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Over 300 Return ‘Under One Roof’ to Further Efforts to HouseNJ 10/25/2022 Hundreds of community development leaders, housing advocates and policy makers convened in-person for the first time since the onset of the pandemic on Friday, October 21, to discuss investments, policies and best practices to help HouseNJ and strengthen NJ communities. Organized by the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey (the Network), Under One Roof: The Network’s Annual Community Development Conference and Membership Meeting included topical workshops, awards for municipalities engaged in housing development, the presentation of the Community Development Champion Award to the Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz (D-29) and a lifetime achievement presentation to retired Senator Ronald L. Rice. In her acceptance of the 2022 Community Development Champion Award, Senate Majority Leader Ruiz thanked Under One Roof attendees for advocacy efforts that led to the passage of a bill she sponsored to enhance NJ’s lead poisoning prevention measures. “It takes a collective consciousness to make sure that we are focused on policy that protects every human being in the state of New Jersey,” said Ruiz. “I am in a debt of gratitude to all of you for your advocacy, your partnership, your power and for always remembering that without healthy communities, we are nowhere in the Garden State.” Network President and Chief Executive Officer Staci Berger emphasized the message that housing is health and described the structural challenges NJ residents faced obtaining housing stability as a result of the pandemic. The Conference’s plenary discussion, Advancing Racial Equity Starts at Home: Building a Diverse and Inclusive Community Development Sector, explored the policies, programs and resources that community development corporations – especially BIPOC, small urban and women developers – can use to create affordable homes while overcoming institutional and structural barriers on the path to racial equity and housing justice. Panelists included NJ Economic Development Authority Chief Community Officer Tai Cooper, National Low Income Housing Coalition Senior Housing Advocacy Organizer Lindsay Duvall, Urban Institute Equity Scholar and Principal Research Associate Michael Neal, ESR Advisors Principal and Managing Partner Craig Sawyer. Incoming Network Board Vice Chair and Gateway Community Action Partnership Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Edward Bethea served as moderator. In addition to honoring Senate Majority Leader Ruiz, the Network also presented Senator Ronald Rice with the 2022 Assemblyman Jerry Green Legacy Award in recognition of his role as longtime chair of the NJ Legislative Black Caucus and as one of NJ’s longest-serving state senators in NJ history. Senator Rice was honored for his tenacious leadership creating the Lead Hazard Control Fund and the State Rental Assistance Program. He also shepherded the Foreclosure Mediation Program, renter protections and a host of other housing programs. HomeFront founder Connie Mercer was also honored as the 2022 Hall of Heroes inductee for her unwavering efforts to end homelessness over the last three decades. Mercer launched HomeFront to organize volunteers to deliver meals and clothing to homeless families living in motels along Route 1 in Mercer County. The organization has since grown to over 100 employees and over 3000 volunteers to comprehensively address the needs of NJ’s homeless. Other honorees included:
The event was sponsored by JP Morgan Chase, M&T Bank and Valley National Bank among others. Featured sessions included topics on healthy homes, tenant protections, art in community development, housing counseling, land acquisition, neighborhood revitalization, racial equity, and state and federal public policy. The full program for the event is available here. About the Housing and Community Development Network of NJ |
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