Total Stimulus Appropriation: $1,500,000,000
New Jersey’s Portion: $40,919,501
NJ Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Portion: $10,221,710.
Allocation Method: New Jersey received its share based on a federal formula. 
Federal Agency: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

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The DCA Division of Housing and Community Resources will receive $10.2 million. The funds will provide short-term or medium term rental assistance, housing relocation and stabilization services including housing search, mediation or outreach to property owners, credit repair, security or utility deposits, and moving cost assistance.

The funding to states and local governments for short- and medium-term rental assistance, relocation and stabilization services for homelessness prevention, and rapid re-housing. The HUD Secretary will establish the requirements for this program within 30 days of the date of enactment (by March 19, 2009) and distribute funds according to a pre-existing formula.

 

HUD has until March 17, 2009 to establish program requirements.

Currently the following requirements apply:

• Grantees must use the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) to collect data on participants.
• Federal fair housing, nondiscrimination and labor standards. 
• 5% of monies can be used for administrative costs.
• .5% of monies are available for training, technical assistance, technology, monitoring, research and evaluation. (This appears to be money for HUD).

HUD is expected to make a determination shortly.

HUD has until March 17, 2009 to establish program requirements.

60% of funds must be expended within 2 years of the date that funds are obligated and 100% of the funds must be expended within 3 years of that date; otherwise, the Secretary may recapture and redistribute the funds. Grantees must collect, and submit to HUD, data on the use of the funds.

Q: How will these program funds help New Jersey?
A: The funds will provide short-term or medium term rental assistance, housing relocation and stabilization services including housing search, mediation or outreach to property owners, credit repair, security or utility deposits, and moving cost assistance.

Q: How can my community service provider take advantage of these funds?
A: DCA will issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) for local governments and private nonprofit organizations. The RFP cannot be drafted until HUD finalizes the program requirements; it has until March 17, 2009, to do so.

Q: Who is eligible to apply?
A: HUD has until March 17, 2009 to establish program requirements.

Q: What is the time frame for the expenditure of these funds?
A: 60% of funds must be expended within 2 years of the date that funds are obligated; and 100% of the funds must be expended within 3 years of that date.

Q: What are the reporting requirements if I use these funds?
A. This is yet to be determined.


For more information and to contact the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs regarding this program, please visit http://www.state.nj.us/dca/divisions/dhcr/offices/.
Information is also available on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s website at: http://www.hud.gov/recovery/