3 min read August 2022 — Jessica Rafeh, mayor of Pennsauken Township, shared with Invest: what makes Pennsauken a great city to live in, how the cannabis industry might help Pennsauken’s economy and top priorities going forward. Rafeh also touched on the main challenges facing the local business community at this time.
What has 2022 been like for your team and the town?
This year has been amazing for the Township Committee and Pennsauken. During our reorganization meeting in January, our community made history. I was sworn in as the town’s first-ever Hispanic and Middle Eastern mayor; Nicole Roberts was sworn in as our first African American female deputy mayor; and it was the first time the Committee has had all female leadership. Both Deputy Mayor Roberts and I understand the gravity of our appointments. This is more than just a journey of growth, whether it is for Pennsauken or for me. It is an opportunity to showcase the proud diversity of our town and to inspire others. Many young people are looking to us as role models. We’re here to tell them that they can be the next generation of community leaders. They can have their voices heard.
Since then, Pennsauken Township Committee has hit the ground running, working non-stop on a variety of initiatives that are all designed to grow our community and better serve our residents.
What makes Pennsauken a great area to live in?
Pennsauken is an example of the American Dream in South Jersey. There are people from all walks of life and many different cultures. They all call this special place their home. It was true when my family moved here when I was a little girl, and it is even more true today. It doesn’t matter where you come from. Whether it’s from Camden, or Cherry Hill, Trenton or Philadelphia, Venezuela or Vietnam, this community welcomes you with open arms.
Almost 9,000 families call Pennsauken home. We’re great for commuters, as they have easy access to places like Philadelphia, Trenton, Atlantic City, and everywhere in between. For our seniors, we’re continuing to add services and opportunities for them to remain active and be a vibrant part of our community.
What industries are helping with the economic growth in Pennsauken?
There are a lot of diverse businesses that have made Pennsauken home and helped us to grow. Our community is accessible from several major highways and area bridges, making it a perfect spot for economic development.
We have a variety of companies in emerging industries. TopPop Packaging is an $18 million business that makes packaging for frozen pops containing adult beverages. GoPuff, started by two Drexel University students, has grown to 650 cities in the United States alone. Both of these companies moved to Pennsauken.
We also have large corporations like Scrub Daddy, one of the most successful companies on the TV show, “Shark Tank,” choosing Pennsauken to house their global headquarters. When it comes to small businesses, Pennsauken has had several that have been part of our communities for decades.
What are the benefits of being in the suburbs instead of the city?
Pennsauken has some great neighborhoods, with around 17,000 households in our community. We also have luxury living at Haddon Point Apartments, which is still growing on the site of the old Pennsauken Mart. Our community offers the open space and the “peace and quiet” you expect from the suburbs, while still having quick access to places like Philadelphia and New York.
What challenges does the local business community face today?
We’re all experiencing the impact of supply chain issues and rising costs as a result of the pandemic. Companies have been facing unprecedented challenges just to stay open, let alone start up a new business. Yet, I’ve had the pleasure of being at the ribbon cutting of several small businesses this year. Local entrepreneurs are still taking that leap to pursue their dreams. It’s exciting to see.
How is the cannabis industry helping the economy in Pennsauken?
The new marijuana legislation has changed a lot of things. We’ve just passed an ordinance further governing local licensing, location, and the manner and times of operation of these types of facilities. We’ve a lot of interest from a variety of cannabis-based businesses and we anticipate that there will be movement on this front before the year is out. We’ve put a lot of time and effort in to making sure that whoever comes into Pennsauken, it’s the best possible situation for our community. We answer to our residents, and we are responsible for making sure this works for everyone.
What are the top priorities for the Township of Pennsauken moving forward?
The Township Committee is continuing to focus on building up our community. We just cut the ribbon on our newly renovated skate park, which is incredible, and will be enhancing more of our outdoor spaces, improving our parks and recreational spaces. We also want to hold more events like our upcoming fall festival that showcase Pennsauken’s diversity.
Our biggest upcoming project is the construction of our new library and municipal complex, made possible by $9 million that we received through the New Jersey Library Construction Bond Act, which is administered by the New Jersey State Library. Currently in development, it will be a dynamic new space that will be a hub for the entire community.
Everything we do is focused on our residents. We take our responsibility of serving our neighbors very seriously. It’s our goal to make sure Pennsauken is an amazing place to work, play and live.
For more information, visit:
https://www.twp.pennsauken.nj.us/
