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

Middlesex County A-Team Meetings 2024:
Friday, March 15, 11AM-1PM, Reformed Church of Highland Park

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

Middlesex Advocacy Team Meeting
Tuesday, May 28, 2024 at 11 AM

Middlesex Advocacy Team Meeting
Friday, September 6, 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

Middlesex

The Middlesex A-Team comprises 25 towns right at the crossroads of New Jersey’s major throughways. It also includes more New Jersey Turnpike exits than any other county in the state and contains four and soon to be five stops on New Jersey Transit’s Northeast Corridor – the busiest passenger rail line in the country. It also contains two stops, in Woodbridge and Perth Amboy, along the North Jersey Coast Line.

Because of this, redevelopment and inclusion of affordable housing is critical as towns look to develop near transit centers and subsequent neighborhood improvement takes place. The Middlesex A-Team and its nearly 20 affordable housing practitioners and advocates are working to make sure the county remains inclusive and affordable.

Key policy focus:

  • Redevelopment and advocating for higher affordability percentages, scattered-site affordability, and more.

  • Single-family lots –Achieve market-rate affordability through multi-family homes on single-family lots. The Middlesex A-Team can explore local or statewide legislation that better enables market-rate affordability and allows towns to fulfill their COAH obligations using other means.

  • Code Blue – Middlesex County towns have an uneven and inconsistent approach to code blue and not every town has a location to which to send its homeless residents, resulting in an inefficient and messy process where police from other towns are transporting homeless persons out of their towns for shelter. A Middlesex County A-Team will advocate for county-wide uniformity, clear communications, and designated code blue spaces.

  • The Arts–Public art and public art displays are integral to sustainable communities. Through our members, including Middlesex member CoLab, the Middlesex A-Team will encourage arts initiatives that promote neighborhood revival.

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.

Middlesex 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.