Corzine to sign Executive order this week
Establishes the NJ Interagency Council on Homelessness
Governor Jon Corzine at the Governor’s Housing Conference on September 23, 2008, announced that New Jersey will establish an Interagency Council on Homelessness to develop and implement a plan to end homelessness. The formal Executive Order will be signed by the end of this week. This is great news for the tens of thousands of homeless families and individuals in NJ. Until this announcement New Jersey was one of two states that did not have a statewide council. The challenge going forward will be to insure that the council will be structured and empowered in a manner that will insure that it can succeed. The New Jersey Advocacy Network to End Homelessness will continue to monitor this issue and work with all parties to insure that this effort can and will succeed in ending homelessness in New Jersey.
To listen to Governor Corzine’s speech use this link.
In the speech, Governor Corzine also reaffirmed his commitment to provide access to affordable housing for New Jersey’s citizens, calling it a “moral and Constitutional obligation.” He also stated “We owe it to ourselves to uphold our standards as a progressive, far-thinking state that protects those most vulnerable. More importantly, we owe it to ourselves to make sure that everyone in New Jersey can afford housing – a basic right for everyone.” Currently, only 20,000 affordable housing units of the 100,000 unit goal have been built.
To read the Governor’s press release click here.
