Actress and musician Queen Latifah helped break ground Tuesday at a new mixed-use housing project in Newark – a deal made possible through her real estate development firm.

Latifah, born Dana Owens, is co-president of Blue Sugar Corporation, a real estate development firm that's partnered with two other firms to bring a total of 76 townhome units and 1,900-square-feet of space for a nonprofit to Springfield Avenue, near 19th Avenue, South 16th Street and South 17th Street.

“To me, Newark is ours. Newark is yours. And I don't want people to think that they can't live in their own communities,” she told News 12.

Latifah says 16 of the 76 units at the Rise Living development will be affordable housing. Pre-leasing at there is expected to begin in July.

Mayor Ras Baraka called the development a “linchpin” for the area.

“I'm so grateful that we get to do it in the way that's happening today,” he said.

Queen Latifah, who grew up a mile away from the development site, currently stars in the TV show “The Equalizer” which has shot episodes in Paterson and Jersey City.