Jersey City-The Hudson County Board of Freeholders approved a resolution strongly urging the New Jersey Assembly to pass Bill 2332 that would establish the 2020 New Jersey Emergency Rental Assistance Program and urging Governor Phil Murphy to sign the legislation as expeditiously as possible.
New Jersey Senate Bill 2332, sponsored by Senator Brian P. Stack (District 33), Senator Stephen M. Sweeney (District 3), Senator Kristin M. Corrado (District 40) and Senator M. Teresa Ruiz (District 29), would create a $100 million emergency rental assistance program within the State’s Department of Community Affairs for tenants who are at least 30 days behind on their payments and have suffered a financial hardship because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Counties of Hudson, Bergen and Essex combined have the highest number of COVID-19 cases in New Jersey, accounting for 40% of the State’s total cases and just under half of the State’s total deaths from COVID-19. The same three Counties account for less than one-third of New Jersey’s total population.
The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to sharp increases in unemployment, with nearly 577,000 workers applying for unemployment benefits in New Jersey in just the last four weeks, as Governor Phil Murphy ordered entire business sectors shut down to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Senate Bill 2332 establishes a temporary emergency rental assistance program for residential tenants who have suffered an income loss due to the COVID-19 crisis. The bill appropriates $100 million to provide rental assistance to tenants across the State. The bill directs the Commissioner of Community Affairs to implement this program along the lines of the “Homeless Prevention Program,” (HPP), with certain modifications, such as providing rental assistance to tenants before they face eviction, and assisting tenants of medium-income (in addition to tenants of low- and moderate-income).
Senate Bill 2332 directs the Commissioner of Community Affairs to distribute an amount of program funds for each County and applicant based, in part, on the fair market rents in each county. The program would pay certain amounts of rent due and owing to tenants who: 1) are at least 30 days past due on a rent payment; 2) are unable to pay rent without assistance; and 3) have suffered a demonstrable loss in income due to the COVID-19 crisis.
Senate Bill 2332 directs the Commissioner of Community Affairs to expeditiously seek federal government approval for a substantial action plan amendment to reallocate uncommitted, unexpended Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funds to the 2020 New Jersey Emergency Rental Assistance Program, and to identify amounts of federal government assistance provided to New Jersey for COVID-19 purposes. Any remaining amounts necessary to fund this program are to be appropriated from the State’s General Fund.
Senate Bill 2332 was passed by the Senate 38-0 on April 13, 2020 and was referred to the New Jersey Assembly on that same date.
Hudson County Freeholder Chairman Anthony Vainieri and the Board of Chosen Freeholders strongly urge the New Jersey Assembly to pass Bill 2332 and urge Governor Phil Murphy to sign the legislation as expeditiously as possible.
Release #29