Live & Work Atlantic City Coalition: A Real Conversation About Our City’s Future

By AC Mike Lopez
January 29, 2026

This week, I had the opportunity to sit in on the Live & Work Atlantic City Coalition Kick-Off, and I want to talk plainly about what this is—and why I think it matters for Atlantic City.

This isn’t a slogan. It isn’t a quick fix. And it’s not another glossy plan that sits on a shelf.

It’s an 18-month, city-led effort to ask a hard but necessary question: How do we make Atlantic City a place where people want to live, work, and stay—not just visit?

What the Live & Work Coalition Is Really About

At its core, this initiative is about aligning three things that too often operate separately: housing, jobs, and how we tell our story.

The City is bringing together a broad group—public agencies, businesses, community organizations, educators, banks, workforce leaders, and civic groups—to form a working coalition with real responsibilities. The goal is to grow Atlantic City’s population, strengthen the workforce, and expand the tax base in a way that actually works for people who live here now and those who might consider calling Atlantic City home in the future

Not Just Talk—A Structured Plan

What impressed me is that this isn’t being rushed or treated like a press release. There’s a clear structure and timeline.

Over the next several months, the coalition will:

• Define how it’s governed and how decisions get made
• Identify incentives that attract residents and businesses—based on real Atlantic City conditions, not theory
• Develop employer-driven workforce programs that connect residents to stable, good-paying jobs
• Create a coordinated branding and marketing effort that tells a more complete story about Atlantic City
• And most importantly, transition all of this to local partners so it doesn’t disappear when the consultants leave

Who’s at the Table Matters

The coalition includes civic associations, colleges, banks, utilities, arts organizations, workforce groups, Visit Atlantic City, and longtime community voices. That matters, because Atlantic City doesn’t need solutions done to it—it needs solutions built with it.

As a coalition member, my role—like others—is to bring perspective, community connections, and a willingness to test ideas honestly. This means monthly meetings, real input, and accountability—not just showing up for a photo

The Big Question We Have to Answer

One of the most important parts of this process is deciding what comes first.

Is it attracting new residents?
Is it bringing in employers?
Is it better connecting current residents to jobs?
Or is it changing the way Atlantic City is seen as a place to live and work?

The truth is, all of these are connected—but the coalition is being asked to prioritize, focus, and move with intention

Why I’m Paying Attention

I’ve spent my career talking about Atlantic City—its challenges, its potential, and its people. What gives me cautious optimism here is that this effort is designed to be practical, collaborative, and local.

No one is pretending this will be easy. But for the first time in a while, there’s a serious, structured attempt to bring the right voices together and stay at the table long enough to actually build something.

That’s worth watching. And more importantly, it’s worth getting right.

I’ll keep you updated as this moves forward—because Atlantic City’s future shouldn’t be decided behind closed doors. It should be shaped by the people who care enough to show up.