The Housing & Community Development Network of New Jersey, an NLIHC state partner, launched the HouseNJ campaign with a virtual press event on February 23. Modelled on NLIHC’s HoUSed campaign for universal, stable, affordable housing, the HouseNJ campaign urges New Jersey’s federal and state lawmakers to ensure housing security and stability for all state residents by supporting transformative housing investments in a final reconciliation bill, as well as by investing $975 million from the state’s allocation of “American Rescue Plan Act” funds into critical housing programs. Speakers at the press event included members of the New Jersey congressional delegation, state senators and assemblymembers, and NLIHC staff. Organizers hope to mobilize supporters, including the nearly 300 organizational members of the Housing & Community Development Network of New Jersey, to join the campaign and take action.
The HouseNJ campaign recognizes the historic opportunities presented by the American Rescue Plan Act and the potential Build Back Better reconciliation bill for securing desperately needed public investments in housing availability, affordability, and security. Hundreds of thousands of New Jersey tenants were struggling to pay rent before the pandemic. According to NLIHC’s Out of Reach report, New Jersey is currently the sixth least affordable state for renters. To afford a modest two-bedroom apartment in the state, a family must earn $31.96 an hour or $66,468 annually. A minimum wage worker in New Jersey would have to work 107 hours per week year-round. Twenty-five percent of New Jersey renter households live on extremely low incomes. Of these, 71% are severely cost burdened, paying more than 50% of their income towards housing. Additionally, there is a shortage of 205,285 rental homes in New Jersey for extremely low-income renters. The HouseNJ campaign directly addresses these issues by pushing for robust investments in rental assistance, public housing repairs, and the creation of more affordable homes.
Specifically, the HouseNJ campaign calls on Congress to include the following housing investments in the final version of a reconciliation bill:
- Expand rental assistance by $25 billion to serve additional extremely low-income households.
- Increase the National Housing Trust Fund by $15 billion to build more affordable, safe, accessible homes for households with the greatest needs.
- Invest $65 billion to repair and preserve public housing, which is home to 2.5 million residents across the country.
The campaign also seeks policy and program interventions on the state level, urging leaders to invest $975 million from the American Rescue Plan in critical housing programs, including by:
- Protecting and expanding the New Jersey Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
- Increasing the Neighborhood Revitalization tax credit.
- Strengthening rental assistance and ending homelessness.
- Removing barriers to housing access and security.
With the Build Back Better Act stalled in the Senate, housing advocates around the country are mobilizing to ensure any final reconciliation package maintains the historic investments in the House-passed bill, which includes $25 billion in rental assistance, $65 billion for public housing, and $15 billion for the national Housing Trust Fund.
“This would be the largest single investment in quality, affordable, accessible homes in our lifetime,” said Staci Berger, president and chief executive officer of the Housing & Community Development Network of New Jersey. “It’s an opportunity to solve housing instability and homelessness. If we can send billionaires into space, we can make sure everyone has a safe, affordable place to call home.”
The February 23rd press event included statements of support and remarks from Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Representatives Donald Payne (D-NJ10), Bonnie Watson-Coleman (D-NJ12), Albio Sires (D-NJ08), Bill Pascrell (D-NJ09), and Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ11), as well as New Jersey Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz (D-Essex), Senators Nellie Pou (D-Bergen/Passaic), Vin Gopal (D-Monmouth), and Andrew Zwicker (D-Hunterdon/Mercer/Middlesez/Somerset), Assemblywoman Britnee Timberlake (D-Essex/Passaic), and NLIHC Senior Policy Analyst Kim Johnson. Attendees were encouraged to endorse the campaign in a sign-on letter, contact their members of Congress and state representatives to advocate for these housing resources, and pass local resolutions in support of the HouseNJ campaign priorities.
For more information about the HouseNJ campaign, please contact Nina Rainiero, director of communications for the Housing & Community Development Network of New Jersey, at [email protected].