DCA Announces First NJHOMES ABC Program Cohort
31 Municipalities — Including Bridgeton and Millville — Selected to Participate in Affordable Lifecycle Housing Development Training Program
AC JosepH Media
TRENTON — The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) today announced the 31 municipalities selected to participate in the first cohort of the New Jersey Housing Opportunities for Municipal Equity and Success (NJHOMES) Affordable Building Club (ABC).
NJHOMES ABC is a structured educational program that features a self-study webinar curriculum, followed by monthly live virtual discussions. The structure offers both convenience and opportunities for collaboration with state experts and peers across New Jersey.
“The Sherrill Administration’s focus on making New Jersey more affordable begins with housing,” said DCA Commissioner Jacquelyn A. Suárez. “NJHOMES ABC is aimed at building long-term capacity in developing lifecycle housing by ensuring local officials are armed with the know-how to develop the housing stock their communities need and want.”
NJHOMES ABC focuses on 1-24-unit, 100% affordable lifecycle housing projects that may include existing structure redevelopment and in-fill construction, for example, townhouses, duplexes, and triplexes. NJHOMES ABC’s primary goal is to assist communities in creating affordable housing that is designed to meet the needs of residents at all stages of life — what is called lifecycle housing — while maintaining the character and uniqueness of the community.
“Community planning and development, including in the home building space, require expertise because of the complexity involved,” said DCA Assistant Commissioner and Division of Housing and Community Resources Director Janel Winter. “The goal of NJHOMES ABC is to support local leadership with expert guidance, technical resources, data tools, and funding opportunities to fill some knowledge and experience gaps. Everyone benefits when intentional planning produces vibrant neighborhoods and long-term housing stability.”
NJHOMES ABC was developed in the image of the successful NJHOMES Launchpad program, which provided enhanced technical assistance, mentorship, training, and funding to support ten participating municipalities to strengthen their ability to develop their affordable lifecycle housing plan and projects.
Based on the success of the Launchpad, NJHOMES ABC expands the learning opportunities to more municipalities while maintaining a small group community experience and allowing for individualized attention. Guidance is provided on navigating the development process from planning to implementation. The program outlines financing options and partnership opportunities. It provides strategies and tactics to support community engagement and address common housing challenges.
The 31 municipalities were selected through an application process. Participation is free and the application was open to all New Jersey municipal officials and staff involved in housing, community development, and land use planning.
The NJHOMES ABC program sought municipalities that were interested in exploring innovative housing models, considering zoning or policy changes in their planning decisions, and/or using housing development as a platform for neighborhood and economic revitalization.
The following list includes all NJHOMES ABC participants:
Municipality/County:
Belmar, Monmouth County
Bridgeton, Cumberland County
Chatham, Morris County
East Newark, Hudson County
Flemington, Hunterdon County
Garfield, Bergen County
Hoboken, Hudson County
Holmdel, Monmouth County
Lambertville, Hunterdon County
Leonia, Bergen County
Linden, Union County
Little Silver, Monmouth County
Lumberton Township, Burlington County
Maplewood Township, Essex County
Medford Township, Burlington County
Millstone Township, Monmouth County
Millville, Cumberland County
Montvale, Bergen County
Morris Township, Morris County
Mount Laurel Township, Burlington County
New Brunswick, Middlesex County
Newark, Essex County
Oceanport, Monmouth County
Orange Township, Essex County
Pemberton Township, Burlington County
Pennington Mercer County
Pine Beach, Ocean County
Princeton, Mercer County
Trenton, Mercer County
Summit, Union County
West Cape May, Cape May County
The Division of Housing and Community Resources, which administers the NJHOMES ABC program, strengthens and revitalizes communities through affordable housing, supportive services, and financial and technical assistance to communities, local governments, and community-based organizations.
DCA offers a wide range of programs and services, including local government management and finance, affordable housing production, eviction and homelessness prevention, building and fire safety, community planning and development, historic preservation, disaster recovery and mitigation, and information privacy.
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