Bill Text: NJ AR19 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges DCA, Division of Disability Services, and NJHMFA to increase listings of available affordable housing units on New Jersey Housing Resource Center website.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-01-16 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Housing and Community Development Committee [AR19 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-AR19-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
216th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2014 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman DONNA M. SIMON
District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)
Assemblywoman BETTYLOU DECROCE
District 26 (Essex, Morris and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Urges DCA, Division of Disability Services, and NJHMFA to increase listings of available affordable housing units on New Jersey Housing Resource Center website.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Assembly Resolution urging the Department of Community Affairs, the Division of Disability Services, and the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency to increase listings of available affordable housing units on the New Jersey Housing Resource Center website.
Whereas, Tens of thousands of affordable housing units have been made available to low- and moderate-income families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities in New Jersey through a wide variety of federal and State programs, including those implemented under the "United States Housing Act of 1937," Pub.L.75-412 (42 U.S.C. s.1401 et seq.), and the "Fair Housing Act," P.L.1985, c.222 (C.52:27D-301 et al.); and
Whereas, The New Jersey Housing Resource Center, a partnership between the Department of Community Affairs ("DCA"), the Division of Disability Services ("DDS") in the Department of Human Services, and the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency ("NJHMFA"), hosts a website that lists available affordable housing units for rent and sale in New Jersey; and
Whereas, The New Jersey Housing Resource Center website holds promise as a critical tool for locating affordable housing, but seems to omit a significant number of affordable housing units that are available for rent or sale, as the website currently lists no more than a few dozen units as being available in several counties; and
Whereas, New Jersey residents in need of affordable housing would benefit greatly from a website that offers a comprehensive "one-stop shopping" source for affordable housing units made available in New Jersey through federal and State programs and that contains as many listings as can be reasonably obtained; and
Whereas, It is altogether fitting and proper for this House, and in the public interest, to urge DCA, DDS, and NJHMFA to work together towards increasing the number of available affordable housing units listed on the New Jersey Housing Resource Center website, through outreach efforts, in order to better connect New Jersey residents in need of affordable housing with available units; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Department of Community Affairs, the Division of Disability Services in the Department of Human Services, and the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency are urged to undertake, in collaboration, outreach efforts to ensure that the New Jersey Housing Resource Center website has as complete a list of available affordable housing units as is reasonably attainable.
2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and attested by the Clerk of the General Assembly, shall be forwarded to the Commissioner of Community Affairs, the Director of the Division of Disability Services in the Department of Human Services, and the Executive Director of the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency.
STATEMENT
This resolution urges the Department of Community Affairs, the Division of Disability Services in the Department of Human Services, and the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency to collaboratively undertake outreach efforts to help ensure that the list of available affordable housing units on the New Jersey Housing Resource Center website is as complete as is reasonably possible in order to better connect New Jersey residents in need of affordable housing with available units. Currently, available units are listed on the New Jersey Housing Resource Center website when affordable housing providers go to the website, register, and list their available units, so the small number of listings for some areas may reflect low provider participation on the website.
