Perinatal Health Equity Initiative opened its Lieutenant Tamesha Dickey Black Maternal Health Center in East Orange, NJ at an inspiring ribbon cutting October 14th!

The 2024 Impact100 Essex $100,000 impact grant was awarded to PHEI in support of this transformative initiative for Black mothers.

The mission of PHEI is critical: to eliminate the staggering 7-8x disparity in pregnancy-related deaths for Black women in New Jersey.

The new center marks a significant expansion of PHEI’s services. This facility allows PHEI to serve mothers on-site 6 days a week, ensuring vital perinatal healthcare is available from early pregnancy through postpartum, with integrated wrap-around support.

With 92% of maternal deaths deemed preventable, PHEI’s success is a testament to the power of their model.

Congratulations to PHEI for taking this massive step toward health equity. We are immensely proud to support this meaningful work!

Dear Residents, Business Owners, and Visitors, 

It is with great pride and optimism that I welcome you to the official website of the East Orange Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ). The designation of East Orange as a UEZ is more than a title—it is a powerful tool for economic revitalization, community empowerment, and business growth. 

The UEZ program offers a unique opportunity for our local businesses to thrive by providing access to a range of benefits, including reduced sales tax, financial incentives, and technical assistance. These advantages not only support individual enterprises but also contribute to the overall prosperity of our city. When our businesses succeed, our community flourishes. 

I strongly encourage all eligible businesses within the zone to become UEZ certified and take full advantage of the resources available. Your participation strengthens our local economy, creates jobs, and enhances the quality of life for all East Orange residents. 

I have full confidence in the Department of Policy, Planning and Development to lead this initiative with excellence and innovation. Their commitment to making the East Orange UEZ one of the most successful in the State of New Jersey is unwavering, and I am excited to see the transformative impact this program will have on our city. 

Together, we are building a brighter, more prosperous East Orange—one business, one opportunity, and one success story at a time. 

As the City of East Orange's Principal Planner, I oversee the application process for projects going before the planning and zoning boards and assist the zoning division in facilitating a variety of application requests in addition to advising on land use policy in general, but my paramount focus is the economic growth for the residents of this uniquely positioned community. As a municipality that can be accessed via the Garden State Parkway and Interstate 280 with two NJ Transit commuter train stations (i.e. East Orange Station and Brick Church Station) that are a short distance from Newark and New York's Penn Station, I feel nothing but hopeful in the growing prosperity of the city. Enhancing the city's Urban Enterprise Zone program is critically important in giving city staff and businesses in the UEZ area the necessary tools to achieve the growth expected for a community with so many attractive qualities

Alexander McClean, AICP, PP
Principal Planner

Office of Policy, Planning & Development
City of East Orange
Office: 973.266.5140 (ext. 5114) | Fax: 862.930.7804