Office of Eviction Prevention Recognized for Its Work Helping New Jersey’s Vulnerable Populations

• Posted on: 07/9/2024

Office Receives “In the Trenches” Public Entity Partner Award

Trenton, NJ - The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) today announced that its Office of Eviction Prevention (OEP) within the Division of Housing and Community Resources was recognized by The Waterfront Project, Inc. during its Justice for All Gala held on June 27, 2024. OEP was honored with the “In the Trenches” Public Entity Partner Award for its contributions to eviction prevention and tenant support and its dedication to providing critical assistance and advocacy for the most vulnerable members of the community.

The Waterfront Project, Inc. is a nonprofit legal services center that provides free civil legal representation, assistance, and advocacy to Northern New Jersey residents who are asset-limited, income-constrained, homeless, or disenfranchised.

“At DCA, it is our mission to improve the quality of life for residents of New Jersey,” said DCA Commissioner Jacquelyn A. Suárez. “This award is a testament to the collective effort of the Office of Eviction Prevention’s dedicated team. This recognition underscores their unwavering commitment to help vulnerable populations and ensure that every individual has the opportunity to thrive.”

OEP oversees programs and services in eviction prevention and diversion, including rental assistance programs, social services support, and expanding access to counsel to low-income tenants facing or threatened with eviction. The Office also handles general inquiries about landlord-tenant rights and responsibilities and publishes the bi-annual Truth in Renting Guide. The Office works closely with non-profit community-based organizations in disseminating information about resources and providing direct outreach to at-risk tenants.

“We’re incredibly grateful for this recognition and deeply honored by it. I share this award with my team and with our leadership team at DCA, including DCA Commissioner Suárez and Division of Housing Assistant Commissioner Winter,” said Office of Eviction Prevention Director Dean Dafis. “I’m proud of our administration’s strong commitment to and support for our efforts in solving homelessness and building greater equity in housing resources. This award is particularly special because we’re receiving it from a true partner in housing justice, tireless advocates in opening the door a little wider, leveling the playing field, in defending housing as a human right for all - thank you Waterfront Project!”

The Office of Eviction Prevention has several resources to assist those in need, including the Comprehensive Eviction Defense & Diversion (CEDD) program. The CEDD program provides eligible low-income households facing or threatened with eviction with free and quality access to an effective attorney, who can best advocate for them in court to prevent their eviction and negotiate settlements with their landlords, as well as with an experienced case worker, called a “resource navigator,” who can best connect them to necessary resources such as rental assistance and relocation support. The resource navigators and attorneys coordinate their efforts to prevent lockouts by the courts. DCA’s Office of Homelessness Prevention offers a variety of programs to assist those who are homeless or in danger of homelessness, including the Homelessness Prevention Program that helps pay tenant arrears, and the Homelessness Diversion Pilot, which deploys rapid housing stabilization case management paired with flexible funding to rapidly prevent and exit eligible households from risk of unsheltered homelessness and shelter placement.

More information about the Office of Eviction Prevention can be found at https://www.nj.gov/dca/dhcr/offices/dhcroep.shtml.

The Division of Housing and Community Resources is committed to strengthening neighborhoods through the delivery of affordable housing and supportive services and to providing financial and technical assistance to municipalities, community action agencies, and other nonprofit organizations for community and economic development projects that improve the quality of life for residents, especially those who are vulnerable and disadvantaged.

DCA offers a wide range of programs and services, including local government management and finance, affordable housing production, fire safety, building safety, community planning and development, disaster recovery and mitigation, historic preservation, and information privacy.

For more information about DCA, visit https://nj.gov/dca/ or follow the Department on social media: