NJ Housing and Community Development Association Selected as National Organizing Award Recipient

4/7/2021

The Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey (the Network) was honored for its “Build a Thriving NJ” campaign by the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), a national non-profit organization dedicated to achieving socially just public policy to ensure people with the lowest incomes in the U.S. have affordable and decent homes. The Housing Organizing Award honors organizations and campaigns for their achievements in expanding affordable homes for renters with the lowest incomes in 2020 and 2021. The Network was presented with the award at this month’s 2021 Housing Policy Forum: A New Day hosted by NLIHC.

NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel emphasized the importance of state and local organizing efforts to expand renter protections and affordable housing resources and expressed her appreciation for the extraordinary work of this year’s honorees. “As we have seen throughout the pandemic, it is critical that advocates push at all levels of government for the expansion of renter protections and additional resources for affordable, accessible, and decent housing for those with the fewest resources,” said Ms. Yentel. “NLIHC is honored to present the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey, Just Housing Initiative, Oklahoma Coalition for Affordable Housing, and Housing Justice League with these awards to recognize their outstanding organizing achievements. All four organizations and campaigns show the power of local organizing to address past inequities and to push for a more just housing policy.”

The Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey received the 2020 Statewide Organizing Award for the “Build a Thriving NJ” Campaign that won significant new sources for affordable home development. As part of the campaign, the Network organized and mobilized 300 community leaders, elected officials, and stakeholders to win three significant outcomes: restoring the New Jersey Affordable Housing Trust Fund to full funding in the 2021 state budget, addressing the needs of people experiencing homelessness, and increasing the Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit.

“Thank you NLIHC for this recognition and support of our efforts to get New Jersey’s leaders to preserve and protect state funding to ‘build a thriving New Jersey,’” said Staci Berger, president and CEO of the Network. “These investments are economic revitalization tools that help create jobs and affordable, healthy homes and communities as well as strengthen our neighborhoods. We are finally on the right path, but our work will continue until we make New Jersey a place everyone can afford to call home.”

In addition to the Network, other 2020 and 2021 Organizing Award winners included the Just Housing Initiative in Illinois; Oklahoma Coalition for Affordable Housing (OCAH), and Housing Justice League in Atlanta, Georgia. 2020 award recipients were honored at this year’s event after the coronavirus pandemic delayed the announcement and presentation of the 2020 awards.

To view video of the Network’s award winning campaign, please visit https://youtu.be/j2Obw2X0cqg.

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 270 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.

For more information: Nina Rainiero
(609) 393-3752 x1200
Website: hcdnnj.org
Twitter site: twitter.com/hcdnnj
Facebook site: facebook.com/hcdnnj