The Trenton Times published the following article on June 13, 2013. To read the full article, click here.

Trenton resident encourages state workers to move to city

By Jenna Pizzi/The Times of Trenton 
on June 13, 2013 at 7:10 AM, updated June 13, 2013 at 3:53 PM

TRENTON — A Mill Hill resident who moved to Trenton two years ago is spearheading a new effort to increase the number of state employees who live — and not just work — in the capital city.

Knute Jensen, an administrator at the Department of Environmental Protection, said he originally moved from the suburbs to the city to shorten his commute and save on gas. But living in Trenton has proved to have many other unexpected benefits, he said.

“I opened my eyes a little more to what a great opportunity this is,” Jensen said. “It turned out better than I expected.”

Jensen then turned his attention to sharing his experience with other state employees and encouraging them to move to Trenton. He said he has not figured out how he will present information about living in the city to the large community of state workers, but he made a presentation at a recent city council meeting and said he is open to ideas and support.

For starters, he is considering having parties for state employees and residents that highlight the arts, culture and recreation opportunities in Trenton, and putting together a website highlighting information about economic incentive programs to move to the city, he said. They include the state Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency’s “Live Where You Work” program, which gives low-rate mortgages to people who move to the town where they are employed.

Councilwoman Marge Caldwell-Wilson, who moved to Trenton after coming to the city often for her previous job as a union president, said she agreed with Jensen’s sentiments, but there is still much work to do to draw more residents to the city.

“We have a lot of things we have to do to make it more desirable,” she said.

Jensen is the director of the DEP’s division of solid waste and pesticide enforcement. He grew up in Metuchen and has lived in Hamilton and down the shore, but after a few life changes and a divorce, he began looking for a good deal on a home in Trenton, he said.

The initial decision was purely financial: He knew he could get more house in Trenton for less money as well as save money on gas.

“I was interested in shortening my commute,” he said. “I thought this would work for me.”

Now, on nice days, Jensen can walk to work from his Mercer Street home. That proximity, and other advantages to living in Trenton that he has discovered, are benefits that could sway many of his colleagues to move as well, he said. He said he found data showing that, of the DEP’s 2,800 employees, only 89 live in any of Trenton’s zip codes.

Of the agency’s four most recent hires, one decided to move into Trenton, he said.

Jensen’s short-term goal is to increase the number of newly hired state workers who live in the city.

“I just want to put out an invitation to the people who get hired — the opportunity to live in Trenton,” he said.

Jensen said that, like many of his coworkers, he had a bad impressions of the city before he moved.

“I fully understand that people have expressed their negative take on Trenton to me,” he said. “I might have said the same thing.”

While the city has a reputation for being dangerous, Jensen said he has never been targeted or touched by violence.

“It was a concern, but it hasn’t had any direct effect on me,” he said.

Caldwell-Wilson said she often hears similar concerns from people who are unfamiliar with the city.

“Once you move here you actually get a feel for this place,” she said. “I’m very happy and very comfortable.”

The Old Mill Hill Society and the Trenton Downtown Association have expressed interest in supporting Jensen as the project progresses.

“We are on board with him and his idea and plan,” said Kari Brookhouse, president of the Old Mill Hill Society.

Brookhouse said the Mill Hill section in particular appeals to state employees because it is within walking distance of their offices, downtown shops and restaurants, the NJ Transit and Amtrak train station and the Riverline, making it easy to get around without a car.

Caldwell-Wilson said an in increase in downtown tourism would go a long way toward debunking the idea that the city is unsafe.

“If you have more foot traffic and more activity in the downtown and you have businesses doing well, you are not going to get that crime,” she said.

To contact Jensen about his project, e-mail him at capitallifetrenton@gmail.com.

Contact Jenna Pizzi at jpizzi@njtimes.com or (609) 989-5717.