<div>From: <strong class="gmail_sendername" dir="auto">Gaston, Pamela</strong><br></div><div><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">Date: Mon, Apr 19, 2021 at 3:34 PM<br>Subject: Fw: Flyers- New Jersey launches website, hotline for people who need housing assistance in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Korean<br></div><br>
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<span style="color:rgb(31,73,125)">FYI…</span><br>
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<b><span style="font-size:16.0pt"> New Jersey launches website, hotline for people who need housing assistance</span></b></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">New Jersey renters, landlords and homeowners seeking information on the latest housing rules, assistance grants, legal assistance or help working out a rental repayment plan can find answers through a website launching
Friday by the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey at <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/www.housinghelpnj.org__;!!OUZQVuLPJGsF!mJig7gIpleS_XsvY1AzMGFLMhDEx0AvPg-mBnS5n86zoHHQ-j48J38J91rZVQorEEt9UrA$" target="_blank">
www.housinghelpnj.org</a>. </span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The one-stop website includes a toll-free phone number, 888-691-3002, that New Jerseyans can call to be connected with Volunteer Lawyers for Justice for legal help dealing with eviction filings, or with members
of community group partners that can act as mediators if a tenant needs help working out a deal with a landlord to pay back rent in arrears without going to court.
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<span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">There's also a field where readers can submit housing-related questions that staff members will monitor and answer or forward to partnering organizations, depending on the need.</span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The effort was funded with $1.2 million from the state Affordable Housing Trust Fund and $1.9 million from the Pandemic Relief Fund, a nonprofit founded by first lady Tammy Murphy.
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<span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"Most people right now just don't know what their rights are," said Sharon Barker, vice president and chief operating officer at the Housing and Community Development Network. "I watch the governor's coronavirus
briefings, but many people don't do that. Information is power, and people really need this information."</span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The website will explain in plain language the protections Gov. Phil Murphy put in place to keep people housed during the coronavirus pandemic. For instance, people cannot be kicked out of their homes under a state
eviction and foreclosure moratorium through at least June 19, and that could be pushed back to a later date if Murphy renews a public health emergency order.</span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#303030;background:white">However, landlords can start the eviction process by submitting filings in court. </span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#303030">Utilities cannot be shut off through at least June 30, and renters can use security deposits to make rental payments. </span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#303030">The state also launched a second round of the </span><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/www.app.com/story/news/2021/03/23/nj-renters-apply-housing-assistance/6963876002/__;!!OUZQVuLPJGsF!mJig7gIpleS_XsvY1AzMGFLMhDEx0AvPg-mBnS5n86zoHHQ-j48J38J91rZVQootLdeH8g$" target="_blank"><span style="color:#303030">COVID-19 Emergency
Rental Assistance Program</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#303030"> to cover up to a year's worth of missed rent payments for about 25,000 to 30,000 low- and moderate-income households who lost income due to the pandemic.
Families in need can apply to the grant lottery at </span><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/njdca.onlinepha.com/__;!!OUZQVuLPJGsF!mJig7gIpleS_XsvY1AzMGFLMhDEx0AvPg-mBnS5n86zoHHQ-j48J38J91rZVQoplIHHlNA$" target="_blank"><span style="color:#303030">https://njdca.onlinepha.com/</span></a></span><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#303030">,
or can use the housing website to work with an expert to help them fill out the application. </span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Undocumented immigrants are also eligible for these funds, though many families may be reluctant to submit an application to a government agency because they fear being deported, Barker said. "We will do anything
to help and protect them," Barker said. </span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Renters who owe payments to landlords and want to avoid landlord-tenant court —since court filings can be used by screening companies to make it more difficult to find a new place to live in the future — can use
the website to find a mediator, who would work with both parties to come up with a reasonable repayment plan. The mediator organizations include New Jersey Citizen Action, La Casa de Don Pedro in Newark, Parkside Business & Community in Partnership in Camden,
St Joseph's Carpenter Society in Camden, Consumer Credit Counseling, the Affordable Housing Alliance and The Waterfront Project in Jersey City.</span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The housing coalition plans to spread the word about this new resource by putting up posters in bodegas, grocery stores, nail salons, child care centers, barber shops, libraries and other locations in English and
Spanish.</span></p>
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</div></div>-- <br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><br></span></font><div><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><span></span>Warmly, <br>Linda Melendez, President<br>National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey<br>732-421-7063<br></span><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34)">Email: </span><a href="mailto:president@nfbnj.org" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">president@nfbnj.org</a><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"></span><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><br><i>Website: </i></span><a href="http://www.nfbnj.org/" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank"><i><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">www.nfbnj.org</span></i></a><i style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><br>Facebook: </i><a href="https://m.facebook.com/NFB-NJ-353099574776238" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank"><i><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">https://m.facebook.com/NFB-NJ-353099574776238</span></i></a><i style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><br>Twitter: </i><a href="https://twitter.com/nfbnewjersey" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank"><i><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">@NFBNewJersey</span></i></a><i style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><br>YouTube: </i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKEDbjGsCYHMlwd4gqpBPjg" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank"><i><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">NFBNJTransformDreams</span></i></a><i style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><br>Live the life you want.<br></i><br style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><i><font size="1">The National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Everyday we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.</font></i></span></font><br></div><div><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><i><font size="1"><br></font></i></span></font></div><div></div></div><div dir="auto"></div><font color="#888888"></font></div></div>