Newark Nonprofit Plans Eviction Prevention, Housing Workshop

NEWARK, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of United Community Corporation. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site.

United Community Corporation is hosting a housing assistance seminar at The Clubhouse (205 Spruce St, Newark, NJ 07108), a Newark Housing Authority site, on Saturday, Nov. 13 from noon to 3 p.m.

The seminar will help clients in danger of being evicted, those already evicted, those looking to find a home, those with months of rental/mortgage arrears, and those behind on their energy bills.

UCC staff will be on-site to help clients fill out applications for UCC’s Comprehensive Eviction Prevention Program (CEP), do screenings and begin processing for UCC’s Rapid Rehousing and Homeless Prevention programs, and begin the application process for UCC’s Energy Assistance programs (LIHEAP and PAGE).

“It is extremely important to provide actual assistance on-site to help the community and not just information or referral sources,” UCC Housing Counselor Damon Redmond said. “We are bringing all the referral resources directly to the clients.”

The seminar will feature four guest speakers.

UCC’s Housing Assistance Program Manager Tabatha Perez will introduce, explain and kick-off the Comprehensive Eviction Prevention Program, which was funded by the NJDCA. Redmond will discuss UCC’s Limited Mortgage Assistance Program, which targets homeowners that are facing foreclosure. UCC’s Housing Coordinator Pamela McNeill will discuss Rental Assistance Options, as well as UCC’s Rapid Rehousing program, which focuses on helping residents without addresses, find homes.

The final speaker will be Essex County Legal Aid owner and president Yvette Gibbons, ESQ.

“Ms. Gibbons and her organization bring a plethora of free resources for the community when it comes to explaining and understanding the ever-changing eviction moratorium," Redmond said. “It is important to hear from an attorney who is on the front lines fighting for homeowners and tenants that need to know exactly what is going on. Sometimes the terminology can be confusing but Ms. Gibbons is able to simplify it so the common person understands.”

The most-crucial aspect of this seminar is the ability to fill out applications on-site. While clients will still receive crucial information from speakers with expertise in various areas of housing assistance, clients will receive help specific to them and be able to take their first step towards assistance.

“It is imperative for our staff to attend the seminar because we want to immediately start assisting at-risk individuals,” Perez said. “Our mission is to prevent homelessness and give those in need reassurance that they will maintain permanency in their housing situations through the Comprehensive Eviction Prevention Program.”

Constant conversations about housing assistance like this are extremely important to make sure that residents know all of their rights and options. This is the fifth housing assistance seminar held by United Community Corporation.

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