Bill Text: NJ A4884 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes "Veterans Helping Veterans" program in DVA.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2)
Status: (Introduced) 2026-05-07 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee [A4884 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2026-A4884-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman WILLIAM F. MOEN, JR.
District 5 (Camden and Gloucester)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes "Veterans Helping Veterans" program in DVA.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing a housing assistance program for homeless veterans and supplementing Title 38A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Department of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, shall establish a housing assistance program to be known as the "Veterans Helping Veterans Program." The purpose of the program shall be to link homeless veterans with veterans who volunteer to house such homeless veterans. As nearly as practicable, the program shall be modeled upon the State's foster care program with respect to the vetting process, benefits, and incentives for veterans participating in the program to receive or to provide housing.
b. In establishing the "Veterans Helping Veterans Program" pursuant to this section, the Department of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, shall develop guidelines and procedures for the program. The guidelines and procedures shall, at a minimum, include the following:
(1) the application process to participate in the program;
(2) criteria for the evaluation of such applications;
(3) criteria for eligibility to receive housing, which shall include, but not be limited to, being a veteran and being homeless or at risk of homelessness;
(4) criteria for eligibility to provide housing, which shall include, but not be limited to, being a veteran; and
(5) the terms and conditions for participation in the program, which shall include, but not be limited to, the time period for which veterans will be housed, the responsibilities of the homeless veterans and the veterans who volunteer to house such homeless veterans, and the incentives and benefits to be provided to program participants.
The Department of Veterans Affairs shall monitor participants' compliance with the guidelines and procedures of the program and require the participants to periodically report to the department information relating to participation in the program.
c. The Commissioner of the Department of Veterans Affairs may apply for and accept on behalf of the State any grants from the federal government or any agency thereof, or from any foundation, corporation, association or individual, and may comply with the terms, conditions, and limitations thereof, to develop and implement the housing assistance program. Any money so received shall be appropriated to, and may be expended by, the department, subject to any limitations imposed in such grants, and in accordance with guidance from the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting in the Department of the Treasury.
d. Within 90 days after the date of enactment of this section, and notwithstanding the provisions of the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.) to the contrary, the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Human Services shall, immediately upon filing proper notice with the Office of Administrative Law, adopt the rules and regulations prepared by the departments to implement the program established pursuant to this section.
The rules and regulations shall be in effect for a period not to exceed one year after the date of the filing. These rules and regulations shall thereafter be adopted, amended, or readopted by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Human Services in accordance with the requirements of the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.).
e. As used in this section, "veteran" means any resident of the State now or hereafter who has been discharged honorably or under conditions other than dishonorable from any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States, or a Reserve component thereof, including members of the National Guard who served on federal active duty.
2. This act shall take effect 90 days after the date of enactment, except that the Department of Veterans Affairs may take any anticipatory administrative action in advance as shall be necessary for the implementation of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes the "Veterans Helping Veterans" program in the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA).
The DVA, in consultation with the Department of Human Services (DHS), will establish a housing assistance program to be known as the "Veterans Helping Veterans Program." The purpose of the program is to link homeless veterans with veterans who volunteer to house such homeless veterans. As nearly as practicable, the program will be modeled upon the State's foster care program with respect to the vetting process, benefits, and incentives for veterans participating in the program to receive or to provide housing.
The DVA, in consultation with the DHS, will develop guidelines and procedures for the program, which will, at a minimum, include the following: the application process to participate in the program; criteria for the evaluation of such applications; criteria for eligibility to receive housing, which will include, but not be limited to, being a veteran and being homeless or at risk of homelessness; criteria for eligibility to provide housing, which will include, but not be limited to, being a veteran; and the terms and conditions for participation in the program, which will include, but not be limited to, the time period for which veterans will be housed, the responsibilities of the homeless veterans and the veterans who volunteer to house such homeless veterans, and the incentives and benefits to be provided to program participants.
This bill provides that the DVA will monitor program participants' compliance with the guidelines and procedures of the program and require the participants to periodically report to the DVA information relating to participation in the program.
The Commissioner of the DVA may apply for and accept on behalf of the State any grants from the federal government or any agency thereof, or from any foundation, corporation, association or individual, and may comply with the terms, conditions, and limitations thereof, to develop and implement the housing assistance program.
The bill defines "veteran" to mean any resident of the State now or hereafter who has been discharged honorably or under conditions other than dishonorable from any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States, or a Reserve component thereof, including members of the National Guard who served on federal active duty.
