Statewide Housing Association Joins State to Host Housing Resource Fairs for Sandy-Impacted Residents

Housing resource fairs to be held in Highlands on Oct. 26th and in Toms River on Oct. 28th

WASHINGTON, D.C. – (RealEstateRama) — Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey (the Network) is partnering with the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) and the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA) to host free Housing Resource Fairs in Monmouth and Ocean counties to provide Sandy-impacted residents with information about available housing resources.

The Housing Resource Fairs will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on:

• Wednesday, October 26, 2016, in the gymnasium of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, 121 Miller Street, Highlands; and
• Friday, October 28, 2016, in Disciple’s Hall of Christ Episcopal Church, 415 Washington Street, Toms River.

Attendees will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with housing counselors, developers/landlords and other support services. The fair is open to Sandy-impacted residents from anywhere in New Jersey.

“For people affected by Superstorm Sandy, the Housing Resource Fairs are a great opportunity to learn about housing-related programs that can be of help to them,” said DCA Commissioner Charles A. Richman, whose Department administers many of the State’s Sandy housing recovery initiatives. “We encourage residents to stop by with their questions and concerns so that we can direct them to available assistance.”

Representatives from community development corporations, affordable housing properties, supportive services organizations, local non-profit groups, and local and state government agencies will be in attendance. Housing Counselors from the Sandy Recovery Housing Counseling Program will also be present to offer attendees free HUD-certified housing counseling services for a wide array of housing-related issues, including foreclosure prevention, mortgages, budgeting, and rental guidance.
Specifically, Affordable Housing Alliance, Community Affairs & Resource Center, Community Health Law Project, Family Promise of Monmouth County, Habitat for Humanity Monmouth County, Red Bank Resource Network, Saint Bernard Project, and Walters Group will be present at the Housing Resource Fair in Highlands, Monmouth County.

Also, the organizations that will be at the Housing Resource Fair in Toms River, Ocean County, include Affordable Housing Alliance, Clarifi, Community Health Law Project, Homes for All, Human Services Advisory Council for Ocean County, Northern Ocean Habitat for Humanity, O.C.E.A.N. Inc., Ocean County Board of Social Services, Ocean County Long Term Recovery Group (OCLTRG), RPM Management, Saint Bernard Project, and Walters Group.

“Four years later, there are still many households dealing with the aftermath of the storm,” said Sharon Barker, vice president and chief operating officer of the Network. “This event will connect them directly with service providers in their area who have the knowledge and compassion to help storm survivors.”

These are the third and fourth such Housing Resource Fairs for Sandy-impacted residents to be held. The first took place in April in Atlantic City, Atlantic County, and the second was held in September in Jersey City, Hudson County. DCA is holding the Housing Resource Fairs in those counties the federal government determined were most impacted by Sandy (Atlantic, Bergen, Cape May, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Union). Information about upcoming Housing Resource Fairs will be provided as they are scheduled.

For more information on the Housing Resource Fairs, people may contact the DCA’s Sandy Constituent Services Office by calling (609) 292-3750 or the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey by calling (609) 393-3752.

For more information: Nina Arce
(609) 393-3752 x1200
(609) 789-7900
Website: hcdnnj.org
Twitter site: twitter.com/hcdnnj
Facebook site: facebook.com/hcdnnj