The Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey, an NLIHC State Coalition Partner, joined other organizations in hosting a town hall meeting with Representative Robert Andrews (D-NJ) on October 7. The event spotlighted sequestration’s harmful impact on affordable housing and social service programs. More than 75 advocates, service providers, and residents voiced their concerns and discussed ways that the reduction in federal resources has affected families in Camden, a city that Mr. Andrews represents. Monarch Housing Associates, an NLIHC member, and the Camden County Homeless Network Planning Committee (HNPC) co-hosted the event.
Advocates met with staff of New Jersey’s Congressional delegation as part of their Washington, DC lobby day held in July. During the meetings, they asked each Member of Congress to participate in a district or statewide forum focused on how ongoing federal budget cuts and sequester automatic spending cuts have impacted their constituents. Mr. Andrews expressed support for the event and asked local advocates to work with his office to host one in his district.
The Network, Monarch Housing, and HNPC organized a panel of speakers who provided a clear picture of how sequestration has influenced the housing, health care, and education needs of city residents. Representatives of the Camden Housing Authority (CHA), Camden Coalition for Healthcare Providers, and Center for Family Services spoke about the loss of housing vouchers, fewer slots for the Head Start program, decreased numbers of AmeriCorps volunteers, and damaging employee furloughs.
Dozens of participants testified about how sequestration has hurt their families. One mother who had just gotten a job described her difficulties finding an affordable place to live, an existing issue that the budget cuts exacerbated. CHA staff reported that they have had to turn away people because there is no more room on their housing wait lists. CHA expects it will have revoke housing vouchers and evict families from their homes if funding is not restored next year.
“(Sequestration’s) not a political tug of war; it’s a series of disastrously bad decisions,” said Mr. Andrews. He spoke about how the budget cuts affect hard working people who lack adequate resources to cover health care, child care, or housing expenses. He said he is working with other Congressional Democrats to end sequestration by the end of the year.
“Advocates and residents felt hopeless in their ability to move federal legislators to end the budget crisis, but this forum provided an example of how they can ensure their voices are heard,” said Monarch Housing CEO Richard Brown.
N.J. advocates said the event is part of an ongoing call to action. They plan to replicate this event in other districts in the state.
For more information, contact Richard Brown, [email protected].