Housing Association Joins State to Host Housing Resource Fair

TRENTON – The 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 a free Housing Resource Fair Nov. 18, 2016, at Atlantic Cape Community College in Cape May Court House to provide Sandy-impacted residents with information about available housing resources.
The Housing Resource Fair will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Atlantic Cape Community College’s Cape May Court House Campus, 341 Court House-South Dennis Road, Cape May Court House. 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, Catholic Charities, Community Health Law Project, Consumer Credit & Budget Counseling, Disabled American Veterans, Family Promise of Cape May County, Puerto Rican Action Committee of Southern New Jersey, Robins’ Nest, and South Jersey Legal Services will be present at the Housing Resource Fair.
“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.”
This is the fifth such Housing Resource Fair for Sandy-impacted residents to be held. Fairs were previously held in Atlantic City, Atlantic County; Jersey City, Hudson County; Highlands, Monmouth County; and Toms River, Ocean 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.