On June 17, 2021 Anthony Policastro and Michele Reilly Submitted at Letter of Intent to the Economic Housing Development Department of City Hall. The LOI in question was for 276-280 Delavan Ave Newark NJ 07104 (Block 686, Lot 1) which is a historic home in a historic district that has fallen on hard times.

We, the undersigned, are concerned citizens who urge our leaders to act now:

- Have the EHD respond to all the submitted letters of intent for this property, Including Anthony Policastro’s and Michele Reilly’s.

- Push the restoration of this property forward and bring 276 back from vacant to inhabited.

- Allow Rutgers Universities Mason Gross School of the Arts Department to review Harold Scott Jr.’s estate in the house. Allow the University to catalog, archive and preserve this pioneering black man’s life’s work. His accomplishments in theatre deserve to live on for future generations in the university’s archives.

- Allow the NJ Historic Trust to gain entry to the interior of the home to finish their surveys and inspections and draft the necessary historical easement. This will ensure the homes sale can go through unencumbered.

- Allow the New Jersey State Historic Preservation Office and the concerned parties to apply for the house to be individually listed on the State and National Registers due to Harold Scott Jr.’s previous ownership.

- Allow the Newark Landmarks and Historic Preservation Commission to conduct their review process ahead of the purchase of this home, and to also be included with the sale of the property.

- Provide the concerned parties and their Attorneys and Lenders all the necessary tax liens, records and payoff documents ahead of sale.

- Allow the concerned parties, their contractors, inspectors, and accessors access to the interior of the property to access the damage done by years of vacancy and neglect ahead of sale. A competent survey of timeline, expenses, and scope is necessary to bring this home back from the brink.