Landlord Tenant Issues During the COVID Pandemic & Eviction Moratorium
Below are two videos from Central Jersey Legal Services that discuss landlord and tenants rights during the COVID pandemic; how the courts work for eviction filings and what the eviction moratorium means for both sides; and what homelessness prevention resources are available and how to access them. The shorter video provides a basic overview, while the longer one provides more detailed information.
Low income persons in need of civil legal services, including in the areas of housing, family matters, access to public benefits and healthcare, senior citizen legal needs, and consumer financial issues can contact Central Jersey Legal Services at 732-249-7600 or at
cjls@lsnj.org for an eligibility screening.
Shorter Video:
Longer Video:
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The Division administers three housing programs funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): Section 8 Rental Assistance; Community Development Block Grant (CDBG); and HOME Investment Partnerships. All three programs are designed primarily to benefit lower income persons and households, and most of the rules governing them are set by HUD. The programs help pay families' rent, create new affordable housing, and provide needed services.
The Division also oversees the Human Services Advisory Council, which serves as the County's comprehensive human services planning entity. The staff is responsible for the development and distribution of Support Grant Applications, proposal review, fund allocations, appeals processes, quarterly reporting, vouchering and monitoring of funded programs.
For more than twenty-five years, the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders have provided funding to the County’s various social service agencies that serve our County’s most vulnerable residents: the poor, the homeless, the disabled, immigrants, and other special populations. For at the past five years, the Freeholders have allocated just over $900,000 each year in these County Freeholder Support Grants.
The County Freeholders Support Grant Process is administered by the staff of the County Office of Human Services, who utilize the membership of the Middlesex County Human Services Advisory Council (HSAC) to devise the annual application process, review the applications, and make funding recommendations to the Freeholders. After the Freeholders approve the annual County Budget, including these support grants, County staff prepare the contracts, and conduct the fiscal and programmatic monitoring.
The HSAC takes very seriously the fact that the Freeholders entrust the Council with the facilitation of these public funds. To that end, the Council uses all methods available to ensure that the process is as objective, open and transparent as possible. These support grants, which on average are no more than 10% of a program’s overall budget, are meant to supply the funded programs with the flexibility to make their programs “whole” and best serve the County’s most vulnerable.
Click here for information on the
Commission on Child Abuse and Missing Children (CCAMC)
The Middlesex County Housing Continuum of Care Committee (MCHC³) is the primary vehicle for planning and coordinating the delivery of services to the homeless and collaborating with Coming Home of Middlesex County, Inc. to implement the Middlesex County Plan to End Homelessness. MCHC³’s membership comprises mainly homeless service, providers, advocates for the homeless and low income families and individuals.
Click here for Information on NJ HMFA's New Jersey's Hardest Hit Fund.
The Veterans Services Program provides assistance, information and referrals regarding eligibility for services and service related benefits to military veterans and their families. Division staff administers the Middlesex County Veterans Housing Assistance Program as well as the Veterans' Advisory Council.
Ending Homelessness In Middlesex County
The Middlesex County Plan to End Homelessness, Coming Home of Middlesex County, and the Housing First Fund are part of a multi-pronged approach to ending homelessness in Middlesex County.
•
Middlesex County Plan To End HomelessnessClick here to download the Middlesex County Plan to End Homelessness.•
Coming Home Coming Home, Inc., is the not-for-profit organization that is taking the lead on ending homelessness in Middlesex County.
•Housing First Fund
The Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders has included funds in the capital budget, totaling $1,000,000 each year, to be used as seed or leveraging funds for housing for the homeless. Specifically, the purpose of this “Housing First” Fund is to assist in the creation of permanent affordable and accessible units which implement the Middlesex County 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness. This could include, but is not limited to, the construction of new housing units, the rehabilitation of existing units, the acquisition of land or existing structures for the purposed construction or rehabilitating of units to be used as permanent housing for homeless individuals and/or families.Visit Coming Home to access the procedure for applying for Housing First funds.
•COVID-19 Addendum to Governance Charter
Below is an addenda to Appendix C of the Middlesex County Continuum of Care Committee Governance Charter. It will remain in effect through March 31, 2021, but may be extended based on the current COVID-19 situation at that time. The full Governance Charter can be access below under the 2020 HUD Continuum of Care Application Process and Submission.
Due to the current health pandemic Middlesex CoC has adopted the following amendments for the Coordinated Entry protocols effective June 18th, 2020 until March 31st, 2021
I. to revise the existing Coordinated Assessment tool to increase scoring/points for individuals age 60+, and those with specific underlying chronic health conditions, including:
• Chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma
• Serious heart conditions (expected to be of long-continued and indefinite duration, and significantly inhibits ability of the individual to live independently)
• Conditions that can cause a person to be immunocompromised, including
o cancer treatment, bone marrow or organ transplantation, immune deficiencies,
o poorly controlled HIV or AIDS, and prolonged use of corticosteroids and other
o immune weakening medications.
• Severe obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 40 or higher)
• Diabetes
• Chronic kidney disease and those who are undergoing dialysis
• Liver disease
II. to reassess individuals currently on the By Name List to include the revised factors, which may lead to a change in their placement on the list for permanent housing resources.
III. to review the prioritization lists for the shelters, and shift individuals on those lists accordingly based on the presence of the above risk factors (age and underlying health conditions).
IV. the timeframe for the Phase 1 proposed changes would be effective immediately upon CoC Executive Committee approval and would extend through 3/31/21 at which time, it would be reassessed. This is not to prohibit a reevaluation sooner, if needs and resources change before that time.
2020 HUD Continuum of Care Application Process & Submission
Middlesex County Local CoC Application
Process - Deadline Suspended
The deadline for the 2020
local CoC applications has been suspended because HUD hasn’t yet
released the Grant inventory Worksheet yet (GIW), which always precedes the
NOFA announcements, and there is a good chance that there may be an
announcement in the coming weeks that cancels the 2020 NOFA for an automatic
renewal process by legislative action. Applications were originally due on
June 26th, which was then extended to July
31st.
If HUD does indicate their intentions for the
2020 NOFA (by the release of the GIW or an official announcement), the
Middlesex County CoC will re-start the process and provide applicants
with a new application deadline that will be at least 21 days from the
announcement and will include another Technical Assistance workshop for any
potential new applicants.
The Middlesex County
Continuum of Care (CoC) has started the local application process in
anticipation of the US Department of Urban Development’s (HUD) release of the
2020 Notice of Funding Available (NOFA) Continuum of Care application process
for homeless assistance. The application deadline is Friday, June 26th by
2PM. The Technical Review Committee of the CoC will review
applications for both new and renewing projects. A Technical Assistance
Workshop will be a virtual meeting held on Thursday, May 7, 2019 at 11:00AM.
You can join this meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone by clicking
here: https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/308571061
You can also dial in using your phone: 1-872-240-3412; Access Code:
308-571-061. New to GoToMeeting? Get the app now and be ready when your first
meeting starts: https://global.gotomeeting.com/install/308571061
This workshop is MANDATORY for all new applicants and all agencies in
attendance will receive additional points on their application score, so all
renewal applicants are also encouraged to participate. The following
documents provide more detail on the application and process:
- 2020 Middlesex County CoC Application
- 2020 Middlesex County CoC Scoring Tool
- 2020 Middlesex County CoC Performance Standards
- Middlesex County CoC Governance Charter
- Notice of Intent Letter