Announcements

2024-2025 HouseNJ Legislative Priorities

The 2024-2025 legislative session kicked off with the historic passage of S50/A4, which establishes a new framework for municipalities as they fulfill their Mt. Laurel fair share housing obligations. Thanks to the advocacy efforts of Network members and A-Teams, this landmark legislation will give municipalities expanded tools to work with Network members to meet their 4th round obligations.

The Network continues to advance its HouseNJ policy priorities, including growing the Affordable Housing Trust Fund to address NJ's severe affordable home deficit and to anticipate the state's 4th round affordable housing obligations. Other HouseNJ goals include growing the Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit program, ending home appraisal bias, de-emphasizing credit scores for prospective affordable home applicants, and creating safe spaces during times of extreme heat. Network A-Teams will also continue to advocate for local and state-level rental protections and resources, including calling on the legislature to define what constitutes an "unconscionable" rent increase.

Programmatically, Network members and A-Teams will actively advocate for the implementation of essential tools like local land banks and the launch of the new Community Wealth Preservation Program.

Upcoming Events and Meetings

Atlantic County A-Team Meetings 2024: 
January 31, 2024 at Jewish Family Services - 11AM to 1PM

For more information, contact Matthew Hersh, Director of Policy and Advocacy at [email protected]

Upcoming Network Events:

First Friday Member Discussion
Friday, May 10, 2024 at 10AM

Atlantic Advocacy Team Meeting
Friday, May 17, 2024 at 11 AM

Under One Roof Conference
Tuesday, October 29, 2024 at the Hyatt Regency New Brunswick


Become a Member!

With over 250 members of affordable housing and community development corporations, individuals and others who support the creation of homes and economic opportunity for low- and moderate- income residents, the Network's goal is to make housing and community choices more balanced and equitable. We are proud to be NJ's premiere source for public policy advocacy, technical assistance and training resources, and cutting-edge research for our partners' community revitalization efforts. Click here to learn more!

Our members include:

  • Nonprofit affordable housing and 
    community development organizations
  • Community organizing agencies
  • Other community-based nonprofit organization
  • Technical assistance providers
  • Various social service agencies
  • Financial institutions
  • Builders and developers


County Background

Atlantic

With its rising average age, declining property values and population, Atlantic County has some fundamental economic challenges that affects its housing market. However, bright spots include rising household incomes and employment numbers. With a dozen Network advocates in place to move a grassroots agenda, the Atlantic County A-Team is ready to be up and running in early 2021.

Key policy focus:

  • Neighborhood Empowerment Safety Training (NEST)—Work with community leaders, neighborhood associations, elected officials, and other civic organizations to assess the built environment and a take a collaborative to address community safety needs. This approach will empower residents to reduce crime in their neighborhood.

  • Code Blue & Homelessness–State law allows for county homelessness trust funds to be used for code blue emergency shelter services. Among the policy focuses for the Atlantic A-Team is to encourage more comprehensive code blue services, in part, by establishing a county homelessness trust fund.

  • Healthy Homes – The Atlantic County A-Team will work to support the Network’s Community Health Action Mobilization Program and Strategies, or CHAMPS project. In the initial phase, the A-Team will:

    • Survey & analyze CDC participation in health system activities;
    • Analyze participation of health system leaders in community development work;
    • Review existing CHNAs;
    • Identify existing partnerships and opportunities for CDCs and health systems to work in concert
    • Follow CHAMPS’ longer-term, 24-month strategy

Resources

The following is a list of food, healthcare, housing, and financial resources along with resources for families, children, and seniors. Additional resources can be found here on our main resources page.

Atlantic County Housing Resource Guide (English/Spanish)

Emergency Assistance
An explanation of Emergency Assistance from the NJ Department of Human Services Division of Family Development.

SEED: Growing our Communities Program
Sponsored in partnership by the Network and New Jersey Community Capital (NJCC), this program provides HCDNNJ members and non-members access to low-cost, pre-development loans to support their economic development projects.

New Jersey HUD Certified Housing Counseling Organizations
This listing is of the HUD certified housing counseling organization that are part of the Network's housing intermediary sub grantee group.

Homelessness Trust Fund
This toolkit is to assist advocates in their efforts to help create County Homeless Trust Funds. Here you'll find a fact sheet, endorsements, model ordinance and county plans.