Gloucester Twp. Considers HUD Funding; Help For Renters Available

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — As Gloucester Township Council considers what it will do with more than $493,000 in CARES Act funding it recently received, rental assistance is on its way for residents throughout Camden County.

Through the Camden County Rental Assistance Program, the county will make up to six months of back rent (April through September) available to residents who may be facing eviction, up to $4,000, officials announced on Tuesday.

The tenants will apply to take part in the program, but the payments will be made directly to the landlords, according to officials.

“There has been a crisis quietly building in the halls of rental properties across New Jersey and throughout the United States,” Camden County Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli Jr. said. “While evictions have been paused to protect renters from being left homeless during this crisis, families are watching what they owe grow without any idea of how they’ll settle that debt before evictions resume. Using $4 million of funding made available by the federal CARES Act, the Freeholder Board is hoping to alleviate some of that concern for renters in our community. This won’t be a panacea, but it will be a significant lifeline to hundreds of families.”

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On Monday night, Gloucester Township Council President Orlando Mercado said the township would use the money it received for rental assistance locally, but was still awaiting guidance from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Gloucester Township received $493,426 in CARES Act funding to hold down the rate of evictions in the township, specifically. Read more here: Gloucester Twp. To Get $493K To Hold Down Evictions Amid Pandemic

“It’s a way for people to catch up,” Mercado said of the funding that is earmarked for residents and not businesses.

During a news conference on Tuesday, Cappelli pointed out that although renters can't be evicted in New Jersey through the end of the year, they are still not able to pay their rent, so their debt is mounting. The program is designed to help with at least part of that debt. To qualify for Rental Assistance Program, tenants must meet the following eligibility and rules:

• Tenants cannot earn more than 50 percent of Average Area Median Income (AMI);
• Applicants will be required to provide proof of loss/reduction in employment or income;
• No duplication of funds will be permitted — apartments/landlords which are funded under the state’s tenant assistance program or Section 8 are not eligible;
• Landlords must agree to waive late fees and penalties accrued from April 2020 to September 2020; and
• Lease must have begun before March 1, 2020.

The following income limits are in effect:

• 1-person, $33,850
• 2-person, $38,650
• 3-person, $43,500
• 4-person, $48,300
• 5-person, $52,200
• 6-person, $56,050

“The CARES Act has delivered critical federal resources to local governments, and I applaud Camden County’s innovation in creating this rental assistance program to help residents struggling to make payments,” Rep. Donald Norcross (D-1) said. “This money will provide vital funding to renters who need our support during the ongoing public health crisis.”

“This program will be another significant benefit to business owners who have gone months without rental payments,” South Jersey Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Christina Renna said. “Our members have been in a holding pattern since the start of the pandemic and this initiative is a win-win for the tenant and landlord.”

Applications for the program open at 8 a.m. Thursday, and they will be awarded on a first come, first served basis. Applications will be accepted until all available funds have been awarded. To apply, visit: www.CamdenRentGrant.com.

The most recent round of CARES Act funding was the third round, Mercado said Monday night. In the second round, the township received about $108,000, which was used for women’s centers, the Gloucester Township Housing Authority, assistance for small businesses and planning and administration, Mercado said.

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