A Letter from Sarah Blaine, RAC-NJ Lead Organizer on the 

Dear RAC-NJ Leaders,

I am thrilled to share that RAC-NJ's first issue campaign - the Fair Chance in Housing Act (A1919/S250) - passed both houses of the New Jersey Legislature late yesterday. The bill, which The New York Times called "a landmark bill" and "the most sweeping of its kind," is now headed to Governor Murphy's desk for his signature.

As hundreds of you heard at RAC-NJ's campaign kickoff on May 6, in New Jersey, where there is a political will, there is a way. Through our emails, call-in days, virtual lobby visits, letters to the editor, committee testimony, and an op-ed in the Star Ledger, hundreds of RAC-NJ leaders working together with our coalition headed by Fair Share Housing Center created that political will, and yesterday we saw the results.

The urgency we created worked - our legislators found a way to get this bill across the finish line with real remedies for those directly affected by housing discrimination as a result of their criminal records, including access to a 14-day rapid mediation process, monetary compensation, and a path to housing.

As primary sponsor Senator Troy Singleton told The Philadelphia Inquirer: "This measure will allow those who have paid their debt to society to move forward with their lives in a productive manner." At 12 Black adults for every one white adult, New Jersey has the highest Black/white disparity in adult incarceration rates in the country. This means that over 60 percent of New Jersey's prison population is Black even though fewer than 15 percent of our residents are Black. For New Jersey, reducing recidivism by increasing access to safe and secure housing is a key racial justice issue, and represents a win for our Movement-wide Racial Justice Campaign.

Fair Share Housing Center recognized the power of our coalition in their press release yesterday. They wrote:

As RAC-NJ's lead organizer, I am particularly excited that we played a critical role in getting this bill passed with bipartisan support in an election year. RAC-NJ's Core Team, Research Team, Campaign Strategy Team, and Congregational Teams all played crucial roles in helping to create the political will to make this happen before the legislature heads off to campaign for their seats in November's General Election. There were votes in favor - especially from the minority party - that would not have happened without our advocacy.

RAC-NJ proved that by working together across our state, and particularly by galvanizing our largely suburban legislators to stand up for what's right, New Jersey's Reform Jews can make a meaningful difference in the fight for justice. Please support our work.

Now we will stay vigilant to make sure that the governor signs the bill (all indications are that he will) and that the implementing regulations do not undo the intent of the Act.

While I am writing, I will take a moment to remind everyone that New Jersey's 2021 Primary Election Day is this coming Tuesday, June 8. Don't forget to vote! This summer and fall our work will focus on RAC-NJ's 2021 Double Your Impact Civic Engagement Campaign. Voting is how we continue to build our power to hold our legislators accountable to pursue justice.

With kindest regards,

Sarah Blaine, RAC-NJ Lead Organizer

July

31

$450

August

23

$418

September

27

$424

26

$547

November

36

$841

December

34

$598

25

$438