Action Needed Now!
Deadline Noon on Tuesday
We need your help today to support a broader set of comments prepared by the Fair Share Housing Coalition as well as comments prepared by the Renew the SNHTF campaign.
Click here to review the supportive housing comments. To sign the letter from the Renew the SNHTF campaign please email Kate Kelly by noon on Tuesday March 19th.
Click here to review the full comments on the Sandy Recovery Action Plan. To sign the letter from Fair Share Housing please email David T. Rammler by noon on Tuesday March 19th.
Background
On March 12, 2013, the Department of Community Affairs released Governor Christie’s plan for the expenditure of the first round of federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding from the Housing and Urban Development (HUD.)
The Plan, “Taking Action To Distribute The Necessary Resources For The Rebuilding Process” distributes $1,829,500,000 in resources for the rebuilding process after Superstorm Sandy. A total of $5.4B in CDBG recovery funds are expected in the coming months.
We are pleased that the Department of Community Affairs Action Plan – Taking Action To Distribute The Necessary Resources For The Rebuilding Process – for the CDBG-DR funds includes resources for those with special needs and the homeless. As the report states:
- “Households with special needs are often times more vulnerable to natural disasters due to damaged or displaced support networks, accessibility issues or increased costs of living,”
- “Damage caused by Superstorm Sandy drastically limited housing options available for New Jersey’s homeless population.”
The inclusion of specific funding to provide supportive housing and the necessary supportive services along with the rental housing focus is a significant and positive step.
However, it is only a first step and more needs to be done to ensure that those with special needs and the homeless can have a place to call home. The Home for all New Jerseyans: A Plan to Create Housing for Residents with Special Needs and to End Homelessness remains the blueprint for both the short-term and long-term solution.
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