Award part of over $19M distributed through the Affordable Housing Trust Fund

The Murphy Administration today announced the award of $1,250,000 to the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey (the Network) to develop and implement outreach strategies to raise awareness of tenant rights, the eviction process, and eviction prevention resources across the state referred to as the Anti-Eviction Pilot. The Network will also provide training and technical assistance to the 48 housing counseling agencies across the state to enable them to serve renters and work with small and non-profit landlords and tenants to develop and implement a mediation process to prevent eviction. The award is part of the state’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund which is administered by the Department of Community Affairs (DCA). On the announcement, Network President and Chief Executive Officer Staci Berger issued the following statement:

“This is the first time in nearly a decade that funds intended for creating affordable homes will be spent as intended: making our state a place everyone can afford to call home. We thank Governor Murphy, Lt. Governor Oliver and Legislature for making this historic investment in the Trust Fund which will be used in communities around the state to create all kinds of affordable homes and help tenants and homeowners hardest hit by the pandemic.”

“The distribution of these funds comes at a time when so many NJ residents are struggling to make ends meet and when having an affordable home is vital to economic and public health. We are grateful to the Lt. Governor and the entire Murphy Administration for supporting our work to help tenants and homeowners stay safely and stably housed during and after the pandemic. The Network’s members and staff are proud to be able to help strengthen our communities and build a thriving NJ.”

About the Housing and Community Development Network of NJ
The Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey is the statewide association of more than 250 community development corporations, individuals and other organizations that support the creation of affordable homes, economic opportunities, and strong communities. For more information on the Network, visit www.hcdnnj.org.