The SHAre:

October 1, 2026

Volume: 409

Reminders:

SHA Conference Early Bird

Pricing Extended to October 9th.

Click here to register & save today.

SHA Members RSVP for Oct 7th Member Meeting. Confirm attendance by emailing Joseph Christensen.

In this Week's Edition

News


NJ Governor's Conference & Housing Updates

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Federal Updates

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Voter Engagement & Information Hub

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Advocacy Actions

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NJHMFA Updates:

Compliance Division Audit

Vendor Immediate Change

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Thriving Together: Building Inclusive Communities

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Worth a Listen: Radical Common Sense

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Banking Designed for People with Disabilities


Resources & Events


ICYMI - SNAP Benefits Webinar Recording

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Annual Financial Justice Summit

October 7, 2026

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Hoarding in Older Adults

October 7, 2026

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Learning How States are Designing Land Use

Reforms to Expand Housing Supply

October 14, 2026

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Housing Affordability Solutions: Grants & Financing

October 14, 2026

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Tenants Rights and Protection from Eviction

October 14, 2026

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 Invitation to Boggs Center Viewing of Life After

October 15, 2026

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Healing-Centered Housing:

Supporting Older Adults Through

a Trauma-Informed Lens

October 22, 2026

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The Fair Share Model:

What States Are Learning About Housing Targets

October 22, 2026

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Conversations & Tools to

Build a Person-Centered Life

October 20 - October 29, 2026

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FHLBNY Affordable Housing Program Training

November 2026 - January 2027

Save the Date

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SHA Member Events

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SHA Member Meeting

October 7, 2026

In-Person | Trenton


Not yet a member?

Learn more here.


SHA members can email Joseph Christensen for member event details

and registration.

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SHA Members Housing Supports Program Provider Roundtable

Nov 23, 2026 | Virtual

12:00 - 1:00 PM

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Developers Meeting

Dec 14 | Virtual

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Registration Open!

November 13, 2026


SHA 2026 Conference


Sponsor & Exhibit Opportunities 

Now Available

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Community Events

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NJAMHAA Fall Conference

October 20, 2026 | Iselin

Registration Open

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CHLP 50th

Anniversary Celebration

Oct 22, 2026 | Glen Ridge

Registration Open

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HCDNNJ Under One Roof

Oct 23, 2026

Hyatt, New Brunswick

Registration Open

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Save the Date

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CSH Housing Summit

April 6–8, 2027 | Denver

 

SHA Job Board & Housing Opportunities

Follow After News and Events

 

SHA Member Shout Outs

 

Starting in October, the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA) will expand its flagship housing counseling initiative to include free pre-purchase counseling and homebuyer education for first-time homebuyers.


Nonprofit Finance Fund shares the vital message of what is possible when applied strategies and support help empower a healthy and sustained nonprofit workforce.

 

Last week SHA was glad to join Monarch Housing Associates at their 5th Annual Housing as a Human Right Conference. SHA's Executive Director, Kate Kelly, spoke on a panel titled "Perspectives on the Human Right to Housing" with NJ Assemblywoman Katie Brennan, Taiisa Kelly, CEO at Monarch, Dr. Jermaine Meadows, NYC Director of Government Affairs, Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors, and Brandon McGee, Jr., Former Deputy Director, Connecticut Department Housing and Legislator.

 

SHA was happy to join The New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities (NJCDD) at the 2026 Community Building Awards. The Awards honor people and groups who help build communities where everyone belongs. These awards recognize strong leadership, advocacy, and actions that support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families. Congratulations to all of this year's honorees!

 

SHA Welcomes New &

Returning Members in 2026

The Arc of 
Hunterdon County

The Arc Ocean 

County Chapter

The Arc Mercer

Bank of America

Blue Ray Enterprises

Community Preservation Corporation

CountOnCam

Foliot Furniture

Gemion

Consulting & Development

Legacy

Empowerment

Services

Levy Housing Development 

Consulting LLC

Liberty Design-Build Corporation

Mathews Supports

National Equity Fund

Parker Life

Regeneration One

RPM Development Group

Spectrum for Living

Turning Point Community Services

 
Become a SHA Member and get access to great meetings and many other great member benefits. Need more information? Email Joseph Christensen with your questions.
 

SHA returns to The Palace for our

28th Annual Conference!



November 13, 2026

The Palace at Somerset Park

Discount Extended! Get Early Savings by Oct 9!

Registration is now open for SHA's 28th Annual New Jersey Supportive Housing Conference. Get the best early bird savings when you register before October 9th and stack your savings when you register 3+ attendees together. Click here to access the 2026 registration rates and terms.


Click here for the registration page or the button below.

 

Sponsor, Exhibit, and Ad Opportunities

Share a shout out or boost your brand to 400+ attendees with these great opportunities!


Click here for Sponsor, Ad, and Exhibitor Information.

Only two notebook sponsorships left! Now includes 1 attendee registration.

Sponsorships: Promote your organization through tiered visibility opportunities

Ads: Share your message

in the program book or on multiple digital displays around the venue

Exhibits: Connect directly with attendees in our expanded exhibit hall

With gratitude, SHA recognizes our 2026 Conference sponsors and all this year's supporters!

 

Gold Sponsor

 
 
 

Silver Sponsor

 

Trailblazer Sponsor

 
 

Bronze Sponsors

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Groundbreaker Sponsors

 
 
 
 
 
News

NJ Governor's Conference & Housing Updates

On Tuesday, in a speech at the Governor’s Conference on Housing and Economic Development, Governor Mikie Sherrill announced a comprehensive five-pillar housing strategy to address New Jersey’s housing affordability and production challenges, with a focus on building more homes, accelerating development, strengthening partnerships with municipalities, expanding housing opportunities, and helping New Jersey residents remain in homes they can afford.


Through Executive Order No. 17, the Governor brought state agencies together to form the Housing Governing Council. This Council was tasked with identifying how to speed housing development, coordinate public resources, and expand access to housing. 


Among the actions announced through the new agenda:

• Increasing planned housing on state-owned land from 20,000 to 40,000 new homes

• Working to improve approval processes to create clearer and more predictable development timelines

• Deploying a new tax credit auction to generate additional resources for affordable housing

• Expanding hands-on housing development assistance to municipalities

• Advancing transit-oriented housing development

• Strengthening efforts to preserve existing affordable housing and expand pathways to homeownership


The Housing Governing Council’s report estimates that New Jersey needs at least 350,000 additional homes to keep pace with population growth and address the state’s housing shortage. For the supportive housing community, increasing housing production also requires creating deeply affordable, accessible housing that enables people with disabilities and other special needs to live independently in communities of their choice.


“SHA applauds the Administration’s commitment addressing New Jersey’s housing shortage and increasing affordable housing production through strategic efforts across state agencies and leadership." said Kate Kelly, Executive Director of SHA. "Our member community looks forward to continuing work on expanding supportive and affordable housing opportunities for all New Jerseyans."

Federal Updates

On September 10, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) published a “Notice of Research Justifying Additional Incentives for Certain Activities To Reduce Homelessness.” Interested parties have until October 13 to submit comments in response.

On Friday, the White House announced the clawback of $56 million of the set aside for FY 2025 HUD Comprehensive Housing Counseling funds. This was part of an $800 million clawback of FY 2025 congressionally appropriated funds. Contact your House and Senate offices. This is a clawback of congressionally appropriated funds intended to help their constituents buy a house, avoid foreclosure, manage finances, or navigate the rental market. They need to hear from you.

Research published in Housing Studies, “The role of government benefits in reducing housing cost burdens, 2009 – 2022,” found that accounting for in-kind government benefits from social safety net programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and tax credits reduces the prevalence of housing cost burden and severe housing cost burden among the lowest-income renters. These findings underscore the importance of anti-poverty policies in alleviating housing affordability challenges.  

A team of provider groups and individual Medicaid enrollees filed a new, separate lawsuit on community engagement requirements under H.R.1. The lawsuit claims that the process for determining “medical frailty” exclusions set forth by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' interim final rule is too burdensome, and that allowing the use of claims data to verify medical frailty status from only the past twelve months is overly restrictive. Learn more from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing from their H.R.1 Resource Hub and download the Identifying and Preventing Coverage Loss slide deck.

As New Jersey officials move to build more housing near train stations and transit corridors, U.S. Sen. Cory Booker is proposing a federal plan that could pour billions of dollars into the same approach nationwide.

Voter Engagement & Information Hub

The New Jersey Center for Nonprofits shares the latest Voter Engagement Guide resource to empower communities ahead of election day. This 63-page guide is loaded with practical resources to help nonprofits get your communities #VoteReady for the 2026 elections. Whether you’re helping someone register to vote, sharing reliable election information, or encouraging your community to make a voting plan, the guide has resources you can put to use right away.


NJ voter registration must be completed by October 13, 2026


Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026.


SHA is a proud member of the New Jersey Center for Nonprofits.

The National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC)'s Our Homes, Our Votes nonpartisan campaign hosted its September 14 webinar, “Combating Misinformation: Equipping Housing Advocates as Trusted Messengers in 2026,” which focused on how housing leaders and community organizations can support renters ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. NLIHC’s nonpartisan Our Homes, Our Votes (OHOV) campaign is actively registering, educating, and mobilizing low-income renters and affordable housing advocates to vote. 

The National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) shares the following update on how providers can help prepare their clients to vote successfully in "Every One Votes: Their Voices Must Be Heard."

Advocacy Actions

HUD re-opened the FY 2026 NOFO leaving only nine working days to complete applications. Your Congressperson probably isn’t aware of the impossible situation that HUD has created for your community. It is essential that your Members of Congress hear from you. Speak plainly, speak passionately, and loudly. Use the following resource from NAEH to contact your representatives.

SHA signed onto a national letter in support of the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) led by the National Association of Affordable Housing Lenders (NAAHL). Organizations can join in signing by October 6th. Sarah Brundage, President & CEO of NAAHL, spoke as SHA's 2025 Keynote Address.


  • Use ACTION's talking points to make the case to policy makers that the CRA proposal under consideration would reduce equity investments in Housing Credit properties.
  • Log your concerns with the OCC and FDIC by submitting a comment letter on behalf of your organization. ACTION has drafted a template letter that you can use and adjust to meet your needs.

New Jersey Statewide Disability Rights Rally

Monday, October 5, 2026 | 12:00 - 3:00 PM

1 Memorial Drive, Trenton, NJ 08608


Alliance Center for Independence is leading a rally at the Trenton War Memorial for Statewide Disability Rights. Click here to access a flyer for details to share. Get more information by visiting adacil.org or calling 732-738-4388 and emailing adacil@adacil.org.

 

2030 Census data determines congressional representation and guides trillions in federal funding for local services—we cannot afford an incomplete count. 


  1. Submit a Comment by Oct 13: Read NCN’s Comment Guide to easily draft and submit your official feedback. 
  2. Sign the Letter: Add your organization to NCN’s national opposition letter.
  3. Amplify: Forward this message to peer organizations and community partners. 

NJHMFA Updates:

Compliance Division Audit Vendor Immediate Change

Effective immediately, NJHMFA will no longer utilize ACES Connect for post‑purchase audits and will be transitioning to QC Ally. NJHMFA will continue to use the current contact information on file as the designated recipient for audit reports. If you need to update your contact information or add additional users—including shared mailboxes—please email QualityControl@njhmfa.gov.


An exciting new enhancement with this system is its capability to support multiple contacts, including shared mailboxes. Lenders are responsible for internally managing all communication and responses related to audit findings.


For lenders who have not yet provided a primary QC contact, please email QualityControl@njhmfa.gov with the subject line “QC Contact” and include the name, email address or general mailbox, and phone number for the designated contact person.


Please note that lenders are responsible for ensuring adherence to the guideline requiring the Agency to have a primary QC contact on file. No exceptions will be granted for future audit reports due to failure to comply with this requirement. Please stay tuned for an additional communication with the official go‑live date.

Thriving Together: Building Inclusive Communities

In 2025, the Supportive Housing Association of New Jersey (SHA) launched a grant-funded project addressing the need for affordable housing and support services for older adults in Bergen and Passaic Counties. We are proud to share the three-pronged work of the Thriving Together: Building Inclusive Communities initiative which:


1. Helps older adults access housing

2. Strengthens partnerships between housing and healthcare organizations

3. Supports municipalities as they plan for an aging population


Through collaboration with county agencies, community organizations, healthcare partners, and municipal leaders, the initiative develops practical tools and strategies that can improve older adults' lives today while creating models that can be adapted in communities across New Jersey.

Worth a Listen: Radical Common Sense

Across the country, houses of worship are building new homes and driving economic empowerment. Radical Common Sense with David Bowers, a new podcast from SHA member Enterprise Community Partners and their Faith-Based Development Initiative, brings together faith leaders, policymakers, lenders, and developers to explore how that's happening.  Listen to the latest episodes and don't miss SHA's annual conference in November covering a range of topics including when faith communities engage their resources to make housing opportunities.

Banking Designed for People with Disabilities

Michigan State University Federal Credit Union, with support from MacArthur, Ford Foundation, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is developing a new credit union sub-brand specifically designed to serve people with disabilities. It is called Artichoke Credit Union, in honor of Edward V. Roberts, a MacArthur Fellow and civil rights leader. MacArthur’s support is expected to include both grant funding and a program-related investment. Artichoke Credit Union will provide accessible banking, specialized financial education; responsible lending; inclusive product design; live chat, phone, and video support; tools that support long-term financial well-being; and ongoing community-driven improvements.

 

Resources & Events

 

ICYMI - SNAP Benefits Webinar Recording

In case you missed it, access "SNAP-101 and DFD Programs Overview" recording and slides from the September 24th webinar.

Annual Financial Justice Summit

October 7, 2026 | 10:00 AM - 2:30 PM

Seton Hall University | 400 S Orange Ave | Bethany Hall | South Orange Village, NJ 07079


Join SHA member New Jersey Citizen Action along with state and national advocates, officials and other policy experts including Al-Tariq Witcher from SHA member Fair Share Housing Center as they discuss affordability through a financial justice lens. Panels will center around community reinvestment, consumer finance protection, housing, and civil rights enforcement in New Jersey. Light breakfast and lunch will be provided.


Click here to register for the summit.

Hoarding in Older Adults

Wednesday, October 7, 2026 | 12:00 - 1:00 PM ET


Hoarding can create significant health, safety and quality-of-life concerns for older adults, their families and the professionals who serve them. This presentation will explore the signs and characteristics of hoarding, best practices for intervention and harm reduction, strategies for working collaboratively with individuals and community partners, as well as an opportunity for audience Q&A.


Click here to register for the webinar.


Interested in this topic? Don't miss "Room for Living: Strategies for Hoarding and Home-Based Support" at SHA's Conference in November. Learn more and register here.

Learning How States are Designing Land Use

Reforms to Expand Housing Supply

October 14, 2026 | 2:30 PM ET


The NYU Furman Center will be publishing three new policy briefs covering areas where state legislators have been particularly active in the last few years based on findings from their. Land Use Reform Tracker. It is a resource designed to provide a deeper understanding of how land use policy landscape is changing nationally. The NYU Furman Center will host a webinar at 2:30 PM ET on Wednesday, October 14 to present findings and analysis from upcoming policy briefs.


Click here to register for the webinar.

Housing Affordability Solutions: Grants & Financing

Wednesday, October 14, 2026 | 5:30 - 7:45 PM ET

North Jersey Federal Credit Union

711 Union Boulevard, Totowa, NJ 07512


Please join SHA member Federal Home Loan Bank of New York (FHLBNY) at North Jersey Federal Credit Union's headquarters for an overview of the FHLBNY's affordable housing grant and financing programs. Attendees will also have the opportunity to engage with members of the FHLBNY team and share insights on housing initiatives. If you know colleagues within your affordable housing network who may benefit from attending, please share this invitation with them.


Click here to RSVP by October 7. Seating is limited.

Tenants Rights and Protection from Eviction

 

Wednesday, October 14, 2026 | 6:00 - 7:30 PM ET


It can be difficult to know how to navigate working with your landlord if you are behind in rent or are concerned you may not be able to pay rent soon. Presented by SHA members Community Health Law Project and hosted by the Affordable Housing Alliance, this free webinar provides you with information about your rights as a tenant and manageable steps you can take to avoid eviction.


Click here to register for the webinar.

 Invitation to Boggs Center Viewing of Life After

Thursday, October 15, 2026 | 6:00PM

105 Joyce Kilmer Ave., Piscataway, NJ 08554


SHA member The Boggs Center on Disability and Human Development is partnering with Rutgers Cinema to offer a free screening of LIFE AFTER, a gripping investigative documentary from Sundance-winning, disabled filmmaker Reid Davenport. In 1983, a disabled California woman named Elizabeth Bouvia sought the "right to die," igniting a national debate about autonomy and the value of disabled lives. After years of courtroom battles, Bouvia vanished from public view. Decades later, Davenport sets out to find what really happened to her, and to reveal why her story is so urgently relevant today.


Parking Instructions: Free parking is available from 4:00PM - 9:00PM. Click here to register for parking. For questions and instructions related to parking, refer to the Event Parking Guide. 


Contact Jillian Guzik (jillian.guzik@rutgers.edu) with any questions.

Registration: Space is limited and registration is required.


Click here to register for this event.

Healing-Centered Housing:

Supporting Older Adults Through a Trauma-Informed Lens

October 22, 2026 | 2:00 - 3:30 PM


Join SHA member CSH for a training led by Marilyn Mock, MSW exploring how trauma-informed and healing-centered approaches can improve housing and service outcomes for older adults. Participants will gain practical strategies to foster trust, safety, resilience, and well-being among residents who have experienced housing instability, adversity, discrimination, or other life challenges. Ideal for property management staff, affordable and supportive housing providers, and service coordinators.


Click here to register for the webinar.


Interested in this topic? Don't miss "Healing Spaces, Resilient Teams: Trauma-Informed Design for Housing and Staff" at SHA's Conference in November. Learn more and register here.

The Fair Share Model:

What States Are Learning About Housing Targets

October 22, 2026 | 2:00 PM


Join SHA member Fair Share Housing Center on Oct. 22 for a fascinating discussion with housing policy leaders exploring a growing question: Can states establish meaningful affordable housing requirements — and hold local governments accountable for meeting them? This question is taking on new urgency as states nationwide increasingly look to New Jersey’s groundbreaking “fair share” affordable housing framework for inspiration. Speakers will examine how these approaches are evolving, what states are learning from one another, and how statewide housing requirements can boost housing production, counter exclusionary zoning, and advance more equitable growth.


Click here to register for the webinar.

Conversations & Tools to Build a Person-Centered Life

In this workshop, self-advocates, families/caregivers, support coordinators, and providers who support people moving out of a family home, or a nursing facility or other congregate setting, into the community will gain practical tools and skills to support choice and community inclusion. It is being offered on two different dates in two different locations:

Tuesday, October 20, 2026

9:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Paramus, NJ (Bergen County)

Thursday, October 29, 2026

9:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Hamilton, NJ (Mercer County)

Click here to register for either session.

FHLBNY Affordable Housing Program Training

SHA member Federal Home Loan Bank of New York (FHLBNY) announced the publication of its 2027 Targeted Community Lending Plan (TCLP), now presented in a more concise, user-friendly format, and its 2027 Affordable Housing Program (AHP) Implementation Plan. If you have any questions, please contact the AHP or HDP teams at  AHP@fhlbny.com or HDP@fhlbny.com.

November 2026 - January 2027


FHLBNY is hosting a series of virtual and in-person training sessions to prepare stakeholders for successful participation in the 2027 housing grant program rounds. These sessions will provide guidance on program requirements, eligibility criteria, application procedures, and best practices for maximizing program opportunities. To complement these program-specific sessions, a recorded overview of FHLBNY’s Housing and Community Lending Programs will be available beginning October 5, 2027. Please register for one or more training sessions using the detailed information available on the FHLBNY website.

 

SHA Job Board & Housing Opportunities

 





SHA Members can share their job postings to appear on our Job Board and notices in The SHAre. SHA Members can email Joseph Christensen with any jobs you wish to promote.


Click here to view 
the full Job Board

Monarch Housing Associates is seeking:


CoC Team Manager

CoC Associate

Special Initiatives Team Manager

Senior Fiscal Associate

Housing Development Associate


Bridgeway Behavioral Health Services is seeking multiple roles.

Volunteers of America, Northern New Jersey is seeking multiple roles.


Legacy Empowerment Services is seeking:

Housing Case Managers


Community Hope is seeking:

Multiple roles


Easterseals NJ is seeking an

ICMS Case Manager

The Westfield Foundation is seeking P/T Office Administrator.


Fair Share Housing Center is seeking a Managing Director of Policy & Advocacy


Triple C Housing is seeking a Chief Executive Officer.


NFF is seeking a Director, Loan Origination.


Bergen County is seeking a Deputy Director – Grant Manager/Program Director


Disability Rights New Jersey is seeking a number of roles on their job portal.


New Jersey Community Development Corporation is seeking candidates for full and part time positions. Visit their employment page to view current openings and apply.


The Arc of Atlantic County is seeking an Accountant

 

Housing Opportunities for Individuals Transitioning

from Nursing Homes or Other Institutional Settings

The Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) is working with service providers to develop housing for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) who are moving out of a nursing home or other institutional setting.


To live and get services in these homes,

a person must:

  • Be eligible for DDD services
  • Be enrolled in the DDD Community Care Program


If you or someone you know lives in a nursing home, developmental center, or psychiatric hospital and would like to learn about housing options in the community:

Housing Opportunities and Waitlists

Bergen County Waitlists

Apply Today


Other County Waitlists

Apply Today


South Brunswick

Apply by October 5, 2026


Woodland Park

Apply by October 7, 2026


Fort Lee

Apply by October 20, 2026


Riverdale

Apply by October 23, 2026


Fair Haven

Apply by October 31, 2026


Newark

Apply by November 1, 2026


Harding Township

Apply by November 4, 2026


Atlantic Highlands

Apply by November 8, 2026


Springfield

Apply by November 9, 2026


Paramus

Apply by November 19, 2026


Cape May Court House

Apply by November 20, 2026

Morristown

Apply by November 23, 2026


Newark

Apply today!


Green Brook

Apply today!


Newark

Apply today!


Hopewell Township

Apply today!


Woodbridge

Apply today!


Ramsey (62+)

Apply today!


Old Bridge

Apply today!


Manalapan

Apply today!


Colts Neck

Apply today!


Jersey City

Apply today!


Lakewood

Apply today!


Lacey Township

Apply today!

 
Connect with SHA
 
Support SHA

There are many great ways of supporting SHA: Join as a member or send donations.

Thank you for your support!

Join SHA
Want all the member benefits with SHA? Visit our website or contact Joseph Christensen to apply or manage your membership.
Job Center
Members can post jobs to find applicants within the wider supportive housing community. Click on the button to visit our job page.
 

Kate Kelly, Executive Director

kate.kelly@shanj.org


Shelby Blair, Associate Executive Director

shelby.blair@shanj.org


Joseph Christensen, Communication & Membership Manager

j.christensen@shanj.org


Kate Leahy, Program Manager, Special Projects

kate.leahy@shanj.org


Denise Majka, Project Coordinator,

Strengthening Inclusive Leadership Initiative

denise.majka@shanj.org

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Have a story worth SHAre-ing? Send it to Joseph Christensen for future consideration.

Advocate ● Educate ● Support

The Supportive Housing Association of New Jersey unites its diverse coalition of members to advance, promote, and increase supportive housing opportunities across New Jersey. Since 1998, our statewide mission seeks to enhance lives and accessibility to enable independent living within our communities.

Supportive Housing Association of New Jersey
185 Valley Street, South Orange, NJ 07079
www.shanj.org | 908-931-1131