Rep. Payne, Jr. Leads Letter to NJ Governor Murphy to Get More COVID-19 Housing Funds to Tenants 

Washington, D.C. — Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr. led a letter today to New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy to ask him to release more federal COVID-19 stimulus money immediately to help struggling tenants and landlords.  The letter was co-signed by the entire New Jersey Democratic House delegation.

The letter comes after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an eviction moratorium from the Centers for Disease Control last week that put millions of Americans at risk of evictions.  New Jersey residents are spared such actions because Governor Murphy extended the state’s eviction moratorium until December 31, 2021.  In addition to the Supreme Court decision, recent media reports said states have not spent almost 90 percent of the federal stimulus money to support Americans who face evictions nationwide.

“We need to get these funds to vulnerable residents immediately before they lose their housing,” said Rep. Payne, Jr.  “I am proud that Governor Murphy understands the problem and extended the eviction moratorium until the end of this year.  Now, I want to work with him and his team to help eligible residents apply for and receive the funding necessary to help them and their landlords pay bills.  No one should have to live with the stress of possibly losing their home during this public health crisis.”

In the letter, Rep. Payne, Jr. asked Governor Murphy to “expedite the bulk advance payments to landlords and utility companies” to help “prevent evictions, foreclosures, and utility shut-offs.”  The letter supported Governor Murphy’s efforts already to help vulnerable residents and stated that New Jersey’s Congressional delegation shared “the same goals to ensure that these funds are distributed as quickly as possible to allow tenants to pay their back rent and outstanding utility bills while they still have some time.”

The full letter is below.

August 30, 2021

The Honorable Philip D. Murphy

Governor of the State of New Jersey

Office of the Governor

225 W. State Street

Trenton, NJ 08625

Dear Governor Murphy:

In an effort to further assist vulnerable tenants and landlords during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Biden Administration recently directed the U.S. Treasury Department to expand the Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program. This directive encourages state and local governments to confirm eligibility for ERA via self-attestation without additional documentation. The Administration also granted states permission to send bulk payments to landlords and utility companies in advance of federal support. This will accelerate the delivery of assistance to households in need and prevent evictions and foreclosures. We understand that your administration has been at the forefront of these types of accommodations, and we are thankful for your compassionate leadership during these difficult times.

We applaud your ongoing efforts to improve access to ERA funds and get money to people as quickly as possible. We respectfully urge you to ensure that your self-attestation process provides the maximum flexibility allowed by these new guidelines. This will allow households on the brink of eviction to qualify for assistance without having to produce extensive documents or undergo a lengthy confirmation process. Families are hurting now, and the sooner these funds are distributed, the sooner families will have the certainty that comes from stable and consistent housing.

We also respectfully request that you expedite the bulk advance payments to landlords and utility companies. By ensuring that these bills will be paid, the bulk payments will immediately take some pressure off landlords and utility companies and help to prevent evictions, foreclosures, and utility shut-offs.

We are thankful for your efforts to protect tenants through New Jersey’s statewide eviction moratorium, which ends on December 31, 2021 for the State’s most vulnerable residents, particularly in the wake of the Supreme Court’s disastrous decision to abruptly end the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) eviction moratorium. We share the same goals to ensure that these funds are distributed as quickly as possible to allow tenants to pay their back rent and outstanding utility bills while they still have some time.

We are grateful for your urgency and compassion as we work to keep families in their homes during an unprecedented public health crisis and were pleased to learn that your administration has put forward additional federal funds through the American Rescue Plan towards rental and public utility assistance.  Please do not hesitate to reach out and let us know if there is further federal assistance needed, as we work in a collaborative manner to help New Jerseyans.