Welcome to Community Matters, a newsletter connecting you to the Department of Community Affairs (DCA).
I'm pleased to offer you this month's edition of Community Matters. Please click on the video to hear my welcome message.
Lt. Governor Sheila Y. Oliver
DCA Commissioner
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HOW IS DCA MAKING A DIFFERENCE?
MAIN STREET NEW JERSEY
“We are so grateful to the Main Street Program of the State of New Jersey for further supporting our recovery efforts in Downtown Montclair. It’s great to know that the BID has the trust and the support of the State in our recovery efforts.”
Lisa Johnson
President, Montclair Center BID
AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND
“The Township is thrilled to partner with Habitat for Humanity on this project, and we thank the DCA for the support. The Township is committed to providing quality affordable housing, and this project is a great example of how municipalities can work successfully with developers to further that goal. When completed, the Township and Habitat for Humanity will have transformed three underdeveloped properties into 10 new, affordable homes for qualified families. There is nothing that makes the Township Committee and I more proud than to be a part of projects like this that mutually benefit everyone in the community. On behalf of the Township Committee, I want to thank Habitat for Humanity and the DCA for partnering with us.”
Mayor Stephen Benowitz
Bordentown Township
"Montvale is extremely pleased that DCA has decided to fund this important project. The receipt of this award will help provide needed affordable housing to hard-working families without burdening local residents and taxpayers. This program is a perfect example of a private developer, a State agency and local government working cooperatively for the benefit of New Jersey residents."
Mayor Mike Ghassali
Borough of Montvale
NJRA SMALL BUSINESS LEASE EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM
“I was terrified I wouldn’t be able to maintain operations. I had to totally pivot my entire business to an all-virtual platform from March until July. However, I was blessed when I learned about New Jersey Redevelopment Authority’s grant, since it would help me hold on to the locations. I was able to reopen in September at 25% capacity and this grant is allowing me to continue to meet my rent obligations.”
Newark and New Brunswick
“This grant has been a lifeline for my business. The core of my business is celebration and togetherness, and, because people are not having as many large events, our business has certainly been negatively impacted. Orders were down. Rent is my biggest expense, and having the cushion of the New Jersey Redevelopment Authority grant has been our saving grace as we continue to weather this pandemic.”
Stacy Welch, Owner of LiVay Sweet Shop
Plainfield, NJ
A lot of our customers are state workers. When the shutdown occurred, we were concerned about how we would survive. My mother is a hard worker. She’s never been a big fan of collecting unemployment or anything like that. But, since COVID-19 has affected so many small businesses, she had to do what she had to do. We were fortunate to have the support of New Jersey Redevelopment Authority’s grant and the continued loyalty of our customers. The grant has been a big help with the things a business owner doesn’t usually have to think about like utilities and rent."
Caesar Pareda, Business City Deli II
Trenton, NJ
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ADDITIONAL COVID-19 RELIEF FUNDING PROVIDED FOR COMMUNITIES IN THE MAIN STREET NJ AND NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION PROGRAMS
An additional $5 million in federal funding through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was made available in December for the Neighborhood Preservation Program (NPP) and Main Street New Jersey Program (MSNJ) to help neighborhoods and vulnerable small businesses financially impacted by the pandemic.
The Main Street New Jersey (MSNJ) COVID-19 Relief Program provided an additional $1.4 million in grant funds to District Management Organizations (DMO) that actively participate in MSNJ to fund eligible COVID-19 recovery activities and costs. This funding is in addition to the $1.6 million in relief funds that the program received in early October and has since awarded to DMOs throughout the state. Any DMO is eligible to participate. All activities must occur within the boundaries of the designated MSNJ district.
The Neighborhood Preservation (NPP) COVID-19 Relief Program provided an additional $3.5 million in grant funding to municipalities with NPP plans for eligible COVID-19 response activities, including limited funding for local program administrative costs. This funding is in addition to the $2.6 million in relief funds that the program received in early October and has since awarded to municipalities throughout the state. Funds are only 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.
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LOCAL GOVERNMENT EMERGENCY FUND AIDS COUNTIES AND MUNICIPALITIES
The COVID-19 crisis has severely impacted county and local governments in New Jersey, and they are facing increased costs in health benefits, health and human services, public safety, overtime, equipment, and supply expenditures. The Local Government Emergency Fund helps counties and municipalities around the state address the essential and unexpected expenditures necessitated by the pandemic. These expenditures include public safety and health-related expenses, increased residential and health-related garbage collection, remote working technology, and health-related retrofit expenses for reopening public buildings. The Emergency Fund has been a lifeline for local governments as they continue to respond to the needs of their constituents during the ongoing public health emergency.
For a full list of municipal allocations broken down by county, please click here:
The application period has ended. County and local government officials may contact program staff at [email protected] to discuss program and project needs.
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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 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 up to 2 months beyond the duration of the public health emergency. Accordingly, the moratorium on removals will now lift no sooner than April 1, 2021.
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 SEEKING ORGANIZATIONS TO BECOME MAIN STREET NEW JERSEY DISTRICTS
Application Period Open from February 1 to March 31
For the first time since 2015, DCA is accepting applications and will be designating qualified communities to join the MSNJ program. The prestigious MSNJ designation allows communities to receive on- and off-site technical assistance and training in downtown revitalization and management. It also allows MSNJ communities to apply for grant opportunities to assist with physical improvement projects in their designated districts.
To apply, applicants must be a recognized 501(c)(3), (c)(4) or (c)(6) organization with the primary mission of revitalizing a commercial district and shall have municipal support codified by a resolution of the host municipality. Application guidelines and criteria can be found on the DCA website at: nj.gov/dca/divisions/lps/msnj.html. All documents must be sent via email to [email protected]. Applications will be accepted from February 1 through March 31, 2021 and will be evaluated independently by MSNJ staff and various state agencies. DCA will designate and announce the new MSNJ communities in May 2021. Read the Press Release
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NEW JERSEY HISTORIC TRUST ANNOUNCES NEW NEW JERSEY HISTORIC PRESERVATION GRANT ROUND
Applications Due by: April 29, 2021
The New Jersey Historic Trust (Trust) is accepting applications for the Preserve New Jersey Historic Preservation Fund. Applications must be submitted by April 29, 2021.
This year, the Trust will offer both planning and heritage tourism (Historic Site Management) grants and ‘bricks and mortar’ (Capital Preservation) grants. Eligible applicants are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, as well as units of county, municipal or state government. Eligible properties must be certified eligible for listing on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places by August 2, 2021.
Photo: East Pointe Lighthouse
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DCA LAUNCHES HOUSING FIRST EXPANSION TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF HOUSING AND SERVICES FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING LONG-TERM HOMELESSNESS
The Housing First Expansion is an initiative to engage regional stakeholders in a planning process to address unsheltered and chronic homelessness across the state. The Housing First Expansion (HFE) will use lessons learned from previous Housing First projects to help create a consistent Housing First strategy and implementation plan for the state.
Housing First is a nationally recognized approach that focuses on moving individuals and families experiencing homelessness into safe, permanent housing as soon as possible and then providing supportive services to help them remain in their home. Guiding this approach is a belief that housing is a basic need that must be met before people can concentrate on activities such as employment, substance abuse treatment, household budgeting, education, and mental and behavioral health.
The HFE will engage community stakeholders, including philanthropic organizations, in a coordinated way and foster partnerships to develop high-quality Housing First projects, fund an innovation pool for projects, and share data collection.
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DCA LAUNCHES OPEN DATA PORTAL (ODP) TO THE PUBLIC
The Division recently made available Phase I of its Open Data Portal. This database is directly connected to the Financial Automation Submission & Tracking (FAST) system. It makes full documents and various data points available for public view. In addition to data collected through FAST, the Open Data Portal provides general information about each municipality and county, including form of government, population, and contact information.
Currently, users may access the Annual Debt Statement and Supplemental Debt Statement for municipalities and counties from 2017 to present. The Open Data Portal not only allows users to access these documents, but also contains an interactive “Debt” tile that allows for the comparison of Net Debt expressed as a percentage of Average Equalized Valuation across multiple municipalities and counties, which is displayed on a representative and searchable heat map.
The Division will continue to expand the availability of data across categories and metrics as its data pool increases. The portal will ultimately permit search and comparison of all statutorily required financial documents submitted through FAST, as well as a complementary suite of data exploration tools that empower users to easily compare a variety of metrics across local units based on similar demographics, geography, or location. Visit the Open Data Portal
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DCA ANNOUNCES FIRST ROUND OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST FUND AWARDS
More than $19 million was recently awarded through the Affordable Housing Trust Fund (AHTF). The projects, located in Bergen, Burlington, Monmouth, Cape May, Camden, and Passaic counties, will result in 83 affordable homeownership and rental housing units.
The Department of Community Affairs (DCA) administers this flexible funding tool, which allows for the development of different types of affordable housing projects, which help create stronger, fairer communities in which people can afford to live.
The AHTF is allocated through three funds: Municipal Settlement Fund, Neighborhood Partnership Fund, and the Innovation Fund, all focused on creating housing for households earning less than 80 percent of Area Median Income (AMI), with preferences for providing units with deeper affordability. To ensure flexibility in response to demonstrated demand for these different funds, the Commissioner of DCA may adjust the allocations between them to ensure that the AHTF is addressing affordable housing needs in the state as efficiently as possible.
Selected projects demonstrated municipal leverage; participation in other state-funded community development initiatives; partnerships with private sector investors; sustainability/resilience; walkability; mixed-use; accessibility; and addressing gentrification.
The maximum subsidy for a given project financed through the Municipal Settlement and Neighborhood Partnership Funds is $6 million, while the maximum amount provided per project through the Innovation Fund is $2 million. All housing units receiving AHTF financing must be deed-restricted for a minimum of 20 years.
Click here for more information about the program. Read more about the projects here.
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LEGAL RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES FOR TENANTS AND LANDLORDS
An updated edition of the Truth in Renting guide is 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 declared COVID-19 State of Emergency. 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 has been enacted to prevent shutoffs for both residential and commercial customers and is set to end on March 15, 2021.
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
Need assistance with planning services including master plans and redevelopment plans, land use planning and mapping, economic development plans or special municipal projects?
DCA's Office of Local Planning Services (LPS) has made an ongoing commitment to provide FREE technical assistance to local governments.
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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