Title
AN ORDINANCE REQUIRING CONTRACTORS THAT RECEIVE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM THE CITY OF NEWARK ON RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, HIRE WORKERS FROM CITY-APPROVED TRAINING PROGRAMS, PURSUANT TO THE REVISED GENERAL ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, 2000.
Sponsor: Council Member Osborne
Deferred 6PSF-e 070115
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WHEREAS, the City of Newark has a compelling interest to ensure that residential and renovation construction projects (hereinafter, "Residential Projects") are completed at a responsible cost with the highest degree of quality; and
WHEREAS, a highly skilled workforce ensures the efficient, economical and safe completion of contracts as described above; and
WHEREAS, the City of Newark desires to encourage partnerships with new and existing businesses to generate good-paying job opportunities for local residents, particularly in its low-income communities, in new markets; and
WHEREAS, the City of Newark desires to encourage hiring from local training programs where Newark residents can gain key skills in residential construction; and
WHEREAS, the City of Newark does have the authority to grant economic incentives for businesses to remain in or relocate to Newark and the City of Newark grants such incentives to private contractors and companies in residential construction.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, THAT:
Section 1. The Revised General Ordinances of the City of Newark, New Jersey, 2000, Title 2, Chapter 4, is hereby amended and supplemented to add a New Section:
REQUIRING CONTRACTORS THAT RECEIVE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM THE CITY OF NEWARK ON RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, HIRE WORKERS FROM CITY-APPROVED TRAINING PROGRAMS.
a. Definition:
City-Approved Training Program shall mean a training program that has been approved by a designated City agency that:
1. Maintains an open-enrollment policy for new trainees, subject only to budget and space limitations.
2. Does not require trainees to find employment as a condition of participating in training.
3. Recruits applicants from low-income neighborhoods with a preference given to those that live near the location of a Residential Project.
4. Offers mentoring and support to ensure retention of participants in the training program and in residential construction careers.
5. Demonstrates a track record of graduating and placing trainees from underrepresented communities in career-track residential construction jobs.
6. Provides at least 400 hours of classroom training prior to graduation, including health and safety training, as well as training to recognize hazardous material such as asbestos, mold and lead.
b. The City of Newark regularly gives financial assistance on Residential Projects (new construction and renovation projects) in the City of Newark, including subsidies in the form of tax abatements, donation of property, and tax credits. Each contractor working on such Residential Projects shall demonstrate good faith efforts to meet the following requirements:
(1) Pay a living wage of at least $25.00 an hour to all employees.
(2) Take affirmative steps to the greatest extent feasible to ensure that at least 50% of work hours on any Residential Project will be performed by individuals who graduated from a City-Approved Training Program in the past two years.
(3) Certify that the contractor is not subject to any contractual or regulatory barriers to meeting the 50% work-hours requirement.
Section 2. All prior ordinances or parts of ordinances inconsistent within the Revised General Ordinances of the City of Newark, New Jersey, 2000, Title 2, Chapter 4, are hereby repealed as to such inconsistency.
Section 3. Should any clause, sentence, paragraph or part of this Ordinance, or the application thereof to any person or circumstance, be found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unenforceable the remainder shall remain in full force and effect.
Section 4. This Ordinance shall take effect upon final passage and publication in accordance with the laws of the State of New Jersey.
STATEMENT
An Ordinance requiring contractors that receive financial assistance from the City of Newark on residential construction projects, hire workers from City-approved training programs, pursuant to the Revised General Ordinances of the City of Newark, New Jersey, 2000.