Welcome to Community Matters , a newsletter connecting you to the Department of Community Affairs (DCA).

Lt. Governor Sheila Y. Oliver,
DCA Commissioner
The City of Millville Planning Board wishes to commend the DCA’s Local Planning Services Office team for their invaluable help in preparing the City’s new Land Use Plan Element.”
Robert S. Gallaher, Millville Planning Board Chairman

I would like to thank the State of New Jersey, Department of Community Affairs Local Planning Services (LPS), for their hard work and assistance in developing the Plainfield West End TOD Plan for the City of Plainfield at no cost to the City.
Adrian O. Mapp, Mayor of Plainfield

A client in DCA’s Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Rehousing Program (HPRP) used to sleep in his car and eat at the soup kitchen. With the help of HPRP, he was able to get a home, furniture and food. Once he had a roof over his head again, he hit the ground running. He is now successfully housed and moving from a job at Amazon to a better job with NJ Transit.
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DCA LAUNCHES LOCAL ASSISTANCE BUREAU TO PROVIDE HIGH-LEVEL, HANDS-ON HELP TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
The DCA's Division of Local Government Services (DLGS) has launched the Local Assistance Bureau (LAB), which is open for business and ready to provide onsite, hands-on technical assistance in a wide variety of areas to local governments at no cost.

The goal of the bureau is to cultivate best practices in local governments and to link local agencies that might be facing challenges to the State’s comprehensive network of resources. DCA is encouraging any local government agency that has a specific need or an idea that requires assistance to reach out to the Local Assistance Bureau (LAB) within DLGS to set up a consultation. The bureau’s technical assistance advisors have years of expertise and a track record of producing efficiencies and achieving savings in municipalities. 

The LAB is comprised of municipal professionals who have considerable expertise with budget law, bond law, local public contracts law, local authorities fiscal control law, civil service, and other intricacies of local government. Bureau staff can assist with administration, finance/purchasing, human resources, labor negotiations, police dispatch/communications, public safety, public works, and risk management/insurance, among other areas.
 
The Bureau can also provide shared services and consolidation assistance to help towns achieve property tax savings. The Murphy Administration has authorized a $10 million appropriation to provide programming and support for municipal governments’ shared services efforts.

For more information on the Local Assistance Bureau, local government officials can send an email to LocalAssistance@dca.nj.gov
DCA ANNOUNCES ONLINE ACCESS AND UPDATES TO THE MUNICIPAL BEST PRACTICES SURVEY
The DCA's Division of Local Government Services (DLGS) has launched an online portal that provides municipalities easier access to the Best Practices Inventory (Inventory). The Inventory is an annual benchmarking municipal questionnaire that evaluates municipal performance in key operational and financial areas and assists DLGS in identifying areas of need so it can offer support to municipalities to help them operate more efficiently and inform them of potential training and grant opportunities. Inventory answers can also provide residents with an additional means of evaluating their municipality’s performance, including transparency about how their tax dollars are being spent.   For more information about the survey, read the press release .
DCA LAUNCHES PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY SCREENING TOOL
 DCAid is a new eligibility screening tool designed to help New Jersey residents find available DCA housing-related assistance programs for which they may qualify. The eligibility screening process is user friendly and takes only 1-2 minutes to complete.

Access the DCAid eligibility screening tool https://www.nj.gov/dca/dcaid
COMMUNITY ASSET MAP
The new and improved Community Asset Map, formerly known as the Opportunity Zone Navigator, is an interactive mapping tool that makes it possible to see the characteristics and amenities of each of New Jersey's 565 communities. M unicipal leaders, businesses, and even homeowners can use the Community Asset Map to help make strategic development and investment decisions that will benefit their communities.

DCA ANNOUNCES NEIGHBORHOOD PRESERVATION PROGRAM GRANT RECIPIENTS
DCA recently announced $2.5 million in Neighborhood Preservation Program (NPP) grants, which were reintroduced by the Murphy Administration after an 11-year absence.
 
 
NPP is part of a larger effort by the State to commit more resources to community revitalization focusing on neighborhood improvement projects and assistance to small businesses. A total of 20 municipalities throughout the state were awarded grants this year to help revitalize neighborhoods in decline and improve the quality of life for their residents.

The program provides direct financial and technical assistance to municipalities to conduct activities that strengthen threatened but viable neighborhoods through local planning, community participation, and building local capacity and coordination. Eligible grant activities include community development planning, commercial retail and residential property renovations, code enforcement, historic preservation, support of community/neighborhood organizations, and public facilities improvement. Municipal grantees have to show a commitment of resources from the neighborhood and municipality, as well as support from community organizations and residents. 
 
 Questions about the program? Email Terry Schrider, at Terence.Schrider@dca.nj.gov .
FUNDING RESTORED TO MAIN STREET
NEW JERSEY PROGRAM
Nearly $350,000 in Main Street New Jersey (MSNJ) grants is going to 17 Main Street district organizations throughout the state a fter the program's more than two-year absence . Also, t his year marks the first time in its 30-year history that the MSNJ Program has offered grants in addition to the technical assistance it has traditionally provided.

Governor Murphy restored the Main Street New Jersey Program (MSNJ) to strengthen the economic vigor of New Jersey’s downtown areas and to encourage private investment in the restoration of some of our state’s most historic communities. The goal of MSNJ grants is to improve the economy and appearance of Main Street districts and enhance the quality of life and commerce in each respective community through visible and tangible change.

The funding allows for placemaking, storefront and façade improvement, and transformation strategies development that can be completed in six months or less.

NEW JERSEY HISTORIC TRUST FEATURED IN SHORT-FORM DOCUMENTARY
New Jersey Historic Trust, an affiliate of DCA, was featured in a short-form documentary that highlights the positive impact the Trust’s grant programs have had on hundreds of historic sites across the state and the role historic preservation plays in saving New Jersey’s history. The documentary was produced by On Demand with Rob Lowe, an award-winning program that highlights new stories and innovative concepts through short-form and long-form documentaries on PBS. Read the press release.
FREE HOUSING COUNSELING IS AVAILABLE TO HOMEOWNERS FACING FORECLOSURE
Across the state, thousands of homeowners have been impacted by foreclosure. Not only is it often difficult to get help, but it is even more difficult to know where to look for it.

Free housing counseling is available through the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency's (NJHMFA) Foreclosure Mediation Assistance Program. Mediation can save a homeowner from foreclosure, yet too many homeowners enter the foreclosure process with their mortgage lender without an understanding of the type of relief that may be available to them. Free housing counseling assistance is available to help.   

Homeowners facing foreclosure are urged to contact a HUD-Certified Housing Counselor assigned to the county they live in as soon as possible.
didyou KNOW?
Lt. Governor Oliver signs legislation to protect tenants from sub-standard living conditions by providing New Jersey Department of Community Affairs with more flexibility in the inspection process to help keep people in safe and decent housing.
NEW LAW ESTABLISHES FLEXIBLE INSPECTION SCHEDULES FOR MULTIPLE-UNIT DWELLINGS
On August 5,  Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver, serving in the capacity of Acting Governor, signed into law legislation authorizing the Department of Community Affairs to establish a schedule of tiered inspections for multiple-unit dwellings to provide greater flexibility in the enforcement of the "Hotel and Multiple Dwelling Law.” Current law requires DCA to inspect multiple dwellings at least once every five years. Under this legislation, inspection schedules can be more frequent or less frequent depending on the history of violation abatement. DCA will establish an inspection cycle as often as once every two years for multiple-unit dwellings that fail to abate all housing violations by the third reinspection; less frequent inspections, once every seven years, for multiple-unit dwellings in which all violations have been abated by the first reinspection; and a five-year inspection cycle for the multiple-unit dwellings that fall in between these categories.    Read the press release.
DCA CAN ASSIST WITH HOME HEATING BILLS - CALL NJ211
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a federally-funded program that assists low-income households with their heating bills and provides emergency heating system services and emergency fuel assistance.

To be eligible for LIHEAP assistance, households must be responsible for home heating or cooling costs, either directly or included in the rent, and have a gross income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Persons who live in public housing and/or receive rental assistance are not eligible unless they are responsible for their own heating/cooling costs paid directly to the fuel supplier. The amount of the LIHEAP heating benefit is determined by income, household size, fuel type, and county of residence. The average LIHEAP benefit for a household this past heating season was approximately $300. Call NJ211 if you or someone you know needs assistance. More Information
DCA PROVIDES FREE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
DCA's Office of Local Planning Services (LPS) has made an ongoing commitment to provide FREE technical assistance to local governments.

Since 2011, LPS has assisted municipalities by providing professional multidisciplinary staff to assist with a variety of planning services including master plans and redevelopment plans, land use planning and mapping, economic development plans and special municipal projects.

Interested municipalities can contact LPS Director Sean Thompson at 609-292-1716 or via email at lpsmail@dca.nj.gov.
NEW JERSEY DIVISION OF FIRE SAFETY ADOPTED REGULATION REQUIRING THE USE OF 10-YEAR SEALED BATTERY SMOKE ALARMS
Effective January 1, 2019, New Jersey required 10-year sealed battery smoke alarms be installed in homes built before January 1, 1977. The requirement includes one- and two-family dwellings, motel rooms, and housing units in rooming houses. The State’s Uniform Construction Code requires all homes built after January 1, 1977 to have alternating current (AC) hardwired alarms installed inside the dwellings, and those homes are not affected by the regulation.
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DCA HAS JOB OPPORTUNITIES
We are seeking candidates for the following positions within DCA. Visit our job opportunities page. Resumes should be sent to resume1@dca.nj.gov.


Office of Housing Production - Affordable Housing Trust Fund Program
Governor’s Murphy’s decision to dedicate $60 million for the development of affordable housing in State Fiscal Year 2020 provides an opportunity to significantly address affordable housing needs that New Jersey has not had in decade. The Department is seeking a deputy administrator (HR19-0088), three underwriters (HR19-0091), including a senior underwriter (HR19-0090), and a technical assistant (HR19-0089)for this program.

Office of Homelessness Prevention
The newly created Office of Homelessness Prevention will coordinate homelessness prevention efforts among State and local agencies and private organizations and implement a statewide strategy to address homelessness. The NJ Department is seeking a director (HR19-0068), program manager (HR19-0070), and data manager (HR-0069) for this office.

Constituent Services Manager
The Department is also seeking a Constituent Services Manager (HR19-0092), within the Office of the Commissioner, who will focus on complaint resolution and case management for constituent issues. The candidate will also provide research assistance to the department’s policy and legislative offices; proofreading and editing, as necessary, and may assist with preparing materials necessary for public appearances by other departmental personnel.
dca EVENTS
LOCAL GOVERNMENT TRAINING MODULE FINANCIAL AUTOMATION SUBMISSION TRACKING (FAST) ENTRY SYSTEM
The Division of Local Government Services (DLGS) is conducting Annual Financial Statement (AFS) training for the FAST entry system across New Jersey. More than 150 municipalities have worked with Division staff to familiarize themselves with the user-friendly data entry model and to learn how to access this resource. During the training, attendees can complete the AFS with direct guidance and support improving user adoption. Contact DLGS for more information.

OCTOBER 23-24, 2019
NEW JERSEY REDEVELOPMENT TRAINING INSTITUTE
REDEVELOPMENT PLANNING LAW
KEAN UNIVERSITY - CONKLIN HALL
This two-day course on the redevelopment planning process will provide a broader understanding of the crucial issues, steps and challenges associated with the New Jersey’s Local Redevelopment and Housing Law (LRHL).  More Information

DECEMBER 5
NEW JERSEY REDEVELOPMENT TRAINING INSTITUTE
EXAMINING LAND REUSE MODELS & STRATEGIES THAT WORKED
THOMAS EDISON STATE UNIVERSITY - TRENTON
This workshop will explain the newly enacted New Jersey Land Banking Law and review and examine the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law, the Abandoned Property Rehabilitation regulations, and other tools and models for reclamation and development of blighted properties.

NJRA-RTI is an approved provider for the following education credits: Supreme Court of New Jersey Board on Continuing Legal Education and American Institute of Certified Planners
external EVENTS
NOVEMBER 19-21, 2019
NEW JERSEY LEAGUE OF MUNICIPALITIES CONFERENCE
ATLANTIC CITY CONVENTION CENTER
This year's conference will gather municipal officials together with a theme of "Igniting Local Engagement." DCA staff will be participating in a number of workshops. Click here for more information about the conference.
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