Monarch Housing’s Blog!

More than 200 advocates from New Jersey to attend!

With one week left to the 2nd Annual Congressional Reception, more than two hundred formerly homeless people, passionate advocates and housing providers from across the state have registered to attend the July 30th event.

The top three policy issues will be:

1. Significantly increase funding for homeless and housing assistance programs within the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for services linked to permanent and supportive housing for homeless individuals, families, and youth. Click here for more details.

2. Pass legislation to reauthorize the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants program that will protect homeless families and homeless people with disabilities, expand prevention activities, and focus on permanent housing solutions to homelessness. Click here for more details.

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SAMHSA Funding Overview!

Key issue for the July 30th Congressional Reception!

With less a week to go until the 2nd Annual Congressional Reception, the National Alliance to End Homelessness has released several important policy papers on federal funding for housing and supportive services. The New Jersey Advocacy Network to End Homelessness’ mission is to advocate on a federal level for adequate funding for permanent affordable and supportive housing for homeless individuals and families. The Advocacy Network’s next event the Second Annual Congressional Reception will be held on July 30, 2008.

Funding for supportive services is critical to the success of our efforts to end homelessness in New Jersey. This is one of the three key policy issues for the Funding for supportive services is critical to the success of our efforts to end homelessness in New Jersey. This is one of the three key policy issues for the Congressinal Reception.

On June 18th we published a general overview of federal funding issues. Click here to read that post.

Today we are adding an overview of the SAMHSA funding including:

Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH) and
Grants for the Benefit of Homeless Individuals/Treatment Systems for Homeless (GBHI/TSH)

The Administration recommended a $6.7 million increase for PATH, however, the Administration also recommended a $19 million cut to GBHI/TSH programs. The House and Senate both maintained the Read the rest of this entry »

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the 2008 Continuum of Care NOFA Webcast has been rescheduled to a new time tomorrow (July 24th). The live webcast will be held from 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. EDT instead of the previously scheduled 2-5 PM EDT.

We apologize to everyone for the very short notice on announcing this change. For those CoC representatives, project applicants and HUD staff who are unable to change their schedules to view the live webcast tomorrow morning, the webcast will be archived at www.hud.gov no later than 5:00 PM Monday, July 28th.

For full details click here.

Senators Lautenberg and Menendez to attend!

Congressmen Holt, Sires, Rothman and Payne to attend!

Congressmen LoBiondo to meet after the reception!

More than 200 advocates from New Jersey to attend!

With one week left to the 2nd Annual Congressional Reception, more than two hundred formerly homeless people, passionate advocates and housing providers from across the state have registered to attend the July 30th event. The Congressional Reception is currently “sold out” and we are therefore unable to accept any more reservations!

Congress members Holt, Sires, Rothman and Payne plan to attend this event along with Senators Lautenberg and Menendez. Outreach is continuing to other members of the House.

The top three policy issues will be:

Adequate funding for housing and supportive services;

McKinney-Vento Reauthorization; and

Adequate funding for the Second Chance Act.

Two of the bus pickup locations have been determined.

The central NJ bus will leave at 8:15 AM from the United Way of Mercer County (3131 Princeton Pike, Bldg 4, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648)

The southern NJ bus will leave 8:15 AM from CPAC (6981 N. Park Drive East, Pennsauken, NJ 08109).

The pickup for the northern bus will be resolved this week.

Hosted by Senator Menendez, the Congressional Reception is coordinated by the following organizations that comprise the Steering Committee of the New Jersey Advocacy Network to End Homelessness: Catholic Charities of New Jersey (comprised of the five Catholic Charities agencies located through the state); Corporation for Supportive Housing; Homes for New Jersey; Lutheran Office of Governmental Ministries; Lutheran Social Ministries in New Jersey; Monarch Housing Associates; The New Jersey Anti-Poverty Network; NJ Alliance to End Homelessness; New Jersey Catholic Conference; and Supportive Housing Association of NJ.

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Second Chance Act needs $70 million in 2009!

Key policy issue at Congressional Reception!

One of the three policy issues for the 2nd Annual Congressional Reception is adequate funding for the Second Chance Act. The position of the New Jersey Advocacy Network to End Homelessness advocates for Congress to provide $70 million for the Second Chance Act programs in fiscal year 2009.

Please read this entire policy position paper. To read it as a separate document click here. For more information on the Second Chance Act click here.

The Second Chance Act has been explicitly billed as a “first step” in developing a more effective federal response to the problem of people leaving corrections without adequate support. This act reauthorizes and revises an existing grant program within the Department of Justice, providing money to states for reentry programs, and it creates a federal interagency task force to study and coordinate policy. The act also commissions a number of research projects, including a study of barriers in federal policy to successful reentry, and authorizes grants from the Department of Justice directly to nonprofits for reentry programs.

Housing is a key part of any reentry strategy, and it is addressed in a number of ways in the Second Chance Act:

Under the state grants program, housing activities are eligible uses of program funds, from providing housing directly to assisting people in securing housing from the private market or other housing programs.

Another eligible use of funds is strengthening the capacity of prisoners’ families to provide stable living situations.

Housing is to be addressed in the strategic plan required of each state receiving funding.

Housing is one of the performance outcomes that each state receiving funding is required to monitor and report to the Justice Department.

Recommendation

The New Jersey Advocacy Network to End Homelessness urges Congress to provide $70 million for the Second Chance Act programs in fiscal year 2009.

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NAEH releases policy papers on funding!

Key issue for the July 30th Congressional Reception!

With less than two weeks to go until the 2nd Annual Congressional Reception, the National Alliance to End Homelessness has released several important policy papers on federal funding for housing and supportive services. The New Jersey Advocacy Network to End Homelessness’ mission is to advocate on a federal level for adequate funding for permanent affordable and supportive housing for homeless individuals and families. The Advocacy Network’s next event the Second Annual Congressional Reception will be held on July 30, 2008. Click here for a Save the Date form.

These are the materials on the federal funding that are important to read prior to the Congressional Reception.

2008 Capitol Hill Day Federal Policy Agenda (PDF | 23 KB | 2 pages)

Facts on Affordable Housing (PDF | 58 KB | 1 page)

Federal Spending in Homelessness and Housing (PDF | 54 KB | 2 pages)

FY 2009 Services Appropriations (PDF | 46 KB | 2 pages)

HHS Appropriations: Multi-Year Strategy (PDF | 34 KB | 1 page)

HUD Appropriations: Multi-Year Strategy (PDF | 34 KB | 1 page)

More detailed updates will be provided prior to the July 30th event.

Two more organizations become members!

Episcopal Community Development

Respond, Inc.

Click here [Email address: rbrown #AT# monarchhousing.org - replace #AT# with @ ] to find out how to join!

The New Jersey Advocacy Network to End Homelessness’ mission is to advocate on a federal level for adequate funding for permanent affordable and supportive housing for homeless individuals and families. The Advocacy Network’s next event the Second Annual Congressional Reception will be held on July 30, 2008.

The Advocacy Network is pleased to have Episcopal Community Development and Respond, Inc., as members. The New Jersey Advocacy Network to End Homelessness encourages new members. For more information on how to join please contact Richard W. Brown [Email address: rbrown #AT# monarchhousing.org - replace #AT# with @ ] via email or phone 908-272-5363 ext. 225.

Click here for a Save the Date form.

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Congressmen Holt, Sires and Smith to attend!

201 advocates from New Jersey to attend!

Policy Issues Identified!

With two weeks left to the 2nd Annual Congressional Reception, two hundred and one (201) formerly homeless people, passionate advocates and housing providers from across the state have registered to attend the July 30th event. Hosted by Senator Menendez, the Congressional Reception is coordinated by the following organizations that comprise the Steering Committee of the New Jersey Advocacy Network to End Homelessness: Catholic Charities of New Jersey (comprised of the five Catholic Charities agencies located through the state); Corporation for Supportive Housing; Homes for New Jersey; Lutheran Office of Governmental Ministries; Lutheran Social Ministries in New Jersey; Monarch Housing Associates; The New Jersey Anti-Poverty Network; NJ Alliance to End Homelessness; New Jersey Catholic Conference; and Supportive Housing Association of NJ.

Congress members Holt, Sires and Smith plan to attend this event along with Senators Lautenberg and Menendez. Outreach is continuing to other members of the House.

The top three policy issues will be:

Adequate funding for housing and supportive services;

McKinney-Vento Reauthorization; and

Adequate funding for the Second Chance Act.

Two of the bus pickup locations have been determined.

The central NJ bus will leave at 8:15 AM from the United Way of Mercer County (3131 Princeton Pike, Bldg 4, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648)

The southern NJ bus will leave 8:15 AM from CPAC (6981 N. Park Drive East, Pennsauken, NJ 08109).

The pickup for the northern bus will be resolved this week.

Due to the overwhelming response we are currently taking reservations for a waiting list. We strongly encourage everyone who wants to attend to register even though it is only for the waiting list!

Read the rest of this entry »