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Welcome to Community Matters, a newsletter connecting you to the Department of Community Affairs (DCA).
Lt. Governor Sheila Y. Oliver
DCA Commissioner
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“The Neighborhood Preservation Program helps to transform entire neighborhoods,” said Robert F. Halsch, Jr., president and CEO of Greater Bergen Community Action. “Next up is 105 units of approved transit-oriented housing, business improvement grants, and much more. NPP makes a small investment go a long way.”
“We are very grateful that we have been able to utilize NPP funding to help our small businesses during these difficult economic times,” said Heather Santoro, NPP coordinator and executive director of the Holly City Development Corporation. “So far, we have been able to assist seven businesses, have another six going through the approval process, and another five applications in varying stages. We are hopeful that we will be able to continue to find other resources to support these businesses with their ongoing needs as they work towards recovering.”
“New Jersey is called the Garden State for its fresh produce and strong support for local farmers. NPP has afforded us the opportunity to sustain and empower small businesses and neighborhoods to promote healthy lifestyles, while encouraging our residents and visitors to come to our downtown business district, thus becoming a destination for surrounding areas,” said City of Pleasantville Mayor Jesse L. Tweedle Sr. “It is with great pleasure and gratitude that we are blessed to have these programs and opportunities during these difficult times.”
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DCA ANNOUNCES $7.5 MILLION FOR THREE COVID-19 RELIEF PROGRAMS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
Recognizing the continued need for relief in communities as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) is today announcing $7.5 million in federal funding through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act for three programs to help neighborhoods and vulnerable small businesses financially impacted by the pandemic. The programs aim to promote the continued recovery and revitalization of communities that currently participate in the Neighborhood Preservation Program (NPP), Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit Program (NRTC), and Main Street New Jersey Program. DCA's COVID-19 Relief Programs are part of a larger coordinated State effort to quickly invest needed dollars into small businesses, small landlords, and impacted communities in the wake of the pandemic.
The Main Street New Jersey (MSNJ) COVID-19 Relief Program will provide $1.6 million in grant funds to District Management Organizations (DMO) that actively participate in MSNJ to fund eligible COVID-19 recovery activities and costs. Any DMO is eligible to participate. All activities must occur within the boundaries of the designated MSNJ district. Applications are due October 16, 2020. More Information
The Neighborhood Preservation (NPP) COVID-19 Relief Program will provide $2.6 million in grant funding to municipalities with neighborhood preservation plans for eligible COVID-19 response activities, including limited funding for local program administrative costs. Funds will only be allocated to municipalities with current approved NPP Implementation Plans through the local government or the NPP partner nonprofit that propose eligible COVID-19 response activities. Applications are due by October 7, 2020.
The Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit (NRTC) COVID-19 Relief Program will provide $3.1 million to organizations with NRTC neighborhood plans for eligible coronavirus response activities and costs. Nonprofit organizations with approved NRTC plans as of the FY20 application cycle that submit complete applications and that propose eligible COVID-19 response activities are eligible to apply. At least 60 percent of funds must be allocated for business uses and must be distributed by grantees to small businesses with a physical location in their neighborhood boundaries. Neighborhood boundaries can be viewed on DCA’s Community Asset Map. Funds can be distributed by grantees to businesses as grants. Applications are due by October 16, 2020. More Information
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NJHMFA EXPANDS AND REOPENS SMALL LANDLORD EMERGENCY GRANT PROGRAM
The New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA) recently announced the expansion and reopening of its Small Landlord Emergency Grant (SLEG) Program to assist vulnerable renters across the state by covering their missed rent from April through July 2020. The program will run until Tuesday, October 13th at 4 p.m. NJHMFA, whose mission is to increase the availability of and accessibility to safe, decent, and affordable housing to families in New Jersey, developed the SLEG Program to reimburse small landlords for missed or reduced rent payments between April 2020 and July 2020 due to COVID-19. Landlords approved for a grant must forgive any back rent or late fees incurred by their tenants.
$15 million in CARES Act funding has been allocated to fund the first and second rounds of the SLEG Program. All completed eligible applications will be randomly sorted by computer to give each applicant an equal chance of being funded. Grant funding will be allocated on a case-by-case basis, based on the number of COVID-impacted units and the amount of missed rent. A list of all successful landlord applicants will be posted to the NJHMFA website, and letters will be sent to all tenants of awarded landlords.
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FORECLOSURE, PRE-FORECLOSURE AND RENTAL COUNSELING
To aid homeowners facing hardship, the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency offers homeowners free pre-foreclosure and foreclosure counseling through its Foreclosure Mediation Assistance Program (FMAP). Counselors are available to provide assistance to help homeowners avoid potential foreclosure.
The program has also been expanded to include renters, who may be concerned with eviction. Counselors will guide renters on how to approach discussions with their landlords on dealing with their rent situation. Renters can also review a list of NJHMFA Properties Affected by Rent Increase Suspension to see if their property is affected by the recent rent increase freeze.
Renters can learn more about their rights and the resources available to them during the
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EVICTIONS AND LEGAL SERVICES
Executive Order 106 immediately suspends evictions throughout the state. Except in rare circumstances as determined by a court, the "eviction moratorium,” prevents tenants from being removed from their homes as a result of an eviction proceeding while the Executive Order remains in effect.
The eviction moratorium does not affect court proceedings; instead, it prevents lockouts and removals. The New Jersey Supreme Court controls court proceedings related to eviction and the court has issued an Order suspending the landlord/tenant calendar until further notice. While a landlord can file eviction papers, the court will not hear the case while its Order is in effect. Tenants are not required to enter into any mediation or out-of-court settlement arrangements, and should not feel compelled to do so if they are offered.
Tenants threatened with eviction can contact the following legal services organizations for help and representation (in some instances for free).
- Legal Services of New Jersey at (888) 576-5529
- Volunteer Lawyers for Justice at (973) 645-1955
- Community Health Law Project (for individuals with disabilities) at (973) 275-1175
- City of Newark’s Office of Tenant Legal Services (for Newark tenants) at (973) 877-9424
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DCA ANNOUNCES NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION PLANNING GRANT AWARDS
DCA recently awarded $543,000 in planning grants to 13 community-based nonprofit organizations through the Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit (NRTC) Program. The grants are designed to help eligible NRTC communities create neighborhood plans for their revitalization projects.
The NRTC Program is aimed at fostering the renewal of distressed neighborhoods. NRTC offers business entities a 100 percent tax credit against various state taxes in return for their investment in revitalizing low- and moderate-income communities. Community-based nonprofit organizations with federal 501(c)(3) status in prospective NRTC neighborhoods can request up to $50,000 in grant funding to help them prepare a neighborhood plan. The total available funding for the NRTC Planning Grants Program is $2 million annually.
The NRTC Planning Grant application is available online via DCA’s System for Administering Grants Electronically (SAGE). DCA’s Division of Housing and Community Resources administers the NRTC Program and ensures that the corporate funding is allocated to nonprofits for implementation of neighborhood revitalization plans.
Additional information about the NRTC Program and the recent grant awards can be found by visiting:
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MUNICIPALITIES AWARDED GRANTS TO PURSUE SHARED SERVICES TO DRIVE DOWN COSTS
In August, 19 municipalities were awarded grants through the Local Efficiency Achievement Program (LEAP). The grant awards will support implementation of a variety of shared services initiatives including equipment sharing, a community rating system, solid waste and recycling, public safety, fire district and jail consolidation, along with school consolidation studies, and advance early-stage projects related to economic development, medical examiners, health services, fire and emergency management, sewer infrastructure and animal control.
The LEAP program is comprised of three grant initiatives: Challenge, Implementation, and County Coordinator Fellowship. The Challenge grants promote innovation and collaboration on more expansive projects that produce shared services of notable significance. The Implementation grants help cover costs associated with the implementation of shared services and school feasibility studies and the County Coordinator Fellowship grants support the hiring of a fellow to work full-time to identify and advance shared service opportunities within a county.
Local governments interested in learning more about shared services can send an email to [email protected] or visit
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NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION PROGRAM (NPP) PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES FOR CREATIVE COMMUNITY PROJECTS
Last year was the first time in 11 years that DCA awarded NPP grants. A total of $2.5 million in grant funding was awarded to 20 municipalities. The grant funding was part of a larger effort by the Murphy Administration in 2019 to commit more resources to community revitalization programs that focus on small businesses and neighborhood improvement projects.
Twenty NPP municipalities are currently leveraging the $2.5 million total grant allocation with an additional $2.85 million of non-NPP resources from local government, private businesses and property owners, foundations, counties, other grants, and sponsorships. The NPP program provides direct financial resources, tailored technical assistance, and robust training to the 20 municipalities to conduct activities that strengthen threatened but viable neighborhoods through local planning, community participation, and local investment.
Since COVID-19 struck New Jersey, the NPP program has also supported grants for affected small businesses, local business gift-card programs, personal protective equipment for businesses, and outdoor dining equipment and facilities for restaurants.
The Department recently highlighted the City of Garfield, which used NPP funds to create an inspiring mural located in the heart of the City of Garfield’s River to Rail District, which connects the Passaic River waterfront with the Garfield Train Station. The mural transformed a previously uninviting wall into a unique, eye-catching mural that gives residents, merchants, visitors, and train passengers passing by an authentic sense of place and the impression that Garfield is a community on the move.
This past Spring, the City of Millville launched a COVID-19 Response Pilot Program to help save independent small businesses in Center City Millville in the short term and assist them in becoming more sustainable and profitable in the long term. The response program has helped save seven small businesses and retain 18 jobs.
The City of Pleasantville kicked off its #FeelGoodFarmersMarket, which is steadily growing in popularity since it launched in June 2020 in the City's downtown business district. Made possible with grant funding awarded by DCA to the City in 2019, the farmers market is one of the few in the region to accept benefits from New Jersey residents and families who are enrolled in the State’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
For more information on NPP and eligible grant activities, visit
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MONARCH HOUSING ASSOCIATES AND DCA PARTNER TO ESTABLISH A TRANSFORMATIVE PLANNING PROCESS CENTERING ON RACIAL EQUITY
Monarch Housing Associates and DCA's Office of Homelessness Prevention (OHP) recently announced a new partnership to address racial inequity in services provided to people who are homeless. The OHP will join 10 communities throughout the state, in partnership with Monarch and National Innovation Service (NIS), to begin the critical work of centering the homelessness service system on racial equity.
The project will focus on establishing a baseline understanding of the impact of racism on homelessness and creating pathways for people with lived experience of homelessness to participate in the decision-making process of the homelessness service system. DCA is providing nearly $30,000 in Community Service Block Grant funding for this initiative.
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NEW EDITION OF TRUTH IN RENTING GUIDE IS NOW AVAILABLE
An updated edition of the Truth in Renting guide is now posted on the Department’s website as a resource for residential tenants and landlords to learn about their legal rights and responsibilities.
The reference guide includes information about lease agreements; payment and collection of rent; habitability; evictions; senior citizens and protected tenants; foreclosures; security deposits; and other topics pertaining to residential tenancies in New Jersey.
The Truth in Renting guide is periodically updated to include the most current information available. Because the Truth in Renting guide is a general resource document, it is not meant to reflect the special circumstances that New Jersey is experiencing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the guide does not include Executive Orders or COVID-19 response programs related to housing since they are temporary in nature. While the guide does not reference these specific COVID-19 policies, they remain in effect in accordance with the applicable Executive Orders and program guidelines.
To view the Truth in Renting Guide in both English and Spanish, visit:
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STATEWIDE RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND SMALL BUSINESS RECOVERY PROGRAMS
In the wake of the devastating COVID-19 pandemic, DCA is working in coordination with the New Jersey Redevelopment Authority, New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority to provide innovative programs designed to assist small and micro businesses, vulnerable landlords, renters, and our communities.
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ELIGIBILITY SCREENING TOOL FOR DCA PROGRAMS
DCAid is an eligibility screening tool designed to help New Jersey residents find available DCA housing-related assistance programs for which they may qualify. The eligibility screening process is user friendly and takes only 1-2 minutes to complete.
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DCA CAN ASSIST WITH HOME HEATING BILLS - NEW ONLINE APPLICATION AVAILABLE
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a federally-funded program that assists low-income households with their heating bills and provides emergency heating system services and emergency fuel assistance.
To be eligible for LIHEAP assistance, households must be responsible for home heating or cooling costs, either directly or included in the rent, and have a gross income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Persons who live in public housing and/or receive rental assistance are not eligible unless they are responsible for their own heating/cooling costs paid directly to the fuel supplier. The amount of the LIHEAP heating benefit is determined by income, household size, fuel type, and county of residence. The average LIHEAP benefit for a household this past heating season was approximately $300.
Presently, the utility shutoff moratorium enacted to prevent shutoffs for both residential and commercial customers is set to end on October 15.
Call NJ211 if you or someone you know needs assistance.
Households can visit: nj.gov/dca/dcaid to find out if they are eligible for DCA's assistance programs.
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FREE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
DCA's Office of Local Planning Services (LPS) has made an ongoing commitment to provide FREE technical assistance to local governments.
Need assistance with planning services including master plans and redevelopment plans, land use planning and mapping, economic development plans or special municipal projects?
LPS can help. Interested municipalities can contact LPS Director Sean Thompson at 609-292-1716 or via email at [email protected].
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IS YOUR MUNICIPALITY INTERESTED IN SHARED SERVICES?
The DCA's Division of Local Government Services' (DLGS) Local Assistance Bureau (LAB) offers technical assistance for each step of the shared services process from identification through implementation at no cost.
The goal of the Bureau is to cultivate best practices in local governments and to link local agencies that might be facing challenges to the State’s comprehensive network of resources. DCA is encouraging any local government agency that has a specific need or an idea that requires assistance to reach out to the Local Assistance Bureau (LAB) within DLGS to set up a consultation. The Bureau’s technical assistance advisors have years of expertise and a track record of producing efficiencies and achieving savings in municipalities.
The Bureau can also provide shared services and consolidation assistance to help towns achieve property tax savings.
For more information on the Local Assistance Bureau, local government officials can send an email to [email protected].
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COMMUNITY ASSET MAP
The Community Asset Map is an interactive mapping tool that makes it possible to see the characteristics and amenities of each of New Jersey's 565 communities. Municipal leaders, businesses, and even homeowners can use the Community Asset Map to help make strategic development and investment decisions that will benefit their communities.
The mapping tool provides overlay options that allow users to view valuable economic, local planning, environmental, and workforce statistics as well as predominant land uses, property sales, and job density. These features allow potential investors and stakeholders to view where the State has targeted its investments through special designations, such as Urban Enterprise Zones, Transit Villages, Opportunity Zones, and the projects within them.
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NEW JERSEY REDEVELOPMENT TRAINING INSTITUTE
OCTOBER 20, 2020
NEW JERSEY REDEVELOPMENT TRAINING INSTITUTE
STRATEGIES TO MINIMIZE THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF GENTRIFICATION
NORTH JERSEY TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AUTHORITY
ONE NEWARK CENTER, 17TH FLOOR
NEWARK, NJ 07102
Gentrification and its various issues that affect a community’s history and culture and reduce social capital among the lower income population will be discussed. Also, the workshop will present many economic benefits to the existing residents, the neighborhood, and the city as a whole. The workshop will explore various causes and effects, as well as discuss such important issues as socio-cultural change, housing, transportation, equity and economics. In addition, participants will learn practical methods of promoting participatory activities in communities, and the conditions and practical techniques for developing partnerships, collaborations and integration. This is a must for planners, developers, municipal representatives, elected officials and community residents.
6.4 CLEs - Supreme Court of New Jersey Board on Continuing Legal Education
For more information and to register visit NJRA-RTI.
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SPECIAL MAIN STREET NEW JERSEY INSTITUTE SERIES ON
COVID-19 RECOVERY
OCTOBER 14, 2020 - 1 P.M.
MAIN STREET FORWARD: PLANNING FOR RECOVERY WEBINAR
Recovery from the global pandemic for downtowns and urban commercial districts across the U.S. won't simply occur by way of government proclamations to reopen, nor a reopen marketing endeavor to bring customers back downtown. Creating a safe commercial district conducive to shopping, getting a haircut, participating in a fitness class, eating in a restaurant, or attending a special event will all be greatly dependent upon having an informed and strategic recovery plan. Your recovery work plan will position your organization with a road map, a leadership position in the recovery, and an opportunity to secure implementation resources through advocacy.
This webinar will also include important updates from Main Street New Jersey, as well all upcoming new technical services for accredited programs.
Register in advance for this webinar:
More information about additional webinars, including the ones below, can be found by visiting the Main Street America's website.
NOVEMBER 10, 2020 - 1 P.M.
CREATIVE RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT IN A COVID WORLD
DECEMBER 8, 2020 - 1 P.M.
LEADING THROUGH RECOVERY - LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
JANUARY 12, 2021 - 1 P.M.
DESIGN AND THE IMPACT OF COVID
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