The Program

The New Jersey Departments of Community Affairs (DCA) and Human Services (DHS) along with the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency have launched a Special Needs Housing Partnership aimed at creating affordable, supportive housing for 600 people with developmental disabilities by June 2013. The initiative aligns with the State of New Jersey’s goal to help integrate people with special needs into the community whenever possible.

Under the Special Needs Housing Partnership, three or four bedroom ranch style homes and other first-story residences will be adapted to create supported-living arrangements for a minimum of 100 people by December 31, 2011, an additional 200 people by June 30, 2012; and 300 more people by June 30, 2013. The goal is to move people who are able, from developmental centers to the community; who are on the DHS waiting list, or who require emergency community residential placements into appropriate housing faster than the State’s current process. Referrals to the homes will not exclusively come from DHS. In fact, service providers in the community can also refer their clients to the housing.

As part of this initiative, the Partnership will help municipalities utilize the monies in municipal affordable housing trust fund accounts to create housing for people with developmental disabilities. The Partnership will also assist municipalities to leverage the monies in their affordable housing trust funds by matching a municipal commitment of funds with financing available through the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency.

To facilitate the process, the DCA has approved, through a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process, approximately 90 qualified affordable housing developers/supportive services providers that the municipalities can contract with to create the housing. These developers/providers will be able to submit project development plans to the DCA and DHS. Organizations whose plans meet the program’s objectives can expect to receive sufficient funding to purchase and rehabilitate housing units.

The Partnership has also developed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that municipalities will sign along with the State Partners agreeing to the basic requirements of the program.  Also available is a model resolution for use by the governing body authorizing the execution of the MOU.

The Special Needs Housing Partnership supports New Jersey’s obligations under the landmark 1999 Supreme Court decision in Olmstead v. L.C. in which the Court ruled that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects a person with a disability from being unnecessarily institutionalized. The decision favored unrestricted, but supported, community placements for individuals with disabilities.