A little more than a year after The Michaels Organization officially moved its headquarters to Camden’s Waterfront, the results of its partnership with the City of Camden can already be seen.
Over the last decade, Camden has been on an upward trajectory toward what Mayor Fran Moran calls “inclusive prosperity” and while there is still a ways to go, Michaels is proud to be a part of this renaissance. Camden’s approach to improving its housing inventory is based on a resident-first basis, and due to its overwhelming success, it is being recognized by the Urban Institute, a national policy organization focused on diversity, equity and inclusivity.
The Michaels Organization, along with the Camden Housing Authority, Saint Joseph’s Carpenter Society, Camden Lutheran Housing, Heart of Camden and a multitude of small companies and individuals have had a big role in Camden’s successful reduction of racial segregation. Between 2013-2016, Camden saw a much greater reduction in its racial segregation rank, improving by 47 ranks.
Michaels has long had a presence in Camden, with hundreds of units of affordable housing already providing homes to Camden’s most at-risk citizens. But a few years back, Michaels decided to solidify that commitment to Camden resurgence through economic partnership, social services initiatives, and the construction of a new headquarters on the waterfront which brought millions of dollars of investment and hundreds of new jobs.
“We could not be more honored to be Camden’s partner in this city-wide renaissance.” Said Nick Cangelosi, VP of Development for The Michaels Organization. “The results we have seen are a testament to the effectiveness of strong partnerships in massive undertakings like this one. We’ve redeveloped communities in neighborhoods all across the city including 11 Cooper, Mi Casa Village, Cooper Plaza Historic Townhomes, Roosevelt Manor, McGuire Gardens, Morgan Village, Branch Village and many more; we’re looking forward to seeing their continued success for years to come.”
Camden is becoming a model of how a city can be driven by progress but also focused on equity and The Michaels Organization is very proud to be a part of that legacy.
