Contact

Division of Housing, Community Development, and Social Services
County Admin Building
2^nd Floor
75 Bayard Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901

732-745-3025
732-745-4117 Fax (Housing Only)

Division of Housing, Community Development, and Social Services

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The Housing, Community Development and Social Services 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.

HOME-ARP Plan

As part of the American Rescue Plan, Congress created a new program, known as the HOME-American Rescue Plan Program (HOME-ARP), to be administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to primarily benefit individuals and families that are homeless and/or at increased risk of homelessness.

Middlesex County was awarded $5,844,246 in HOME-ARP funding from HUD. The HOME-ARP program required each jurisdiction that receives funding to prepare and submit a HOME-ARP Allocation Plan that outlines how the HOME-ARP funds will be apportioned among the eligible activities and for which populations.

The County prepared its HOME-ARP Allocation Plan for submission to HUD that identifies how it intends to allocate the funds among eligible activities, how it consulted with required community stakeholders, and provides an explanation of each qualified population and a needs and gaps analysis. The submitted HOME-ARP Allocation Plan was approved by HUD.

HOME-ARP Funding Allocation Plan

	Funding Amount	Percent of the Grant	Statutory Limit
Supportive Services	$ 504,246
Acquisition and Development of Non-Congregate Shelters	$ 3,500,000
Tenant Based Rental Assistance (TBRA)	$ 0
Development of Affordable Rental Housing	$ 1,000,000
Non-Profit Operating	$ 290,000	4.96 %	5%
Non-Profit Capacity Building	$ 150,000	2.57 %	5%
Administration and Planning	$ 400,000	6.84 %	15%
Total HOME ARP Allocation	$ 5,844,246

Click here to view the full plan.

If you have questions about the HOME-ARP Allocation Plan, please contact the Middlesex County Division of Housing and Social Services at (732) 745-3025 or by emailing housing@co.middlesex.nj.us

Funding

For more than 25 years, the Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners 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 the past five years, the County Commissioners have allocated just over $900,000 each year in these County Commissioner Support Grants.

The County Commissioners 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 applications, and make funding recommendations to the County Commissioners. After the County Commissioners 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 County Commissioners 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.

Landlord Tenant Issues During the COVID Pandemic & Eviction Moratorium

Below are two videos from Central Jersey Legal Services that discuss landlord and tenant's 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.

Publications

2024 Annual Actions Plan

The 2024 Annual Action plan outlines the goals, priorities, and planned accomplishments for the Middlesex County Division of Housing and Community Development utilizing certain HUD funds, specifically, the Community Development Blok Grant (CDBG) program, the HOME investment Partnerships Program (HOME) and the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) program for the period July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025.

2024 Annual Action Plan

2023 Annual Action Plan

2023 Annual Action Plan

2022 CAPER Report
The 2022 Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report (CAPER), which reports on various programs funded by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) covering the period July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023. Question or comments on this report can be sent to melissa.bellamy@co.middlesex.nj.us

2021 CAPER Report
The 2021 Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report (CAPER), which reports on various programs funded by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) covering the period July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2022. Question or comments on this report can be sent to melissa.bellamy@co.middlesex.nj.us

2020 CAPER Report
The 2020 Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report (CAPER), which reports on various programs funded by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) covering the period July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021. Question or comments on this report can be sent to melissa.bellamy@co.middlesex.nj.us

2020-2025 Consolidated Plan and 2020 Annual Action Plan
The 2020-2024 Consolidated Plan outlines the goals, priorities, and planned accomplishments for the Middlesex County Division of Housing and Community Development utilizing certain HUD funds, specifically, the Community Development Block, Grant (CDBG) program, the HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) and the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) program. The plan also includes the 2020 Annual Action Plan for the period July 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021.

2022 Annual Action Plan

Resources and Initiatives

CCMAC

Commission on Child Abuse and Missing Children (CCAMC)

Veterans Services Program

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 Homelessness

Middlesex County Housing Continuum of Care Committee (MCHC³) - 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 services, providers, advocates for the homeless, and low-income families and individuals.

Coming Home, Inc., - The not-for-profit organization that is taking the lead on ending homelessness in Middlesex County.

Housing First Fund - The Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners 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 18, 2020 until March 31, 2021

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:
  - Cancer treatment, bone marrow or organ transplantation, immune deficiencies,
  - Poorly controlled HIV or AIDS, and prolonged use of corticosteroids and other
  - 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
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.
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).
The timeframe for the Phase 1 proposed changes would be effective immediately upon CoC Executive Committee approval and would extend through March 31, 2021, at which time it would be reassessed. This is not to prohibit a reevaluation sooner, if needs and resources change before that time.

Middlesex County Homelessness Trust Fund

2024 Homelessness Trust Fund Application & Submission

The Middlesex County Homelessness Trust Fund Task Force has opened their local application process for the Homelessness Trust Fund. Applications and Budgets are to be submitted to Michelle Grabelle (michelle.grabelle@co.middlesex.nj.us) by 4pm on September 10^th. This is a one year grant that will run from January-December 2025, if you have any questions or are need of assistance please email Michelle.

Middlesex County Homelessness Trust Fund Application

Middlesex County Homelessness Trust Fund Budget

Middlesex County Homelessness Trust Fund Funding Priorities

HUD Continuum of Care

2024 HUD Continuum of Care Application Process & Submission

The Middlesex County Continuum of Care is submitting the below documentation to HUD in response to the 2024 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Continuum of Care application process for homelessness assistance. There are 18 total projects, 14 renewal projects, 4 new projects, and 1 planning grant representing a request for over $4.4M in federal funds.

**UPDATE: The local application process has been REOPENED. Applications for NEW projects must be submitted by 4pm on Friday, August 16th**

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 2024 Notice of Funding Available (NOFA) Continuum of Care application process for homeless assistance. The application deadline for RENEWAL & NEW applications is Friday, June 14 at 5 pm. 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 Wednesday, May 15, 2024, at 1:00 pm using TEAMS.

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Meeting ID: 220 796 492 286

Passcode: pynLbF

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+1 732-515-5844,,327685980# United States, Edison

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Phone conference ID: 327 685 980

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. All agencies are required to complete their applications on Survey Monkey. Click here to apply.