The Honorable Sheila Y. Oliver Community Development Champion Award,
The Honorable Andrew Zwicker, NJ Senate, Legislative District 16
The Network's Community Development Champion Award is presented to allies of the community development sector who have made meaningful contributions to building strong, affordable communities.This year, we are pleased to announce that New Jersey Senator Andrew Zwicker (D-Middlesex/Mercer/Somerset/Hunterdon) has been selected as the recepient of this year's The Hon. Sheila Y. Oliver Community Development Award. This award is presented to allies of the community development sector who have made meaningful contributions to building strong, affordable communities. This year, we are pleased to announce that New Jersey Senator Andrew Zwicker (D-Middlesex/Mercer/Somerset/Hunterdon) has been selected as this year’s award recipient. Since joining the NJ Assembly in 2016, the now Senator Zwicker has been a resolute champion of programs and policies that help HouseNJ. His long support for affordable homes in NJ was recently demonstrated by his vote to pass legislation that reforms and strengthens fair housing obligations in the state. Also, this year, Senator Zwicker introduced a budget resolution to double the cap on the Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit Program as well as voted against an overhaul of the Open Public Records Act which places insurmountable restrictions on access to public information. For all his efforts to help HouseNJ, we are proud to name Andrew Zwicker the Hon. Sheila Y. Oliver Community Development Champion for 2024.

Exceptional Community Partner,
Center for Community Progress
The Center for Community Progress (Community Progress) has worked alongside the Network for over a decade to transform vacant spaces into vibrant places. The organization has been a valuable resource to NJ communities in our shared effort to address vacant and abandoned properties by offering technical assistance and training opportunities as well as advocacy and research. Headquartered in Flint, Michigan, Community Progress was instrumental in the Network’s efforts to pass a land bank law in NJ. We began working together in 2011 when the Network partnered with Community Progress to host the Summer Institute for Community Leadership, a targeted initiative to revitalize distressed neighborhoods. Today, we continue to work alongside Community Progress to help local communities implement their own land banks. For this long-standing, successful partnership, we are pleased to honor the Center for Community Progress with the Exceptional Community Partners Award.

Advocacy and Organizing Award,
For the Many NJ
For the Many NJ is a statewide budget coalition working to promote a fairer tax code and renewed investments in traditionally underserved communities. Convened by Network member NJ Policy Perspective, For the Many NJ includes allies like Fair Share Housing Center, Make the Road NJ, NJ Alliance for Immigrant Justice, NJ Citizen Action, NJ Working Families Party and of course, the Network.

The coalition advocates for sensible revenue raisers in the state budget, as well as greater transparency in the budget-setting process and state government in general. This past year, in light of continued budget shortfalls for NJ Transit and a 15% fare hike for NJ Transit riders, For the Many NJ successfully campaigned to have a enacted Corporate Transit Fee as part of the fiscal year 2025 budget. This 2.5% surtax, levied on businesses with annual state taxable net income in excess of $10 million, will help to prevent NJ Transit from passing even more of their fiscal burden onto the working class people who primarily make up their ridership. For their work on the Corporate Transit Fee, greater transparency, and fighting for revenue raisers, the Network is honoring For the Many NJ with the 2024 Advocacy & Organizing Award.

OUTSTANDING PROJECT AWARDS

Healthy Homes and Communities
NJ Community Development Corporation
Project: Barclay Place Apartments

Princeton Community Housing
Project: Jim and Fannie Floyd House

New Development
Parkside Business and Community in Partnership
Project: 10 New Affordable Homes in Parkside Neighborhood 


Homes for All
Project: Autumn Ridge at Manitou Park


Homes by TLC
Project: Hopewell Parc

Redevelopment
The Community Builders
Project: Fairview Heights

Passaic Habitat for Humanity
Project:  Albert Lawson VFW Post 10117