Legislation (A326/1475) sponsored by Assembly Republicans Michael Patrick Carroll and Anthony M. Bucco, approved today by the State and Local Government Committee, requires a portion of payments-in-lieu-of-taxes to be shared with county government and school districts.

In its continued effort to meet and assist Sandy-impacted families right in their home communities, the Christie Administration today announced that the 32nd Information Session will be held Thursday, March 3, 2016, at the Union Hose Fire Co No 1 in Union Beach, Monmouth County, to provide personal assistance for storm-affected homeowners participating in the Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation and Mitigation (RREM) Program and LMI Homeowners Rebuilding Program

State, county, and local officials joined Community Investment Strategies, Inc. (CIS) for a ribbon cutting ceremony to unveil Heritage Village at Bloomfield – an 82-apartment affordable 55-plus housing community in Bloomfield, Essex County that serves seniors on a fixed income.

In response to letters he has sent individually and in collaboration with five other members of the New Jersey Congressional Delegation, Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04)  sat down yesterday with officials from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to discuss the ongoing hardships faced by victims of Superstorm Sandy who are precluded from receiving HUD grants and HUD’s inexplicable decision to carve out needed Sandy funds for a nation-wide resiliency competition of which NJ received only $15 million.

The National Association of Realtors® Issues Mobilization grants help keep you and your neighbors aware and informed about public policy changes that would impact your wallet and your home.

U.S. Senators Robert Menendez and Cory Booker today announced the awarding of $69,231,301 from the U.S. Treasury’s Hardest Hit Fund (HHF) to assist financially-stressed New Jersey homeowners with mortgage modifications and refinancing to avert foreclosure and stay in their homes. In 2015, New Jersey had the nation’s highest foreclosure rate.

The Christie Administration has approved 63 applications totaling $1.2 million for recreational trail projects throughout New Jersey, Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Bob Martin has announced. The funds come from the Federal Highway Administration’s Recreational Trails Program and through DEP’s Green Acres Program.

The New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs today announced that during the fourth quarter of 2015, it issued Notices of Violation to 40 home improvement contractors, seeking $481,477 in consumer restitution and civil penalties.

The Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey (the Network) along with its partners and allies, was invited to testify today before the New Jersey Assembly Health and Senior Services Committee on the public health consequences of water quality and lead contamination. At the hearing, Network President and Chief Executive Officer Staci Berger issued the following statement:

Bedminster-based technology company STOPit is receiving national attention for its technology platform that lets people report bullying, both traditional and cyber, and other forms of inappropriate behavior in schools, universities and places of employment

Across our nation, homeowners are coming together, taking ownership of their communities in order to make things better for everyone.

In its continued effort to meet and assist Sandy-impacted families right in their home communities, the Christie Administration today announced that the 31st Information Session will be held Thursday, February 25, 2016, at the Guarini Institute for Government and Leadership at Saint Peter’s University in Jersey City, to provide personal assistance for storm-affected homeowners participating in the Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation and Mitigation (RREM) Program and LMI Homeowners

Housing and community advocates along with parents and concerned residents, urged Governor Christie and the State Legislature to include $10 million for lead prevention in the upcoming state budget. In a letter sent to State leaders today, advocates say the number of children exposed to toxic lead warrants full funding of the Lead Hazard Control Assistance Fund (LHCAF)

Governor Chris Christie delivered his proposed Fiscal Year 2017 State Budget today. On the governor’s proposal, Network President and Chief Executive Officer Staci Berger issued the following statement

Newly-passed legislation in the Serbian parliament that offers compensation for heirless Jewish property seized during and after the Holocaust was called “historic” by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE), also known as the Helsinki Commission.

The Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) provides funding to organizations, as described under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, at high risk of terrorist attacks and located within designated areas of New Jersey. Eligible 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations must utilize funding for the purchase and installation of security equipment on property owned or leased by the nonprofit organization. Equipment is limited to select items contained within categories 14 and 15 on FEMA's Authorized Equipment List (AEL); they include CCTV, card access readers, blast film, lighting, fencing, and bollards.

U.S. Senators Robert Menendez and Cory Booker (both D-NJ) and Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. (NJ-09) today outlined legislation they will introduce in both Houses of Congress to address New Jersey’s and the nation’s aging water infrastructure, while creating jobs and economic opportunity

Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman announced today that New Jersey has joined a major multi-state and federal settlement with mortgage lender and servicer HSBC that resolves allegations the company engaged in abusive business practices in the handling of its mortgage loans

The Christie Administration today released the 2015 property tax data for the state’s 565 municipalities. The figures posted on the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) website show that property taxes decreased in more than 62 communities, increased by less than 1 percent in approximately 49 more, and on average increased by only 2.4 percent last year on the average residential property. When adjusted for inflation, the increase on the average residential property equates to only 2.1 percent.

As part of the State’s efforts to help create affordable housing in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy and inform people of these new housing opportunities, the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) and New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (HMFA) will join local officials and representatives from Rukenstein and Associates, LLC on Thursday, February 11, 2016, for an open house of Atrium Apartments at Egg Harbor, an 84-unit development in Egg Harbor Township that received Sandy recovery funds.