On Monday, the Princeton Town Council meeting covered a wide range of topics, from assessments of the needs of the Princeton community, to a call for Main Street community funding, to fireworks at reunions.
The April 28 meeting — the shortest of the year — opened with council member Leighton Newlin sharing that the Princeton Committee on Affordable Housing, Racial, Economic, Social Equity and Services (CARES) will conduct a community needs assessment this summer, the first comprehensive effort of its kind since 2014. Newlin is a council member liaison to CARES.
“Through this survey, we will cover essential areas like housing, health care, mental health, childcare, food security, and more,” Newlin told the Council. “Our goal is simple but urgent: to be the best we can be for our constituents in need. We cannot and should not do this alone.”
Newlin shared that low-income families, seniors, working families, and “those facing daily struggles that too often go unseen” would be the primary focus of the survey.
Addressing the Council and community members on behalf of himself and fellow council member Leticia Fraga, who is also a council liaison to CARES, Newlin said that this survey is a “call to action” to all of Princeton’s partners.
“Our non-profits, our houses of worship, our advocacy groups, our service providers, our healthcare leaders, our educators — invest your time, your resources, and your talents in this critical initiative. Help us listen, help us learn, help us act,” Newlin asked.
According to Newlin, the data collected over the summer will be compiled and analyzed in the early fall, with an official report and set of recommendations presented to the Council by November.
“Together, we can build a stronger, more just, and more compassionate Princeton, but only if we listen first,” Newlin stated.
Following Newlin’s report, Isaac Kremer, the Executive Director of Experience Princeton, shared updates regarding happenings around town and Princeton’s pursuit of accreditation from Main Street America, an organization that aims to strengthen and revitalize historic towns and business districts across the country.
Princeton was officially recognized as a Main Street community by Main Street New Jersey this past November, and is currently seeking accreditation to be considered an official Main Street America community. This assessment will take place on May 8, according to Kremer.
“We’re seeking to follow the highest standards nationally when it comes to commercial district revitalization,” Kremer said about the accreditation process.
Kremer shared a number of Main Street community developments out of the 2025 Main Street Now Conference, held from April 7 to 9 in Philadelphia, including the launch of a “national policy agenda for Main Streets” that, Kremer shared, Princeton will be “very actively involved with.”
Kremer also expressed excitement at the conference’s commitment to expand Main Street’s small business support initiative, which supports “175,000 small businesses in Main Street communities,” according to Kremer.
Kremer called for a greater commitment from the New Jersey state government for Main Street communities.
He explained that since 2019, there has been $6.3 million allocated for Main Street community support in New Jersey. Now, in the current budget proposed to the state legislature, only $750,000 is being allocated to support Main Street communities. This is less than half of the amount being allocated in the current fiscal year.
“It is really urgent that we get to all of our elected officials and make the case that this money, this support, for Main Street, is also support for small businesses, for community vitality, for creating the kind of places that we’re proud about. And certainly Princeton is among that as one of the 29 main street communities [in New Jersey],” Kremer added.
Kremer explained that this funding goes directly to assisting local programs and business, rather than startups which are primarily supported by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA).
Additionally, Kremer highlighted the success of the Experience Princeton gift card program, which generated $121,000 in sales for the local community. She also announced the addition of a new volunteer who will work 12 hours per week to help monitor housing occupancy and vacancy in Princeton.
The meeting concluded with the approval of a resolution granting Princeton University permission to hold a fireworks display on Saturday, May 24, 2025, as part of Reunions celebrations, with temporary road closures scheduled from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Luke Grippo is a senior News writer and Features contributor for the ‘Prince.’ He is from South Jersey and usually covers administrative issues, including Undergraduate Student Government, the Council of the Princeton University Community, and institutional legacy.
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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