Menendez, Booker Announce $1.43 Million For New Jersey Housing Counseling

Statement

U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker (both D-NJ) today announced a combined $1,429,328 million in federal grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Housing Counseling Program to seven local agencies throughout New Jersey. The program provides funds to HUD approved housing counseling agencies to advise people on buying or renting a home, defaults, foreclosure, and other financial challenges.

"Now more than ever funding for housing counseling services is essential to ensuring that hardworking New Jersey families have the tools and resources they need to stay in their homes or access affordable housing," said Sen. Menendez,
a senior member of the Senate Banking Committee
. "At a time when so many families continue to face housing disruptions due to the economic hardships brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, this type of investment in our communities means that thousands of New Jersyans will be able to obtain, maintain, and preserve their homes as well as make well-informed decisions about their housing and financial stability."

"Homeowners and tenants across our state have been continuing to navigate the financial uncertainty brought on by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic," said Sen. Booker. "These federal grants will support housing agencies that provide essential counseling services to New Jersey residents, helping them to make sound financial decisions and to keep a roof over their heads."

The funding announced today provides:

· $40,866.00 to the Fair Housing Council of Northern New Jersey

· $36,774.00 to the Senior Citizens United Community Service of Camden County, Inc.

· $300,000.00 to the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency

· $16,912.00 to the Housing Authority of the City of Paterson

· $343,941.00 to the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey

· $665,835.00 to Garden State Consumer Credit Counseling, Inc.

· $25,000.00 to the Ocean Community Economic Action Now, Inc. (O.C.E.A.N., Inc.)

HUD provides support to a nationwide network of housing counseling agencies. These HUD-approved agencies provide tools to current homeowners, prospective home buyers, renters, homeless individuals, and victims of disaster, so they can make responsible choices to address their housing needs.

Sen. Menendez has long been a leading supporter in the Senate to ensure that HUD's Housing Counseling Program is funded at levels that can provide communities with significant impact. Furthering that commitment, last February, Sen. Menendez and Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, introduced the Coronavirus Housing Counseling Improvement Act that would provide federal funding to support HUD-approved nonprofit housing counseling agencies to help renters and homeowners navigate their housing options, understand protections and resources provided through COVID-19 relief and avoid foreclosure and eviction. As a result of their efforts, $100 million was included in the American Rescue Plan to expand access to housing counseling for renters and homeowners struggling to stay in their homes due to the economic hardship of the pandemic.

Source