communities for economic development. In the years since the program’s relaunch 2021, UEZA has awarded more than $40 million in Zone Assistance Funds to 140 municipal-level projects. Additionally, participating businesses within the zones receive a reduced sales tax rate (currently 3.3125 percent), as well as tax-free purchases on capital equipment, facility expansions, and similar investments.
Bridgeton was one of the state’s five original UEZ cities, along with Trenton, Newark, Plainfield, and Camden. There are currently over 6,000 businesses participating in the program throughout the state.
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For more information about the UEZA, visit https://www.nj.gov/dca/uez/. For more about DCA, visit https://nj.gov/dca/ or follow the Department on social media.
