5/11/2020

New Jersey housing advocates applauded the introduction of a $100 billion emergency rental assistance in Congress this week as part of coronavirus relief. On the bill, Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey (the Network) President and Chief Executive Officer Staci Berger issued the following statement:

“The measures that have been implemented so far to help our families have been steps in the right direction but we need to do more to help renters. There are households who are going on two months without being able to make the rent and as June approaches, they fall deeper into despair. A moratorium on evictions is a necessary short term reprieve, but the obligation to pay the rent remains. NJ renters need this assistance now, so that we can avoid mass evictions when the moratorium is lifted.

“We cannot allow this health crisis to exacerbate our housing crisis. The Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act introduced in Congress can be a lifeline for Americans who are facing homelessness when this pandemic is over. NJ is the fifth most expensive state for renters and each of our Congressional districts has a significant number of renters who are cost burdened. We encourage members of New Jersey’s Congressional delegation to join both of our Senators as well as Representatives Pascrell (D-09), Sires (D-8), Gottheimer (D-5), Payne (D-10), and Watson Coleman (D-12) in supporting this crucial piece of legislation.”

For more information: Nina Rainiero
(609) 393-3752 x1200
Website: hcdnnj.org
Twitter site: twitter.com/hcdnnj
Facebook site: facebook.com/hcdnnj