Still, there is a growing contingent who believe Paterson is primed for revival, imagining a renaissance propelled by what they see as the city’s most promising assets: its diversity (dozens of ethnic groups live here) and a rich history (Alexander Hamilton helped found it). And there are the Great Falls, an unlikely scene of natural splendor in the middle of an urban center, a national park where water from the Passaic River cascades over a 77-foot cliff.

“We keep saying it’s Paterson’s time,” said Inge Spungen, the executive director of the Paterson Alliance, a collective of nonprofits. “A lot of the other cities around us have come back. Newark and Jersey City have had improvements in their cities. I think a lot of people believe it’s Paterson’s turn.”

Yet for all the optimistic talk, there are visible reminders of the city’s chronic problems. Mr. Sayegh follows a mayor, Joey Torres, who was sentenced to five years in prison for corruption, and the Police Department is the target of a federal investigation, which has already led to the arrests of several officers on suspected civil rights violations and narcotics charges.

Ruby Cotton, the City Council president, said she regularly hears from residents complaining about a lack of jobs, the need for economic development and shortcomings in the quality of life. “They’re looking for peace and quiet,” Ms. Cotton said.