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AIPROPX ReportGothamist · 51m ago
Paterson taps new leader to fight homelessness in NJ
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC. Gothamist Listen Live Donate News Paterson taps new leader to fight homelessness in NJ By Michael Sol Warren Published Aug 24, 2026 at 3:47 p.m. ET
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Paterson has a new leader in the city’s chronic fight against homelessness.
Angela Fields started last week as Silk City’s first chief homelessness officer. It’s now her job to coordinate city services to better assist homeless individuals in getting the resources they need for housing and stability.
Fields is a native Patersonian who graduated from Eastside High School. She has worked on homelessness for the past decade, first with the nonprofit Eva’s Village and most recently as executive director of Family Promise of Hunterdon County.
Fields, who is an ordained minister, said she briefly experienced homelessness after moving to Atlanta to attend seminary. She said she understands the issue deeply and wants to help people regain a sense of security and steadiness.
“ No one wants to be homeless. That time that I spent experiencing homelessness, when I was able to get on my feet, I bought the biggest bed ever,” Fields said. “But it took me over a year to realize it was mine.”
Homelessness remains a persistent issue in Paterson, particularly in public spaces. There were 336 people experiencing homelessness in Paterson during the 2025 Point-in-Time count, an annual effort to assess the state’s homeless population. Experts warn that because the count captures just one night of the year, it is likely an underestimate.
The skatepark and playground on 21st Street, where Fields was introduced on Monday, underneath the Route 80 overpass, is an encampment site. Paterson police moved an unoccupied tent away from the podium shortly before the press conference began.
Fields noted that Paterson, which is New Jersey’s third-largest city, draws people seeking help because it has more social service organizations, shelters and government agencies than surrounding communities.
“ I want people not to judge Paterson by the number of people who come here to receive those services and need help,” Fields said. “People from all over New Jersey and beyond are coming to Paterson for one reason or another.
Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh said Fields’ hiring is the latest in his administration’s effort to tackle the homeless problem. This includes the city’s reentry program and its Financial Empowerment Center, as well as the RealFix program, which is a first-in-the-nation initiative to deliver suboxone treatment directly to people seeking help with opioid addiction. RealFix also helps place people in inpatient addiction treatment programs.
Ed Boze, the director of RealFix, said Fields’ role will be instrumental in making sure the city best serves people trying to get their lives together
“ Those homeless people coming into inpatient treatment want to know when they're leaving, that they're leaving to some form of housing. Otherwise, it's incredibly dispiriting to them,” Boze said. “They've told me time and time again, sobriety and homelessness do not go together.”
Fields will create a synergy amongst the different initiatives in Paterson, Sayegh said. “ Because that's probably the missing piece.”
The city was awarded a $3.2 million federal grant earlier this year to build a new “homeless hub” facility, which will serve as a shelter and a central location for people in need to connect with vital resources and services. A former Salvation Army building on Van Houten Street is a potential location for the hub, city spokesperson Diana Nunez said.
“ The hub is more than a building,” Fields said. “It's an opportunity to bring services together, reduce duplication, identify gaps, improve accountability, and make sure that when someone reaches out for help, that this help is usable and accessible.”
Fields’ position is funded separately with opioid settlement money. Sayegh said her position will last for at least three years.
Some recent efforts by city leaders to address visible homelessness have stirred controversy. Paterson’s city council previously proposed an ordinance that would have subjected people to fines or jail time for sleeping outside in the city. The proposal, which had been supported by Sayegh, was withdrawn last year after facing fierce public opposition.
Michael Sol Warren covers New Jersey for WNYC and Gothamist, and previously reported on issues around the Garden State for NJ Spotlight News and NJ Advance Media. He can be reached at [email protected] .
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PatersonAngela FieldsHomelessness CzarPaterson Silk CitySilk City
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