Homeless Trust Fund Bill approved 4-1-1 by
Housing and Local Government Committee
Full Assembly to vote on October 27th
On Thursday October 23, 2008, the Assembly Housing and Local Government Committee approved on by a vote of 4-1-1, A3101, which will permit local governments to create homeless trust funds and establish programs to end homelessness known as “County Homeless Trust Funds.” This is the most significant step to date to create a dedicated source of funding for county-based trust funds to end homelessness. To read the full bill click here.
The full Assembly has scheduled a vote on A3101 for Monday, October 27, 2008, at 1 PM.
We strongly encourage all of our members to contact their members of the Assembly to vote in favor of A3101 on Monday. Click here to find out who represents you! When you contact your members of the Assembly, explain to them how the homeless trust fund could help you to end homelessness in your community. Your action today can help to insure the success of this effort to create a homeless trust fund.
A3101 was originally sponsored by Assemblywomen Bonnie Watson Coleman and Nilsa Cruz-Perez. Assemblywomen Mila M. Jasey, Elease Evans, Reed Gusciora, Annette Quijano, and Shelia Y. Oliver announced they were joining as sponsors at the hearing.
Assemblyman Jerry Green, Chair of the Housing and Local Government Commitee
Voting in favor of A3101 on the Housing and Local Government Committee were:
- Assemblyman Jerry Green, the chair of the committee.
- Assemblywoman Mila M. Jasey the vice-chair.
- Assemblywoman Nilsa Cruz-Perez and
- Assemblyman Frederick Scalera.
Voting against A3101 was Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll.
Abstaining from the vote was Assemblywoman Charlotte Vandervalk.
Among the twenty-five members of the Advocacy Network that attended the following members spoke:
Jacob De Lemos, Hudson County Division of Housing and Community Development
Joyce Campbell, Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Trenton
Alison Recca-Ryan, Corporation for Supportive Housing
Charles Featherson, Passaic County Department of Human Services
The Homeless Trust Fund establishes a recurring source of funding that would be dedicated to ending homelessness in each County that decided to establish a local fund. This would be a distinct account that would receive dedicated sources of public funds. Funds from the Homeless Trust Fund will be used to support projects that:
1. Measurably reduce homelessness;
2. Demonstrate government cost savings over time;
3. Employ evidence-based models or promising approaches;
4. Could be replicated in other counties across the state;
5. Include a strong performance measurement component; and
6. Are consistent with the locally developed ten year plan to end homelessness.
If you are interested in helping with the campaign we encourage you to read the sign on letter and have your organization become one of the leaders in this important campaign. To view a list of those who have endorsed this campaign click here.
For a fact sheet click here or for a description of possible uses and populations to be served click here.
A list of Frequently Asked Questions can be found by clicking here.
For more information click here [Email address: rbrown #AT# njaneh.org - replace #AT# with @ ].
