Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) announced more than $5 million in grants to the Bayshore Regional Sewerage Authority (BRSA) from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to assist in the recovery from Hurricane Sandy. The grants will help repair BRSA’s main pumping station and Dewatering/Incineration building

U.S. Senator Bob Menendez today unveiled federal legislation that takes aim at zombie homes that plague New Jersey communities and drive down property values. New Jersey had the highest foreclosure rate in the nation in 2015 with over 35,000 filings and a recent report found the state has the most vacant zombie foreclosures in the nation with over 4,000.

Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Dennis Davin today continued the “Jobs that Pay” tour at Versatex Building Products, a manufacturer of trim, fascia, soffit, and decorative exterior moulding pieces for the home. Davin commended company officials for its continued growth and strong commitment to supporting its workforce

The New Jersey Business & Industry Association today applauded the approval of funds for water infrastructure projects throughout the state, saying it addresses a critical need. The Assembly Budget Committee released two bills (A-3883 and A-3884) that would appropriate more than $400 million from the NJ Environmental Infrastructure Trust for low-interest loans to pay for drinking water and clean water projects, as well as combined sewer overflow abatement projects.

The issue that in every poll that you see for my lifetime has been named by the people of New Jersey as the most important issue: reducing property taxes. The 2% cap has restrained property taxes and if we pass this school funding formula, you will see why the 2% cap is so important because if you give them all this money, believe me they’ll want to spend it. But with a 2% cap they’ll only be able to spend 2% of the new money they get.

Housing advocates met with New Jersey Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney (pictured center) on the Senate Floor to urge support for greater investment in affordable homes and communities

Enjoy some live and intimate performances in the picturesque and serene Cottage Garden at the Morris County Park Commission’s Frelinghuysen Arboretum in Morris Township on Friday nights this June and July, featuring a wide mix of music and some tasty deserts

As part of its ongoing commitment to help families impacted by Superstorm Sandy by linking them to available resources, the Christie Administration announced that its six Sandy Housing Counseling Agencies are holding free outreach activities this month in counties most impacted by Sandy.

New Jersey Community Development Corporation (NJCDC) is once again joining forces with Music Choice- the multiplatform video and music network that delivers music programming to millions of consumers nationwide through their televisions, online and mobile devices- to repair the Elysian Fields Community Garden in Paterson, NJ. Students and teachers from Paterson’s Public School 5 will work with over 150 Music Choice employees to build a Vertical Garden, weed and mulch garden beds, repair a mosaic mural, repair and paint garden boxes for families to harvest their own produce, weed and refresh the butterfly garden, and much more!

The Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey (the Network) brought its Community Development Spotlight series to Jersey City today to recognize efforts taken in Hudson County to create a model for the nation on how to address homelessness. Event partner Garden State Episcopal Community Development Corporation (GSECDC) was among three community development organizations that were recently awarded $1.3 million by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for homeless prevention.

Upcoming training programs offered in several areas of the State by not-for-profit economic development corporation UCEDC are designed to help develop financial and business literacy for business owners at all stages of maturation. In partnership with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA), the comprehensive, six-week “Entrepreneurship 101” program walks entrepreneurs through all aspects of starting a business, culminating in the development of a business plan.

Representatives from Valley National Bank presented housing counselors from non-profit community development organizations their latest homeowner mortgage product. Pictured from left to right: Staci Berger, president and chief executive officer of the Network; Bernadette Mueller, executive vice president and senior community reinvestment act officer, Valley National Bank; Elizabeth DeLaney, first senior vice president; Victor Urbanovich, senior vice president and residential mortgage loan officer, Valley National Bank; and Sharon Barker, vice president and chief operating officer, the Network

The Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey (the Network) is launching its first ever Community Development Spotlight series during the month of June. Throughout the state, the Network will partner with member organizations on events that showcase the scope of the work of New Jersey’s nonprofit community development sector

According to the annual, national report released today, New Jersey is the fifth most expensive state to rent a home; only Hawaii, California, New York, and Maryland are less affordable as well as Washington, DC which is counted separately. In order to afford a modest two-bedroom home in the Garden State, a family must earn an hourly wage of $26.52, far more than the state’s average hourly wage of $16.98 or the $8.38 minimum wage.

Deputy Assembly Minority Leader Anthony M. Bucco Thursday joined guest host Steve Lonegan on The Voice of Liberty, a radio program on WNJE-AM. Bucco shared the results of a report he received from the Office of Legislative Services on outmigration.

New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (HMFA) Executive Director Anthony L. Marchetta recently joined elected state and local officials and community leaders to celebrate the groundbreaking of Keansburg Mixed Income, a project that features an eight-story high-rise complex of 186 rental apartments. The new residences will be affordable and market-rate. The developer is RPM Development LLC located in Montclair.

The spring rain deluge has ended – for now. So it’s time to take a good look outside your house, apartment, condo or wherever you live and drain sources of standing water where mosquitoes breed if you’d like to help avoid a nasty plague of those pesky biting and disease carrying critters this spring and summer.

In its continued effort to meet and assist Sandy-impacted families right in their home communities, the Christie Administration today announced that the 34th Information Session will be held Wednesday, May 11th, 2016, at Metropolitan Mobile Home Park in Moonachie, to provide personal assistance for storm-affected homeowners participating in the Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation and Mitigation (RREM) Program and LMI Homeowners Rebuilding Program.

The Brick Township Council passed an amendment Tuesday which removes as many unnecessary barriers as possible for people elevating their homes. The amendment to Chapter 245 – Permitted Yard Encroachments, allows for access to staircases with an entry stoop or platform not to exceed a total 100 square feet in area and no further than 5 feet into a required rear yard setback area.

U.S. Senators Bob Menendez, Ranking Member of the Senate Subcommittee on Housing, and Cory Booker applauded the announcement today by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that the Housing Trust Fund is providing more than $3.7 million to New Jersey to help increase the supply of safe, affordable housing available for the state’s lowest income families. This is the first new source of federal funding in more than four decades dedicated to expanding affordable rental housing opportunities for extremely low income households.