8/9/2019 2010 Strategic Plan Narratives http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2010-strategic-plan-narratives 1/74 3-5 Year Strategic Plan This document includes Narrative Responses to specific questions that grantees of the Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnership, Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS and Emergency Shelter Grants Programs must respond to in order to be compliant with the Consolidated Planning Regulations. NAME OF JURISDICTION: Morris County Consolidated Plan Time Period: 2010-2014 GENERAL Executive Summary 3-5 Year Strategic Plan Executive Summary: This 5-year Strategic Plan, incorporating input from public, private, and non profit agencies, strives to set the stage for the Division of Community Development in light of burgeoning needs and decreasing funds. While 39 municipalities comprise Morris County, 37 of these local governmental units have entered into inter-local Cooperation Agreements with the County, with the two remaining municipalities, Parisppany-Troy Hills and Dover, joining with the county in meeting housing needs with HOME funds. Demographic data provided by the Census, have been reinforced by the amount and range of applications submitted to the county for the three programs it administers: Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) and Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG). The newly established Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Rehousing and Community Development Block Grant-Recovery programs, funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, provide a reflection of need correlating to the current recession. Morris County, an affluent county with a Household Area Median Family Income of $87,600, does, however, have one in 10 households struggling financially, as demonstrated by CHAS data (Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy): •7.14% households are characterized as Extremely Low-Income, •7.08% Very Low-Income and •12.92% Low-Income. • Of the 173,980 households, 27% are at or below low income level (<=80% median income); •35.2% are experiencing a moderate or severe housing cost burden. •Nearly one quarter of the households are rental households •The Majority of all households are small in size (<=4 individuals) • As of 2008 12.7% of the county’s population was 65 years of age or older 1 . 1 2006-2008 American Community Survey, Data Profile Highlights.
3-5 Year Strategic PlanThis document includes Narrative Responses to specific questionsthat grantees of the Community Development Block Grant, HOMEInvestment Partnership, Housing Opportunities for People with AIDSand Emergency Shelter Grants Programs must respond to in order
to be compliant with the Consolidated Planning Regulations.
NAME OF JURISDICTION: Morris County
Consolidated Plan Time Period: 2010-2014
GENERAL
Executive Summary
3-5 Year Strategic Plan Executive Summary:
This 5-year Strategic Plan, incorporating input from public, private, and non profitagencies, strives to set the stage for the Division of Community Development inlight of burgeoning needs and decreasing funds.
While 39 municipalities comprise Morris County, 37 of these local governmentalunits have entered into inter-local Cooperation Agreements with the County, withthe two remaining municipalities, Parisppany-Troy Hills and Dover, joining with thecounty in meeting housing needs with HOME funds.
Demographic data provided by the Census, have been reinforced by the amountand range of applications submitted to the county for the three programs it
administers: Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME InvestmentPartnerships (HOME) and Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG). The newly establishedHomelessness Prevention and Rapid Rehousing and Community Development BlockGrant-Recovery programs, funded through the American Recovery andReinvestment Act, provide a reflection of need correlating to the current recession.
Morris County, an affluent county with a Household Area Median Family Income of $87,600, does, however, have one in 10 households struggling financially, asdemonstrated by CHAS data (Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy):• 7.14% households are characterized as Extremely Low-Income,• 7.08% Very Low-Income and• 12.92% Low-Income.• Of the 173,980 households, 27% are at or below low income level (<=80%
median income);• 35.2% are experiencing a moderate or severe housing cost burden.• Nearly one quarter of the households are rental households• The Majority of all households are small in size (<=4 individuals)• As of 2008 12.7% of the county’s population was 65 years of age or older1.
1 2006-2008 American Community Survey, Data Profile Highlights.
• 10,330 elderly over the age of 65 are low to extremely low income.• 10,760 elderly over the age of 75 are low to extremely low income.• Seniors over the age of 75, who either rent or own their own homes,earning
between 30 and 50% of the Area Median Income are experiencing significanthousing problems (inferior kitchen or plumbing facilities or cost burden over30%).
• 5,895 households with special needs are low to extremely low income.• There are 694 persons living with HIV/AIDS, cumulative through June 30, 2009 in
the county.2 • The homeless population, as determined by the annual Point in Time Count of
Homeless, resulted in a count of 649 individuals 3 up from 302 in 2009; 28.4% of the adults were homeless for more than 1 year.
Since the last Consolidated Plan (Con Plan) the real estate market has cooledalthough the decrease in activity and values didn’t occur until 2009. While there is agreater supply of houses at affordable prices, mortgatges have become increasinglydifficult to obtain. The new homebuyer tax credit, however, has spurred some
activity.
Target populations identified as particularly vulnerable to loss of housing in thiseconomic climate included:• Single women with children• Veterans, particularly female• Widows• Aging out youth• College graduates• Latinos/Latinas
According to the CHAS data, there is a 1.2% vacancy rate of for-sale units in MorrisCounty; there is a 5.7% vacancy rate of rental units. Income restricted housingunits, both rental and owner occupied, are in high demand with waiting listsprevalent. Of the 35 senior rental complexes, 25 have active waiting lists.4 Waitinglists for all the 5 public housing authorities are closed.
Data revealed disproportionate needs, in terms of housing problems, primarilyamong the Latino population.
Non-housing community development needs were garnered from local governmentand non profit representatives. Water/sewer and flood/drain improvements, parksand recreational facilities, senior and transportation services and housing for the
elderly were the categories receiving the highest priority as identified bymunicipalities. Non-profit agencies emphasized strong demand for transportationservices, rental housing subsidies, child care services, employment training, legal
2 State of New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services,http://www.state.nj.us/health/aids/repa/county/documents/morris.pdf 3 DRAFT Point in Time Count, 20104 Morris Count Area Income Restricted Senior Housing Guide, Housing Partnership,2009.
aid and services for elderly and special needs individuals. Regarding ourLatino/Latina population, needs correspond closely, with emphasis on bilingualprovision and on legal services dealing with immigration issues.Major initiatives identified throughout the 5 year strategic planning period include:
• Further increase the Tenant Based Rental Assistance Program for ExtremelyLow- and Low-Income Households in transition
• Promote the increase in availability of Project Based Rental Assistance• Assist production of new housing units using federal funds• Promote Universal (Accessible) Design in all new construction and rehabbed
units• Rehabilitation of Owner Housing• Rehabilitation of Public Housing• Continue support of the Continuum of Care System, especially the prevention
of homelessness• Develop or rehabilitate facilities to serve population segments – seniors,
youth and children• Assist in infrastructure improvements in eligible areas of the county
• Assist municipalities in the development and enhancement of neighborhoodand other public facilities
• Provide affordable childcare and children’s services• Expand senior and youth services• Reach out and empower veterans’ organizations• Continue assistance to supportive housing agencies, especially for persons
with disabilities (mental, physical, developmental) and the frail elderly• Continued assistance to supportive program providers, especially for persons
with disabilities (mental, physical, developmental), victims of domesticviolence and youth aging out of the foster care system.
CHAS: Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy; a special tabulation of U.S.Census Bureau-derived American Community Survey data made available to theU.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). These data providecounts of the numbers of households that fit certain combinations of HUD-specifiedcriteria such as housing needs, HUD-defined income limits and household types of particular interest to planners and policy-makers.
Cost Burden: Monthly gross housing costs, including utility costs, as a percentageof monthly gross income less than or equal to 30%
Moderate cost curden – housing cost burden greater than 30%, less than or equalto 50% Severe cost burden - housing cost burden greater than 50%
Disproportionate Need: when the percentage of persons in a category of need whoare members of a particular racial or ethnic group is at least ten percentage pointshigher than the percentage of persons in the category as a whole.
Elderly: Household contains 1 or more persons age 62-74Extra Elderly: Househo9ld contains 1 or more persons aged 75 or older
ESG: Emergency Shelter Grant
HAMFI: Household Adjusted Median Family Income
HMIS: Homeless Management Information System
HOME: HOME Investment Partnerships Program
HOPWA: Housing Opportunities for People With Aids
Housing Problem: lacks complete kitchen facilities, lacks complete plumbingfacilities, has more than 1 person per room or has a cost burden over 30%
HPRP: Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program
HSAC: Human Services Advisory Council
Income:Low Income = >50 to <=80% Median Family IncomeVery Low Income = >30 to <=50% Median Family IncomeExtremely Low Income = <=30% Median Family Income
Substandard Housing: Lacks complete kitchen or plumbing facilities
Alternatively, the County’s Division of Community Development uses a list of indicators addressing substandard conditions, identified in its "PropertyRehabilitation Eligibility Criteria,” which includes deficiencies existing in one of thefollowing major systems:• Roof • Electrical• Plumbing• Sanitary Plumbing• Heating• Load bearing structure systems• Handicapped accessibility• Lead paint abatement
• Energy conservation• Overcrowding• Severely deteriorated siding, porches or steps.
Strategic P lan
Mission:The Morris County Division of Community Development's mission is to provide safe,decent, and affordable housing and a positive community environment that offers agood quality of life and economic opportunity to all residents, but especially to low-
and moderate- income residents, including the elderly, disadvantaged and disabled.
MANAGING THE PROCESS
Consultation 91.200(b)
1. Identify the lead agency or entity for overseeing the development of the planand the major public and private agencies responsible for administeringprograms covered by the consolidated plan.
The lead agency for overseeing the development of the plan is the Morris County
Division of Community Development. It is the same agency primarily responsiblefor administering the programs covered by the consolidated plan.
2. Identify agencies, groups, and organizations that participated in the process.This should reflect consultation requirements regarding the following:
• General §91.100 (a)(1) - Consult with public and private agencies thatprovide health services, social and fair housing services (including those
focusing on services to children, elderly persons, persons with disabilities,persons with HIV/AIDS and their families, homeless persons) during thepreparation of the plan.
• Homeless strategy §91.100 (a)(2) – Consult with public and privateagencies that provide assisted housing, health services, and social services todetermine what resources are available to address the needs of any personsthat are chronically homeless.
• Lead lead-based paint hazards §91.100 (a)(3) – Consult with State orlocal health and child welfare agencies and examine existing data related tolead-based paint hazards and poisonings.
• Adjacent governments §91.100 (a)(4) -- Notify adjacent governmentsregarding priority non-housing community development needs.
• Metropolitan planning §91.100 (a)(5) -- Consult with adjacent units of
general local government, including local government agencies withmetropolitan-wide planning responsibilities, particularly for problems andsolutions that go beyond a single jurisdiction, i.e. transportation,workforce development, economic development, etc.
• HOPWA §91.100 (b) -- Largest city in EMSA consult broadly to developmetropolitan-wide strategy for addressing needs of persons with HIV/AIDSand their families.
• Public housing §91.100 (c) -- Consult with the local public housing agencyconcerning public housing needs, planned programs, and activities.
2) A significant aspect in developing the Strategic Plan was the consultation of:
General
Housing and Social services agencies including:DAY CARE CENTERS/ AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS
Children on the GreenMount Olive Child Care and Learning Center
EMPLOYMENT TRAINING
Community Options, Inc.Employment Horizons
HOUSING
Boonton Housing AuthorityFair Housing Committee of the Morris County Human Relations CommissionHabitat for Humanity – MorrisHomeless Solutions, Inc.Housing Alliance of Morris CountyHousing Partnership
Legal Services of Northwest JerseyMadison Housing AuthorityMorris County Housing AuthorityMt. Kemble Home for Women
LATINO AFFAIRS
Morris County Office of Hispanic Affairs
Special Needs:
Community Hope, Inc.Community OptionsInterfaith Council for Homeless FamiliesJersey Battered Women’s ServicesMorris County Interfaith Food PantryMorris County Office of Temporary AssistanceNewBridge ServicesNew Jersey AIDS Services
Rose House
SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROGRAMS
Daytop Village, Inc.
YOUTH SERVICES
CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Morris and Sussex Counties
VETERANS AFFAIRS Morris County Department of Human Services, Veterans Services
Homeless strategyInterfaith Council for Homeless Families of Morris CountyJersey Battered Women’s ServicesHomeless Solutions, Inc.Morris Mental Health Association
Lead lead-based paint hazards
The New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services
Adjacent governments
The 37 municipalities within the county that participate in the CDBG program
Metropolitan planningHousing Alliance of Morris CountyLegal Services of North West JerseyMorris County Department of Human Services, Division of Office of Temporary
AssistanceMorris County Fair Housing CommitteePublic housing Boonton Housing Authority
Madison Housing AuthorityMorris County Housing Authority (Dover Housing Authority)Morristown Housing Authority
The input of these organizations, supplemented by US Census, ComprehensiveHousing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) data, and data from various other researchefforts informed the compilation of the various needs tables and narratives.
Citizen Participation 91.200 (b)
3. Based on the jurisdiction’s current citizen participation plan, provide a summaryof the citizen participation process used in the development of the consolidatedplan. Include a description of actions taken to encourage participation of all itsresidents, including the following:
• low- and moderate-income residents where housing and community
development funds may be spent;• minorities and non-English speaking persons, as well as persons with
disabilities;• local and regional institutions and other organizations (including businesses,
developers, community and faith-based organizations);• residents of public and assisted housing developments and recipients of
tenant- based assistance;• residents of targeted revitalization areas.
In accordance with the regulations governing the Consolidated Planning process,the County of Morris will adopt and follow a citizen participation plan by resolution
at a regularly scheduled meeting. The purpose of this Plan is to solicit commentsand encourage the participation of Morris County residents, particularly those fromlow- and moderate-income neighborhoods, public housing residents, minorities,non-English speaking persons, and persons with disabilities.
An effort was made to broaden public participation in the development of theconsolidated plan as documented in the Citizen Participation Plan."The Citizen Participation Plan process will provide for and encourage theparticipation in the development of the consolidated plan, any substantialamendments, and the annual performance report by citizens of Morris County.These citizens will include residents from low- and moderate-incomeneighborhoods, public housing and assisted housing residents, minorities, non-
English speaking persons and persons with disabilities.The County of Morris willconsider any comments, oral or written. The Citizen Participation Plan will beprovided in a format accessible to persons with disabilities, upon request. Publichearings and meetings are to be held in accessible locations at convenient times,with assistance offered to those with special needs such as a translator or signinterpreter."
The Division has enhanced its accessibility by developing and maintaining itswebsite providing information on the grant programs, the application process,bylaws and drafts for US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-required documents, including the Consolidated Plan, announcements of meetingsopen to the public and subsequent minutes.
4. Provide a description of the process used to allow citizens to review and submitcomments on the proposed consolidated plan, including how the plan (or asummary of the plan) was published for review; the dates, times and locationsof a public hearing, or hearings; when and how notice was provided to citizensof the hearing(s); the dates of the 30 day citizen comment period, and if technical assistance was provided to groups developing proposals for fundingassistance under the consolidated plan and how this assistance was provided.
Surveys on housing and non housing needs were distributed and discussed atthe Housing Alliance and Fair Housing Committee meetings. Surveys were alsodistributed to non profits, local government and members of the Community
Development Revenue Sharing Committee.
Four public hearings are scheduled to allow for discussion and input: theafternoon and evening of April 8th, 2010 and April 12th, 2010.
The public will have an opportunity to comment from April 1stth through May14th. The Consolidated Plan will be posted to the Division’s website and madeavailable at the County library and at the Office of the Division of CommunityDevelopment.
Technical assistance is offered on an ongoing basis. In addition, the Division has
begun offering an orientation prior to the start of the year’s grant cycle.
5. Provide a summary of citizen comments or views received on the plan andexplain any comments not accepted and reasons why these comments were notaccepted.
Comments on the County of Morris, Division of Community Development’s StrategicPlan:
Two members from the public, Cameron Wallace and his mother Ms. LoisWallace, attended the evening Public Hearing on April 12th, 2010. Cameron, who15 years ago at the age of 35 suffered a catastrophic stroke, is severelyphysically challenged and a tireless advocate for affordable housing and
independent living for people with special needs.
Despite the advances made in complying with the American Disabilities Act,Cameron’s description of his day-to-day existence amplifies the flaws in oursystem:• curb cuts that are blocked by bike racks and garbage containers,• handicapped unloading areas used as parking by handicapped drivers,
• affordable housing that needs to be located in close proximity to publictransit to provide home health aides with transportation,
• reliable transportation that allows for some time allowance flexibility forpeople with serious mobility issues
• a transportation system with customer service that is accessible andresponsive
• housing units designed with universal accessibility features enabling any unitto be made accessible.
For the last 15 years Mr. Cameron has searched for accessible housing in theMorristown area and has only partially succeeded. His current apartment has a wideentrance way but a door ledge making entrance and egress challenging and abathroom that is non-navigable. His desire is to live independently, in a locationcentrally located to doctors’ offices, retail, public transportation, etc. As his motherages, this quest has become more urgent.
Comments were also received from Dan McGuire Director of Headquarters
Development Division of Homeless Solutions, Inc. A summary of Mr. McGuire’scomments follows:
• Increase allocation for homeless housing and services: shrinking thehomeless ranks would be more cost-effective for local government thanprevention.
• Do not increase - in fact, decrease – allocation for homebuyer assistance:questioning the economic benefit of moving households from renting toowning versus the economic engine fueled by funding production of newaffordable housing.
• Target housing production funds for acquisition: take advantage of depressedeconomy by encouraging use of housing production funds to acquire
property.• Make Senior Housing Repair Program a Repayable Loan: transform the
program into a self-sustaining, revolving fund.• CDBG funds should not be used to fund projects that are the function of local
government: argues against activities considered to be standard localgovernmental expense.
• Funds should not be allocated to affordable housing developments that havepreviously received funding.
• Decrease funding to public housing authorities: ConPlan should referencefederal stimulus funds that went to local housing authorities for renovations.
• Include “lack of county funds” in the list of impediments to solving problems:distinguish between municipal and county when referring to “local”
government funding.• Five Year Plan should Support the Concept of County Homeless Trust Fund: if
lack of funds is an impediment to affordable housing, the ConPlan shouldidentify the County Homeless Trust Fund as an opportunity to addresshomelessness through housing and services.
• County HOME and other funding programs must develop objective,quantifiable criteria through which projects are selected: incorporate
“threshold” requirements as a review tools for review committee to review
As provided by Lou Riccio, Executive Director of the Madison Housing Authority “If our goal is to provide decent, safe and sanitary housing, using Federal funds torenovate affordable housing whether to maintain their affordability, or maintaintheir livability is a worthwhile use.
In addition, over the past twelve years the federal government has reduced theamount of the public housing authority’s operating subsidy and capital funds. In1998 a study undertaken by Abt Associates commissioned by Congress showed thatthere was a backlog of modernization needs among public housing that amountedto $22.5 billion. Based on this study the annual accrual needs increased by about1 percent between 1990 and 1998. At a per-unit level the increase was about10%. Extrapolating from these statistics, the need today would be $70.6 billion.Deduct from that the allocations over the past twelve years of approximately $29billion and you still have a significant shortfall of $40.6 billion.
Due to this shortfall many of the public housing units have fallen into disrepair andfunds from operations have had to be expended to maintain their livability. Byusing these funds there is a two-fold risk; 1) We are depleting our operatingreserves and as HUD reduces our operating subsidy, as they have done this year(Madison’s Operating Subsidy was reduced by 74.4%), we run the risk of beinginsolvent. 2) By expending these Operating funds we will have to make othermajor cuts to services. The majority of these cuts will come in the form of layoffsand staff reductions that further delete our ability to serve our clients.
The system used to allocate funds in Morris County has significantly added to thequality of life of the residents of public housing and should be continued. There is
still a significant need for these funds to supplement the loss of capital funds overthe past two decades, and even with the one-time infusion of the Reinvestment Actfunds this year we are all still way behind what is needed.
Therefore, there remains a substantial need for additional funding for majorrenovations and repairs to existing public and assisted housing units to assure theircontinued viability, and to supplement the meager funds received by the federalgovernment that are being reduced every year.”
There were no comments from the public that were not accepted.
HOUSING AND HOMELESS NEEDS
Housing Needs 91.205
6. Estimated housing needs projected for the next five year period:Several sources were used to estimate the housing needs in Morris County e.g.,Comprehensive Housing Afordability Strategy (CHAS) 2009 data, "Out of Reach2009" from the National Low Income Housing Coalition, the U.S. Census “American
Community Survey,” and anecdotal testimony from providers and interestedparties.
CHAS data indicate:• HUD Adjusted Median Family Income in Morris County is $87,600.• Of the 173,980 households, 12,430 (7.14%) are considered to be Extremely
Low-Income.• 12,320 (7.08%) households are considered to be Very Low-Income.• 22,485 (12.92%) households are Low-Income.
Of the 173,980 households in Morris County,133,675 (76.8%) are homeowners; 40,305 (23.2%) are rental households.
The CHAS data indicate that of the 40,305 renter occupied households,• 6,035 (15.0%)households are 1 parent families• 12,465 (30.9%) households are 2 parent families• 21,805 (54.1%) households are non-family households
• 2,295 (5.7%) are large households (>=5 persons)• 38,015 (94.3%) are small households (<=4 persons)
A breakdown of rental households by income range is depicted below.
Rental Household Income in Morris County
01,0002,0003,0004,000
5,0006,0007,0008,0009,000
< = 2 0 %
A M I
2 0 . 1 - 3 0 %
A M I
3 0 . 1 - 4 0 %
A M I
4 0 . 1 - 5 0 %
A M I
5 0 . 1 - 6 0 %
A M I
6 0 . 1 - 6 5 %
A M I
6 5 . 1 - 8 0 %
A M I
8 0 . 1 - 9 5 %
A M I
9 5 . 1 - 1 0 0 %
A M I
1 0 0 . 1 - 1 1 5 %
A M I
1 1 5 . 1 - 1 2 0 %
A M I
1 2 0 . 1 - 1 4 0 %
A M I
> 1 4 0 %
A M I
Percent of Household Area Median Income
N u m b e r o f H o u s e h o l d s
Of the 133,670 households owner occupied households,• 12,495 (9.3%)households are 1 parent families• 95,440 (71.4%)households are 2 parent families• 25,735 (19.3%)households are non-family households• 16,535 (12.4) are large households (>=5 persons)• 117,145 (87.6%) are small households (<=4 persons)
A breakdown of owner occupied households by income range is depicted below.
Owner Household Income in Morris County
010,00020,00030,00040,00050,00060,00070,00080,000
< = 2 0 %
A M I
2 0 . 1 - 3 0 %
A M I
3 0 . 1 - 4 0 %
A M I
4 0 . 1 - 5 0 %
A M I
5 0 . 1 - 6 0 %
A M I
6 0 . 1 - 6 5 %
A M I
6 5 . 1 - 8 0 %
A M I
8 0 . 1 - 9 5 %
A M I
9 5 . 1 - 1 0 0 %
A M I
1 0 0 . 1 - 1 1 5 %
A M I
1 1 5 . 1 - 1 2 0 %
A M I
1 2 0 . 1 - 1 4 0 %
A M I
> 1 4 0 %
A M I
Percent of Household Area Median Income
N u m b e r o f H o u s e h o l d s
Housing Problems:Housing Problems are defined by CHAS as “lacks complete kitchen facilities, lackscomplete plumbing facilities, has more than 1 person per room or has a cost burdenover 30%.”
Of the estimated 133,675 homeowner households in the county,45,580 (34.1%) are experiencing housing problems. Of these householdsexperiencing housing problems, the largest group (22,330 or 49%) consists of small, 2 parent households.
Of the 45,580 homeowner households experiencing housing problems, 3,520(7.7%) are disabled.
Of the 40,305 renter households, 17,345 (43%) experience housing problems.
Incidence of HousingProblemsexperienced byRental Households,by householdincome, is depicted
below. For the mostpart, there is aninverse relationshipbetween level of income and numberof housing problems.
The largest type of renter households experiencing housing problems are small,unrelated households (9,130).
Of the 17,345 renter-occupied households experience housing problems, 1,840are considered disabled households. Of these households identified as disabled,52.7% are at 30% or less of AMI; 22.6% are between 30.1% and 50% AMI and9.5% are between 50.1% and 80% of AMI. That is to say, 80.4% of renter-occupied disabled households experiencing housing problems are low income.
Of the133,675homeowner households,45,580(34.1%) havehousing
problems.This chartdepicts theincidence of householdsexperiencinghousingproblems perincome range.
Cost-Burden:
According to CHAS data, of the 133,675 homeowners in Morris County,Small family, non-elderly households experience the greatest incidence of costburden.17.3% of homeowners experiencing a moderate cost burden were White,1.6% households were Hispanic,1.3% households were Asian and0.7% households were Black.
Of the 133,675 homeowners,10% of households experiencing a severe cost burden were white, with
1.3% of the households Hispanic0.6% of the households Asian0.3% of the households Black
Of the 40,305 rental households in Morris County,non-family, non-elderly households experience the most incidence of costburden, followed closely by small family, non-elderly households.
Of the 40,305 rental households,A moderate cost burden was experienced by11.2% of households which were White4.0% of households which were Hispanic2.5% of households which were Asian and2.1% of households which were Black.
Of the 40,305 rental households,14.3% of households experiencing a severe cost burden were White,3.9% households were Hispanic,1.4% households were Black and.6% households were Asian.
In an attempt to target households possibly at risk of homelessness, CHAS datacorrelated substandard housing conditions and overcrowding with size of householdand household income.
CHAS data depicting Housing Problem Severity revealed some expected and somesurprising findings as depicted below by type of housing problem and thecorrelating income range showing greatest frequency of that problem. In thiscontext, substandard is defined as lacking complete kitchen or plumbing facilities
Household Income Tenure Housing Problem Estimated Number
Of HouseholdsAll Owner Substandard 640>95% AMI Owner Substandard 505All Owner Overcrowded 550>95% AMI Owner Overcrowded 220
All Income Levels Owner Severely Overcrowded 9530.1-50% AMI Owner Severely Overcrowded 35All Owner Cost Burdened 27,980>95% AMI Owner Cost Burdened 17,560All Owner Severely Cost Burdened 16,310<=30%AMI Owner Severely Cost Burdened 3,715All Owner No income or no cash rent 425<=30%AMI Owner No income or no cash rent 425All Renter Substandard 470<=30%AMI Renter Substandard 205All Renter Overcrowded 1,420>95% AMI Renter Overcrowded 410
All Renter Severely Overcrowded 24030.1-50% AMI Renter Severely Overcrowded 125All Renter Cost Burdened 7,58530.1-50% AMI Renter Cost Burdened 2,250All Renter Severely Cost Burdened 7,625<=30%AMI Renter Severely Cost Burdened 4,560All Renter No income or no cash rent 2,250>95% AMI Renter No income or no cash rent 835
There are 100,165 owner-occupied units w ith a mortgage.Of these, 560 (<1%) lived in substandard conditions.
There are 33,505 owner-occupied units without a mortgage.Of these, 85 (<1%) lived in substandard conditions.
There are 40,305 renter-occupied units.Of these, 470 (1.2%) lived in substandard conditions.
There is a concern that households composed of multiple “subfamilies” andhouseholds composed of unrelated individuals (non-family households) are atgreater risk of homelessness, when living in overcrowded conditions. CHAS dataindicated 60 homeowner households and zero unrelated households living inmoderate overcrowding.
Of the 133,675 owner occupied households,550 experienced (less than 1%) moderate overcrowding
95 (less than 1%) experienced severe overcrowding.
Of the 40,305 renter occupied households,1,420 (3.5%) experienced moderate overcrowding.260 (.1%) experienced severe overcrowding.
In looking at correlations of housing data and implications for vulnerabilities toforeclosures, CHAS data present housing built during the boom of the 2000s,and those occupied by low income households with a cost burden.
Of the 133,675 owner occupied households in Morris County,
9,005 units wereconstructed in thehousing boon of the2000’s. This chartdepicts owner occupiedunits constructed duringthe 2000’s, new, byincome range and costburden. In MorrisCounty, homeowners of units built during the2000’s show an
increase in householdsexperiencing moderatecost burden as incomeincreases. There was a
jump in number of households (835)experiencing severe in the 50.1-80% AMI range. The correlation between costburden and foreclosures has not been established in Morris County.
Foreclosure trends can be discerned from several sources, all slightly different.What can be gleaned however, is that incidence of foreclosure has been rising since2006 and that the towns at the greatest risk of foreclosure are, in order of severity:Morristown, Dover, Mine Hill, Mt. Olive, Victory Gardens and Wharton.
CHAS also suggests a correlation between the number of older units occupied bylow income households with a cost burden, as an indicator or vulnerability toabandonment.
There are 9,060 (6.8%) owner occupied low income households, experiencinga cost burden, living in housing constructed prior to 1960.
There are 5,810 (14.4%) renter occupied low income households, experiencinga cost burden, living in housing constructed prior to 1960. While this correlationcan be used as an indicator for risk for abandonment, it has not been established asa risk in Morris County.
Lead-based paint hazardOf the 173,980 housing units in Morris County, there are 21,275 (12.2%) housingunits constructed prior to 1979, with small children residing within. Of these,17,160 are owner occupied and 4,115 are renter occupied. In Fiscal Year 2006,5,131 children between the ages of 6-29 months were tested: 24 had blood leadlevels >/=10 ug/dL (level at which the U.S. Centers for Disease Control andPrevention has stated may cause health and/or developmental problems inchildren); 3 had blood lead levels >/= 20 ug/dL (level at which environmentalinvestigation is required under State regulations). 7,134 children over the age of 29months but under 6 years of age were tested: 40 had blood lead levels >/=10ug/dL; 6 had blood lead levels >/=20 ug/dL.5
Housing Affordability
According to CHAS data there is a 5.7% vacancy rate for rentals anda 1.2% vacancy rate of for sale units.
Of the estimate 1,560 units of vacant for sale units,• There are no units available to households earning less than 80% of the AMI.• There are 155 available to households earning 50.1-80% of the AMI.• There are 170 available to households earning 80.1-100% of the AMI• There are 1,235 available to households earning more than 100% of the AMI.
Of the estimated 2,180 standard vacant rental units, • 150 are affordable to households earning 30% of the AMI.• 195 are affordable to households earning 30.1-50% of the AMI• 1,415 are affordable to households earning 50.1-80% of the AMI.
5 State of New Jersey, Department of Health and Senior Services, Annual Report “ChildhoodLead Poisoning in New Jersey,” Fiscal Year 2006.
• 420 are affordable to those earning above 80% of the AMI.
7. To the extent that any racial or ethnic group has a disproportionately greaterneed for any income category in comparison to the needs of that category as awhole, the jurisdiction must provide an assessment of that specific need. Forthis purpose, disproportionately greater need exists when the percentage of persons in a category of need who are members of a particular racial or ethnicgroup is at least ten percentage points higher than the percentage of persons in the category as a whole.
According to CHAS Table 1 Hous ing Needs by Race , disproportionate need isevident primarily in Hispanic renter households; the entire list depicting incidence of disproportionate need, at specific income ranges, includes:
Household Income Race Tenure Estimate Number of Households
50.1-80% AMI Hispanic Owner 1,225 out of 9,510 HH
80.1-95% AMI Hispanic Owner 565 out of 4,695 HH<=30% AMI Hispanic Renter 875 out of 5,625 HH30.1-50% AMI Black Renter 535 out of 4,895 HH30.1-50% AMI Hispanic Renter 1,360 out of 4,895 HH50.1-80% AMI Hispanic Renter 1,145 out of 4,325 HH80.1-95% AMI Asian Renter 220 out of 930 HH95.1% AMI and above Asian Renter 400 out of 1,570 HH95.1% AMI and above Hispanic Renter 285 out of 1,570 HHSimilarly, CHAS Table 2 Severe Hous ing Needs by Race depicts householdssuffering severe overcrowding or which are severely cost burdened. Disproportionate incidences were observed for:
Household Income Race Tenure Estimate Number of Households
30.1-50% AMI Hispanic Owner 405 out of 3,510 HH50.1-80% AMI Hispanic Owner 775 out of 4,665 HH80.1-95% AMI Hispanic Owner 260 out of 1,585 HH30% AMI or less Hispanic Renter 840 out of 4,990 HH30.1-50% AMI Hispanic Renter 715 out of 2,465 HH95.1% AMI and above Asian Renter 35 out of 265 HH95.1% AMI and above Hispanic Renter 50 out of 265 HH
Housing Needs for Seniors
Seniors (=>62 years of age) make up 17,612 of the 45,580 owner occupied
households experiencing housing problems. Although the largest group of these areelderly (62-74) with incomes at or over 95% of the AMI, the second largest groupare extra-elderly (=>75 years of age) at 30.1-50% of AMI.
Seniors make up 7,123 of the 17,345 renter households experiencing housingproblems. The largest subgroup within this group consists of extra-elderly at 30%AMI or less.
According to the NJ Division of Develpmental Disability, there is a waiting list for allresidential programs and for adult day programs. The desire to enable individualswith special needs to live independently with the full spectrum of support services isunmatched by financial resources. A list of uiversal design features suitable for newconstruction or rehabbing of an existing unit, promoting independent living, couldinclude:
• Higher wall outlets• Lower wall light switches• Reachable thermostat• More then average number of outlets in the Bathroom• Panic button on corkscrew extension cord• 54” minimum door width in all doors• Lever door-knobs• Roll-in or Greek shower• Tiled bathroom with drain in shower floor• Remote front door opener
• Entranceway flush with outdoors• Remote window opener• Electric stove (no pilot light)• Accessible sinks(bath + kitchen)• Sideways opening oven door• Drawer refrigerator• Sufficient reachable kitchen storage• Radiant floor heat
Public Housing:
Public Housing units are affordable to households at the "uncapped" 80% or less of the median income for the area. Approximately 40% are designated for low-incomehouseholds. These units have affordability controls for at least 20 years.
Needs for the next five years:
During the five years from the last ConPlan, housing construction has plummeted,unemployment has risen to 7.1%, foreclosures have jumped, there has beengreater demand at foodbanks (a 48.8% increase in individuals and a 51.1%increase in families) and soup kitchens (from 49,766 guests in 2005 to 64,780 in2009), the homeless population nearly doubled between 2009 and 2010, and thereare more people at risk of becoming homeless, all within the environment of diminishing funds for social services.
Conversations were conducted with members of the Housing Alliance and with theFair Housing Committee on housing strategies. Some ideas not involving thecreation of new housing units included:
• Funding: Three categories involved in providing supportive housing forindividuals with special needs include enhanced funding sources for:- Capital
- Rental assistance- Supportive services – A required component when Special Needs housing
providers apply to New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency(NJHMFA) for capital funding.
• Establishment of a County Homeless Trust Fund: Signed into law September8, 2009, Public Law 2009 Chapter 123 permits a county to impose asurcharge of $3 on each document recorded with a county, for deposit into acounty homelessness trust fund, five per cent of which may be used annuallyfor administrative costs related to the administration of the fund, and theremainder of the monies in the fund may be used solely for the operation of a homelessness housing grant program.
Eligible uses include:1. acquisition, construction, or rehabilitation of housing projects, or units
within housing projects, that supply permanent affordable housing forhomeless persons or families, including those at risk of homelessness;
2. rental assistance vouchers, including tenant and project based subsidies,
for affordable housing projects or units within housing projects thatprovide permanent affordable housing for homeless persons or families,including those at risk of homelessness;
3. supportive services as may be required by homeless individuals or familiesin order to obtain or maintain, or both, permanent affordable housing;and
4. prevention services for at risk homeless individuals or families so that theycan obtain and maintain permanent affordable housing.6
• Project Based Rental Assistance: more project based rental assistance isneeded to meet the demand for special needs rental housing. When housing
is developed for very low income, special needs individuals, such as thementally ill, developmentally disabled or youth aging out of foster care, thisproject based rental assistance is needed to meet the underwriting criteria of NJHMFA’s Special Needs Housing Trust Fund for capital funding. Because thecash flow generated by the rents paid by low/very low income individuals arenot sufficient by themselves to ensure the viability of the project, non-profithousing developers require this project-based rental assistance to ensure thesustainability of the project.
Where mortgages are needed as part of a project’s capital funding, lendinginstitutions view Project Based Rental Assistance favorably because itprovides guaranteed cash flow that will ensure the sustainability of the
project. Without this guarantee that the project will stay afloat, lendershesitate or decline to provide loans to projects, particularly those that servelow/very low income individuals, which do not generate enough cash flowfrom rents.” 7
6 New Jersey Advocacy Network to End Homelessness7 Diane Driscoll, Housing Development Specialist, Community Hope, Inc., correspondence,3/18/10.
• Independent living for people with special needs, specifically housingopportunities providing private living quarters with a full spectrum of supervision accessible but not necessitating congregate living.
• A need that is not new but is emerging as increasingly important is housingand services for veterans.
• Issues and associated housing needs identified by the Fair HousingCommittee include:- Women divorced with children- Widows- College graduates- Aging out youth- Difficulty in obtaining credit- Increased credit delinquencies- Respite housing for special needs individuals who are approaching crisis but
might not require hospitalization if interventive support was available in atemporary housing facility. This would supplement the work of case
managers.- Decent, reliable transportation.- Housing opportunities convenient to town center
Homeless Needs 91.205 (c)
*Refer to the Homeless Needs Table 1A or the CPMP Tool’s Needs.xls workbook
8. Homeless Needs— The jurisdiction must provide a concise summary of thenature and extent of homelessness in the jurisdiction, (including ruralhomelessness and chronic homelessness where applicable), addressing
separately the need for facilities and services for homeless persons andhomeless families with children, both sheltered and unsheltered, and homelesssubpopulations, in accordance with Table 1A. The summary must include thecharacteristics and needs of low-income individuals and children, (especiallyextremely low-income) who are currently housed but are at imminent risk of either residing in shelters or becoming unsheltered.
Emergency shelter is described as overnight sleeping accommodations, the primarypurpose of which to provide temporary shelter for the homeless in general or forspecific populations; transitional housing is housing with supportive services for upto 24 months duration.
The nature and extent of homelessness in Morris County is well documentedthrough the results of the annual Point in Time Count of Homeless8. The followingstatistics were derived from that report, which was in its Draft stage as of thiswriting.
8 New Jersey (DRAFT) Point in Time Count of the Homeless Data Report, Corporation forSupportive Housing, January 28, 2010.
The count, which was conducted January 28th, 2010 resulted in 649 homeless men,women and children counted in Morris County; this doubled the count in 2009 of 302. The 2010 count included:• 76 were in emergency shelters• 31 adults were in hotel/motel accommodations• 48 adults were in transitional housing• 15 adults were unsheltered
• 52.7% lost their jobs and/or couldn’t find work• 49.3% had a disability• 38.1% were veterans• 34.2% had a substance abuse issue• 32.3% were homeless because housing costs were too high• 29.7% were homeless due to relationship/family break-up/death• 28% suffered mental illness and/or emotional problems• 22.8% had medical problems/physical or developmental disability• 13.4% had work but wages were too low to pay for housing
• 11.1% were victims of domestic violence
• 17.6% of the homeless population defined their ethnicity as Hispanic or Latino• The majority of the population was white (415).
The highest ranking factors that respondents stated conributed to theirhomelessness, in order of importance, were:• Lost job/cannot find work• Alcohol or drug abuse problems• Housing costs too high• Relationship/family breakup/death•
Mental illness/emotional problems• Medical problems/phsicalor developmental disability• Eviction
Morris County the number one locale identified as the last permanent address.
9. Describe, to the extent information is available, the nature and extent of homelessness by racial and ethnic group. A quantitative analysis is notrequired. If a jurisdiction provides estimates of the at-risk population(s), itshould also include a description of the operational definition of the at-risk groupand the methodology used to generate the estimates.
Additional data, derived from the county's "Homeless Management InformationSystem (HMIS)" tool revealed characteristics of individuals and households facingimminent homelessness. Data were collected through the Morris County Office of Temporary Assistance administration of its Homeless Prevention program (July2005 through February 2010) and funded through Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG)and the Homeless Prevention and Rapid Rehousing Grant (HPRP) (October 2009through February 2010.
“Homelessness to Home Ownership: A Blueprint to Prevent Homelessness ForEveryone” defines "at risk" of becoming homeless as households who are not yethomeless, but are only one step from becoming another statistic" as temporarilyhomeless (usually in stable housing but have been temporarily displaced due to avariety of factors and only need temporary housing assistance to regain thatstability in housing. That "one-step" could be a sudden and unexpected health orfinancial crisis or even "bed-hopping," i.e., frequent moves from one relative/friendto another.
Trends emerging from both programs indicate the largest percentage of individualswith the following characteristics:
Single individuals were the most common cohort in terms of marital status for bothprograms.
In the Homeless Prevention program, 88.6% of the clients had no children; 6.6% of clients had 1 child.
Whites constitute the largest race group in both programs (76%).Three to 4% of the adult clients for the both programs were veterans.
In the longstanding Homeless Prevention program, the majority of individuals werehomeless. In the 2009 Stimulus Funded Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program, the majority of households were not homeless; all, however,were at risk of homelessness.
In the Homeless Prevention program 60% of the clients were individual males; inthe HPRP program 44% of the households were single parent family – female head
of household.
Needs for services for homeless persons and families with children, sheltered andunsheltered and subpopulations, were developed by the Comprehensive EmergencyAssistance System Committee (CEAS) while preparing the Continuum of Care(CoC). Goals were established to meet those needs including:
• Increase the number of permanent supportive housing units• Enhance homeless people’s access to mainstream and other social service
programs• Improve transportation options• Increase collaboration among the faith based community, non-profits, county
agencies and business• Expand outreach to specialized populations.
Morris County’s 2009 Morris County Homeless Plan Update of "From Homelessnessto Housing: A Blueprint to Eliminate Homelessness" cites the primary causes of homelessness: foreclosures, loss of higher paying jobs, and loss of two incomes fora family. The lack of affordable housing is a given.
In terms of needs, the Plan emphasized “lack of supportive service dollars forHousing First9, for payee services and for case management services.” 10 Additionally, there are “increasing needs for families, particularly those withcomplex medical, mental health and housing needs. Families with a high-needparent and/or child who should probably not be housed without intense support aremost difficult to place permanently outside our shelter system.”
This ConPlan attempts to identify the characteristics and needs of low-incomeindividuals and children, especially extremely low-income, who are currently housedbut are at imminent risk of either residing in shelters or becoming unsheltered.
There is a constellation of needs for households at risk of homelessness: affordablehousing, rent and mortgage assistance and assistance with utility payments.Supportive programs include employment programs, transportation, child care,medical programs and education. A coordinated and comprehensive approach isrequired to assist these members of our community.
Non-homeless Special Needs 91.205 (d) including HOPW A
10. Estimate, to the extent practicable, the number of persons in varioussubpopulations that are not homeless but may require housing or supportiveservices, including the elderly, frail elderly, persons with disabilities (mental,physical, developmental, persons with HIV/AIDS and their families), personswith alcohol or other drug addiction, victims of domestic violence, public housingresidents, and any other categories the jurisdiction may specify and describetheir supportive housing needs. Please refer to the Needs Table.
The estimated number of persons in various subpopulations that are not homelessbut may require housing or supportive services, in order of need identified byproviders throughout the county:
• Elderly – there are:3,075 elderly households that are extremely low-income2,655 elderly households that are very low-income4,600 elderly households that are low-income
• Extra Elderly – there are:3,540 extra elderly households that are extremely low-income3,575 extra elderly households that are very low-income3,645 extra elderly households that are low-income
• Persons with disabilities (mental, physical, developmental, persons with
HIV/AIDS and their families)- there are:2,375 disabled households that are extremely low-income1,520 disabled households that are very low-income2,000 disabled households that are low-income
9 Housing First is also known as rapid re-housing; it is an alternative to the current system ofemergency shelter/transitional housing, BeyondShelter.org. 10 From Homelessness to Housing: A Blueprint to Eliminate Homelessness, 2009.
• There are 694 persons living with HIV/AIDS, cumulative through June 30,2009 in the county.11
• Public Housing residents: There are 778 public housing units in MorrisCounty.
• Persons with alcohol or other drug addiction12:• In 2008 there were 3421 Substance Abuse Admissions of Morris
County residents, ranking Morris County 8th in the state;• These 3421 admissions translates to 2,175 unduplicated clients;• Alcohol was the primary drug followed closely by heroin and opiates;• The majority of admissions were white, male, not in the labor force,
completed High School and lived independently;• 21% of the admissions were 35-44 years of age;• 19% were 45-54 years of age;• 5% of the admissions were under the age of 18.
• Victims of domestic violence: data from the Jersey Battered Women’sServices indicate:
• Veterans – thus far the need has not been quantified; nonetheless, anecdotalobservation from the County’s Veterans Services Coordinator has identifiedhomelessness and employment as the 2 top issues for female veterans
followed by male veterans, in terms of severity of need.
Please see “Non Homeless Special Needs” Table for complete breakdown.
Lead-based Pa int 91.205 (e)
11. Estimate the number of housing units* that contain lead-based paint hazards, asdefined in section 1004 of the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard ReductionAct of 1992, and are occupied by extremely low-income, low-income, andmoderate-income families.
As indicated on the “Needs” Table, there are an estimated 2,350 households thatmay contain lead-based paint hazards. This number is based on CHAS data usingparameters including age of housing unit and the presence of young children.
11 State of New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services,http://www.state.nj.us/health/aids/repa/county/documents/morris.pdf 12 New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Addiction Services, New JerseyDrug and Alcohol Abuse Treatment, Substance Abuse Overview, 2008, Morris County.
Refer to the Housing Market Analysis Table in the Needs.xls workbook
12. Based on information available to the jurisdiction, describe the significantcharacteristics of the housing market in terms of supply, demand, condition, andthe cost of housing; the housing stock available to serve persons withdisabilities; and to serve persons with HIV/AIDS and their families.
Supply:
CHAS 2009 data indicate there are:• 173,980 housing units in the county.
− 133,675 (76.8%) are owner occupied;− 40,305 (23.2%) are renter occupied.
• 2,300 rental units were vacant• 1,560 for sale units were vacant
Of the 39,815 standard (as in no substandard conditions) rental units in thecounty,
• 19,385 were 0-1 bedroom units• 13,525 were 2 bedroom units• 6,905 were 3+ bedroom units.
Of the 133,050 standard owner occupied units,• 3,950 were 0-1 bedroom units• 19,570 were 2 bedroom units
• 109,530 were 3+ bedroom units.
Housing Stock Available to serve persons w ith disabilities
Morris ARCAccess House I – Entin Rd, Parsippany 6 bedsLake Parsippany – Entin Road, Parsippany 6 bedsChester – Furnace Rd 6 bedsWashington Township 6 bedsRandolph, High Street 5 bedsHorsehill Rd, Hanover 6 bedsEden Lane, East Hanover 6 beds
Center for Humanistic Change – Denville, Flanders, Jefferson 17 bedsCheshire Home I – Madison 35 bedsCheshire Home II – Parsippany 7 bedsCheshire Home III – Florham Park 8 bedsCommunity Hope – Roxbury 3 bedsCommunity Hope – 14 Lorraine, Boonton 6 bedsCommunity Hope – 54 Lorraine, Boonton 6 beds
Community Hope – 93-95 Berry St, Dover 6 bedsCommunity Hope – Madison St, Morristown 5 bedsCommunity Hope – Cambridge Rd, Wharton 3 bedsCommunity Hope I – Parsippany 3 bedsCommunity Hope II– Roxbury 4 bedsCommunity Hope III – Mt. Olive 4 bedsCommunity Hope IV- Kenvil 4 bedsCommunity Hope – Drake Lane, Roxbury 3 bedsCommunity Options Siek, Butler 3 bedsCommunity Options Van Houten S., Butler 3 bedsComprehensive Behavioral Healthcare, Morris Plains 25 bedsDepartment for Persons With Disabilities, Jefferson 23 bedsDevelopmental Resources Corporation 10 bedsJewish Service for Developmental Disabilities 5 bedsMcail Liberty House – Morris Township 15 bedsMuch Dignity House – Randolph 8 bedsNew Bridge Services, Inc., Boonton 5 beds
New Bridge Services, Mt. Olive 2 bedsNew Bridge Services, Inc., Roxbury 4 bedsRose House, Mt. Olive 8 bedsSpecial Homes of NJ, Wharton 4 bedsSpecial Homes of NJ, Boonton Ave., Boonton 6 bedsSpecial Homes of NJ, Hillside Ave., Boonton 6 bedsUnited Cerebral Palsy of Northern NJ 8 beds
Housing to serve persons with HIV/ AIDS and their families:
There are 694 persons living with HIV/AIDS, cumulative through June 30, 2009in the county13. The Eric Johnson House, in Morristown, is the only residence in
Morris County specifically serving this population. It can accommodate up to 10individuals at a time. Hope House in Dover receives HOPWA (Housing Opportunitiesfor People With AIDS) dollars to provide long term rental assistance.14
Demand
According to CHAS data there is a 5.7% vacancy rate for rentals anda 1.2% vacancy rate of for sale units.
There is a zero percent vacancy rate at all the County’s Housing Authorities; inaddition, waiting lists for housing units and for Section 8 vouchers have closed.
The County’s HOME funded Tenant Based Rental Assistance program isoversubscribed with each referring agency maintaining a waiting list.
13 State of New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services,http://www.state.nj.us/health/aids/repa/aidsdata.shtml14 Laurie Litt-Robbins, MSW, LCSW, Chief Executive Officer, The Eric Johnson House
Condition• 645 owner occupied units are identified as substandard (housing
lacking complete kitchen or plumbing facilities).• 470 renter occupied units are identified as substandard
Cost of Housing
Of the estimate 1,560 units of vacant for sale units,• There are no units available to households earning less than 80% of the
AMI.• There are 155 available to households earning 80% of the AMI.• There are 170 available to households earning 100% of the AMI• There are 1,235 available to households earning more than 100% of the
AMI.
Of the estimated 2,300 vacant rental units, • 150 are affordable to
households earning 30% of
the AMI.• 195 are affordable to
households earning 50% of the AMI
• 1,415 are affordable tohouseholds earning 80% of the AMI.
• 420 are affordable to thoseearning above 80% of theAMI.
The housing market suffered a slow down in the current recession although notto the extent the rest of the state experienced. Two statistical indicators, medianand average, sales price of single family homes, are offered for comparison.
The median sales price for a single family home in the 3rd quarter of 2009 was$436,300, a 21% decrease from the same period in 2006. While the decrease inreal estate value would suggest an availability of housing affordable to households,the increase in unemployment and underemployment, the job insecurity and thechallenge in obtaining mortgages have resulted in a very weak housing market.
The table below provides a more detailed picture of residential sales, permunicipality. Morris County, on the whole, didn’t slide until 2009. In some towns,
13. Provide an estimate; to the extent information is available, of the number of vacant or abandoned buildings and whether units in these buildings are suitablefor rehabilitation.
According to CHAS data:• There are 0 for-sale vacant units identified as substandard (housing
lacking complete kitchen or plumbing facilities);• There are 645 owner occupied units identified as substandard;• There are 120 vacant rental that are identified as substandard; and• There are 47 renter occupied units identified as substandard.
Considering the current recession, employment insecurities, credit tightening andincidence of foreclosure, it would be appropriate for the Division to expand theDivision’s outreach to low income homeowners, by way of its HomeownerRehabilitation program.
Public and Assisted Housing 91.210 (b)
14. In cooperation with the public housing agency or agencies located within itsboundaries, describe the needs of public housing, including• the number of public housing units in the jurisdiction,• the physical condition of such units,• the restoration and revitalization needs of public housing projects within the
jurisdiction,• the number of families on public housing and tenant-based waiting lists and• results from the Section 504 needs assessment of public housing projects
located within its boundaries (i.e. assessment of needs of tenants andapplicants on waiting list for accessible units as required by 24 CFR 8.25).
A survey was conducted of the 5 public housing authorities in the county. Asfunding for the authorities has decreased, the needs have escalated, rangingfrom management and operations costs to modernization, rehabilitation andcapital improvements, all self-identified as high priorities. Projected needsincluded:• Capital improvements $5,020,000• Modernization/Rehabilitation $3,300,000• Rehabilitation $1,020,000• Management and Operations $9,360,000• Neighborhood Revitalization $250,000• Safety/Crime Prevention/Drug Elimination $730,000• Resident Services/Family Self Sufficiency $900,000
Public Housing units, as relayed by housing authorities, are experiencing a 0%vacancy rate. Public Housing Authorities' housing stock is as follows:
The number of public housing units consist of the following:0 & 1 bedroom 2 bedrooms 3+ bedrooms Total
• Boonton 42 18 14 74• Dover 59 59• Madison 79 32 23 134• Morristown 26 79 101 206• Morris County 181 52 74 307TOTAL UNITS 387 181 212 780
The physical condition of the public housing units is habitable but showing signs of wear e.g., kitchens need remodeling, apartment doors need replacing. A priority forthe past 5 years has been to fund at least 1 public housing modernization activityper year.
Section 8 vouchers have been in increasing demand. There are currently 2,522people on the waiting list for both public housing and Section 8 vouchers.
Refer to Priority Public Housing Needs Table for detail.
15. Describe the number and targeting (income level and type of household served)of units currently assisted by local, state, or federally funded programs, and anassessment of whether any such units are expected to be lost from the assistedhousing inventory for any reason, (i.e. expiration of Section 8 contracts).
Low Income Tax Credit-funded projects, some leveraged with HOME dollars,provide the following housing stock:• Abbett Avenue Rental Housing Morristown 12 units•
Cook's Pond Senior Housing Denville 69 units• Jean Street Transitional Housing Morris Twp. 10 units• Lounsberr Meadow Senior Housing Long Hill Twp. 51 units• Park Avenue at Florham Park Florham Park 65 units• River Park Village Landing 122 units• Spruce Street Senior Housing Dover 90 units• Wharton Senior Citizen Housing Wharton 100 units
Multi-Family Properties with Assistance and Section 8 Contracts (US Dept of HUD):HUD Section 202/811
• Access House, Parsippany 6 units Yes• Baldwin Oaks Apartments, Parsippany 251 units• Butler Senior Housing, Butler 91 units• Cheshire Home II, Parsippany 7 units Yes• Cheshire Home III, Florham Park 8 units Yes• Community Hope I, Parsippany 4 units Yes• Community Hope II, Roxbury 4 units Yes• Community Hope III, Mt. Olive 4 units Yes• Community Hope VI, Kenvil 4 units Yes• Community Options Siek, Butler 3 units Yes
• Community Options Van Houten S., Butler 3 units Yes• Jefferson Chase, Jefferson 50 units Yes• Jewish Service for Develop Disabled, Par-Troy 5 units Yes• Mcail Liberty House, Morris Township 15 units Yes• Mill Pond Tower Apartments, Dover 127 units• Morris Mews, Morristown 100 units• Mt Olive Manor, Flanders 60 units Yes• Mt Olive Manor II, Flanders 50 units Yes• Much Dignity House, Randolph 6 units Yes• NewBridge, Roxbury 4 units Yes• Parsippany-Troy Hills, Parsippany 191 units• Pequannock Senior Citizens, Pequannock 99 units
Low and Moderate Income Restricted “Mt. Laurel Housing” Rentals in MorrisCounty16 Municipality Name UnitsFlorham Park Park Avenue at Florham Park 155
River Bend 50Sun Valley 75
Harding Twp. The Farm at Harding 24Kinnelon Kinnelon Ridge 38Long Hill Twp. Stirling Manor 6
Chestnut Run 8Montville Twp. Rachel Gardens 168Morristown Abbett Ave. 12Pequannock Twp. 32 Jackson Ave. 1
Pompton Square 2Hearle Village 100
Roxbury Twp. River Park Village 122Randolph Twp. Brookside Apts. 10Arrowgate 27Canfield Mews 38
Riverdale Rock Creek Crossing 13Wharton Edgewater 14Washington Twp. Peachtree Village 42
Homeless Inventory 91.210 (c)
16. The jurisdiction shall provide a concise summary of the existing facilities and
services (including a brief inventory) that assist homeless persons and familieswith children and subpopulations identified in Table 1A or in the CPMP ToolNeeds Table. These include outreach and assessment, emergency shelters andservices, transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, access topermanent housing, and activities to prevent low-income individuals and familieswith children (especially extremely low-income) from becoming homeless. This
inventory of facilities should include (to the extent it is available to the jurisdiction) an estimate of the percentage or number of beds and supportiveservices programs that are serving people that are chronically homeless.
A summary of the existing facilities and services that assist homeless persons andfamilies with children and subpopulations follows.
EMERGENCY SHELTERInterfaith Council for Homeless Families 14 bedsHomeless Solutions, Inc. Safe Haven 20 bedsHomeless Solutions, Inc. Family 30 bedsHomeless Solutions, Inc. Women 10 bedsHomeless Solutions, Inc. Men's 25 bedsJersey Battered Women's Service 34 bedsMarket Street Mission 34 bedsOffice of Temporary Assistance: 375 overflow vouchers
TRANSITIONAL HOUSINGJersey Battered Women's Service 40 bedsHomeless Solutions, Inc. 30 bedsRoots and Wings 7 bedsMarket Street Mission 76 bedsEric Johnson House 10 beds
PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSINGInterfaith Council for Homeless Families: Provides Case Management, solelyMental Health Assocation of Morris County 95 bedsCommunity Hope 59 beds
Homeless Solutions, Inc. 153beds
Supportive Services• Case Management (assessment, service planning, service linkage, service
monitoring, advocacy and life skills training) is provided within each of thehomeless services provider agencies.
• Mental Health Treatment is provided through the community mental healthcenters operated by St. Clare's Hospital and NewBridge Services, Inc.
• Other mental health providers include:Community HopeFamily Service of Morris CountyHope House
Family Intervention ServicesMorristown Memorial, St. Clare's, and Chilton hospitals all provide psychiatric
emergency services and prescription assistance.The Mental Health Association of Morris County provides information and referral
and a psychiatrist provides weekly treatment for homeless individuals whocannot otherwise access treatment.
First Call for Help, Our Place, Inc., and the Collaborative Support Programs of NJself-help centers all provide information and referral.
• Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment is provided through Morristown Memorial, St.Clare's Hospitals,• CURA, Inc. provides prevention services for Spanish speaking individuals.• Market St. Mission, Hope House, NewBridge Services, Inc., DayTop.and Family
Service of Morris County, all private non-profit agencies, provide counseling,education, and prevention services.
• Co-occurring disorders are provided by the community mental health centers.• Mrs. Wilson's, Turning Point, and Sunrise House accept people with substance
abuse and mental illness.• St. Clare's Hospital provides an array of MICA services as well as
transportation.• The Mental Health Association of Morris County incorporates MICA services into
the outreach and clinical case management services provided.• New Views Treatment Program, Inc. of Morris Plains
• Physical Health Services are provided by the Community Soup Kitchen andOutreach Center and Faith Kitchen, which have public health nurses and St.Clare's Hospital, which operates a mobile clinic for people who arehomeless/underserved.• Morristown Memorial and St. Clare's Hospitals offer family health/dental clinics.
• Domestic Violence Services are offered by Jersey Battered Women Services.The Morris County Sexual Assault Center operated by Morristown MemorialHospital offers programs and services devoted to survivors, their families andtheir partners.
•
Criminal Justice Involvement• Morris County operates a Drug Court Program that is a partnership between
the legal system, substance abuse treatment providers and other communityorganizations.
• Homeless Solutions, Inc. works with the county probation/parole officers andthe NJ Administrative Office of the Courts that operate an IntensiveSupervision Program.
• Family Service of Morris County provides a liaison to the county jail and county jail personnel participate in the Acute Care Subcommittee (of the MorrisCounty Mental Health Professional Advisory Committee).
• AIDS/HIV related care is provided by the (New Jersey AIDS Service, Inc (Eric
Johnson house), the Zufall Health Center in Dover, the Family Health Clinic atMorristown Memorial Hospital and the Hope House AIDS Center (transitionalhousing with supportive services, medical care, alternative therapies, nutritionand mental health counseling, and medication monitoring).
• Employment/education/training is provided on-site at some shelter andtransitional living facilities. For others, linkage and transportation is provided to
area adult schools, the county vocational technical school and the County Collegeof Morris.
• St. Clare's and the Mental Health Association in NJ/Career Connections offersupportive employment services for individuals in reovery from mental illness.
• Morris County has a One-Stop Career Center.
• Childcare slots are reserved at Children on the Green and Neighborhood House.
• Transportation is provided by service providers.• Clients are referred to the Office of Temporary Assistance for medical
transportation.
Outreach and assessment for people who are homeless and living on the street isprovided by the following agencies:• The Mental Health Association of Morris County, which provides mobile outreach.
It offers access to basic needs such as food, shelter and medical care.• The Community Soup Kitchen and Outreach Center serves lunch 365 days a year
and operates a Resource Center three days a week, which offers services,information and referrals. Workshops have dealt with immigration issues, healthscreenings and employments resources. A substance abuse outreach initiativewas also undertaken.
• The Faith Kitchen in Dover serves meals Monday through Saturday and offershealth screenings on-site.
• The First Memorial Presbyterian Church in Dover serves a meal on Sundays.• The Market St. Mission, an emergency shelter and substance abuse residential
program for men, offers breakfast dinner to homeless men and women sevendays a week as well as showers, clothing and furniture vouchers.
• Homeless Solutions, Inc.’s Hospitality Link, housed at St. Peter’s Episcopal
Church, is a drop-in center where people that are homeless can talk with trainedstaffers about services such as case management, determining their eligibility forbenefits, connections to mental health services, addiction services and referralsto emergency shelters.
• Our Place, Inc, a drop-in center, provides outreach to the chronically homelesspopulation. The agency offers free telephone usage, address/mail receipt,clothing vouchers, personal hygience products, temporary storate, andinformation and referral.
• The Mental Health Association of Morris County sends staff to drop-in centersweekly to engage people who are homeless.
Outreach for other people who are homeless includes:• Office of Temporary Assistance operates a 24-hour homeless hotline.• Jersey Battered Women's Services Helpline and Legal Advocacy Program offer
domestic violence outreach.• Outreach to the Latino populatin was expanded with an increased presence at
the Morristown Court House, the Community Soup Kitchen and Outreach Centerin Morristown and the Morristown Neighborhood House.
• The Morris County Office of Veterans Affairs, Community Hope and the Lyons VAHospital provided outreach to veterans.
• The New Jersey AIDS Services (Eric Johnson House), Hope House and The RyanWhite Service at Morristown Memorial Hospital's Family health Center provideoutreach to people with HIV/AIDS.
• Roots and Wings and Community Hope provide residential services for youngpeople aging out of DYFS care. DYFS Hotline and/or the CART process reach outto youth (18-21) who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Emergency Shelters and Services available to people who are homeless, in thecounty, include:• Interfaith Council for Homeless Families of Morris County - serving families with
children• Homeless Solutions, Inc. - Safe Haven, and an emergency shelter for family with
children, and for men• Jersey Battered Women’s Service - serving families with children• Market Street Mission - serving single males• Office of Temporary Assistance - Supportive Services to the Homeless - serving
a mixed population
Transitional Housing opportunities in the county include:• Jersey Battered Women’s Service - serving families with children• Homeless Solutions, Inc. - Transitional Housing - serving families with children• Roots and Wings - serving unaccompanied young males and females• Market Street Mission - serving single males• The Eric Johnson House - serving single males and females with AIDS
Permanent Supportive Housing opportunities in the county include:• Interfaith Council for Homeless Families of Morris County - serving families with
children•
Mental Health Association of Morris County - serving single males and females• Community Hope - serving single males and females• Homeless Solutions, Inc. - serving families with children.
Agencies working to assist people who are homeless gain access to permanenthousing include:• Homeless Solutions, Inc. - working to increase the stock of affordable housing.• The Housing Partnership of Morris County conducts rental readiness and first-
time homebuyer seminars and distributes a housing guide which lists affordableunits.
Please refer to the Continuum of Care Housing Activity Chart.
Special Need Facilities and Services 91.210 (d)
17. Describe, to the extent information is available, the facilities and services thatassist persons who are not homeless but require supportive housing, andprograms for ensuring persons returning from mental and physical healthinstitutions receive appropriate supportive housing.
Facilities and services that assist persons who are not homeless but requiresupportive housing, and programs for ensuring that persons returning from mentaland physical health institutions receive appropriate supportive housing.
Housing stock available to serve persons with disabilities include the followingresidential facilities:Beds for the Physically Disabled• Cheshire I (Residential Nursing Care) 35 beds• Cheshire II (Group Home) 7 beds• Cheshire III (Group Home) 8 beds• Mcail Liberty House 15 beds• UCP Group Homes 8 beds
Beds for the Developmentally Disabled• Center for Humanistic Change – Denville, Flanders, Jefferson 17 beds• Department for Persons With Disabilities, Jefferson 23 beds• Morris ARC: Access House, Parsippany 6 beds
• Morris ARC: Lake Parsippany, Parsippany 6 beds• Morris ARC: Chester 6 beds• Morris ARC: Washington Township 6 beds• Morris ARC: Randolph 5 beds• Morris ARC: Hanover 6 beds• Morris ARC: East Hanover 6 beds• Community Options Siek, Butler 3 beds• Community Options Van Houten S., Butler 3 beds• Developmental Resources Corporation 10 beds• Jewish Service for Developmental Disabilities 5 beds• Much Dignity House , Randolph 8 units•
Special Homes of NJ, Wharton 4 units• Special Homes of NJ, Boonton 6 units• Special Homes of NJ, Boonton 6 units• The Rose House, Budd Lake 8 beds
Beds for the Mentally Ill• Richmond Fellowship 20 beds• Community Hope 85 beds• Comprehensive Behavioral Healthcare, Morris Plains 25 beds• NewBridge Services, Inc. 132 beds• St. Clare's/Morristown 73 beds• St. Clare's/Denville 11 beds
Housing stock available to serve persons with HIV/AIDS and their families is offeredby the Eric John House, which provides transitional housing and/or supportiveservices to 24 individuals.
The jurisdiction plans to use HOME to assist one or more of these subpopulations byassisting with the construction of new housing and/or the acquisition andrehabilitation of existing housing as its mission is to provide safe, decent, and
affordable housing and a positive community environment that offers a good qualityof life and economic opportunity to all residents, but especially to Low-andModerate-Income residents, including the elderly, disadvantaged and disabled.
Services include the following:Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Outpatient Services:• High Focus Centers - Substance Abuse Treatment• Hope House - Adolescent Substance Abuse Services• Hope House - Adult Alcohol Counseling• Memorial Hospital – Substance Abuse Treatment• NewBridge Services, Inc. - Substance Abuse Alternative• New Views Treatment Program - Substance Abuse Treatment• People Helping People – Substance Abuse Treatment• St. Clare's - Alcohol Evaluation Program• Thought Exchange Center for Personal Achievement – Substance Abuse
Intensive Outpatient Services• Morristown Memorial Hospital Center for Addictive Illness• Daytop Village, Inc. - treatment for delinquent and at-risk alcohol and drug
abusing adolescents
Extended Care - Halfway Houses• Mrs. Wilson's Halfway House for Women, Morristown, 14 beds
Long Term Residential/Therapeutic Community – 9-12 months•
Daytop Village, Inc. - treatment for at-risk alcohol and drug abusing adolescents70 beds• Freedom House - Halfway House Program for Men, Morristown, 7 beds
Short Term Residential – 28 days• Market Street Mission, Morristown, 34 beds• Saint Clare's Hospital, Riverside Campus - Alcohol/Chemical Dependency Unit, 30
beds
Detoxification Services• Saint Clare's Hospital, Riverside Campus
Hospital/Medical Detoxification• Saint Clare's Hopsital, Riverside Campus
Disability Services are provided by the follow ing agencies:• Services for those with Autism - The Allegro School and NJ Division of
• Care Management - Morris County Division on Aging, Disabilities and Veterans,Morristown Memorial Hospital (Special Child Health Services), NJ Commission forthe Blind and Visually Impaired, and NJ Division of Developmental Disabilities
• Day Programs - ARC Morris County Chapter and Community Options
• Dental Care - NJ Foundation of Dentistry for Persons with Disabilities, ZufallHealth Center, Morristown and Dover
• Education - College of Saint Elizabeth, County College of Morris, Drew University,and Fairleigh Dickinson University
• Employment Assistance - ECLC of New Jersey, Morris County School of Technology, The Lexington Center, Allegro Adult Services, ARC Morris County,Cheshire Home Community Resource Center, Community Options, EmploymentHorizons, Jewish Vocational Service of MetroWest, NewBridge Services, RehabInstitute at Morristown Memorial Hospital and NJ Division of Vocational
Rehabilitation Services
• Hearing Impairment - NJ Division of Deaf and Hard of Hearing, NJ Association of the Deaf-Blind, NJ Division of Health and Senior Services
• Information and Referral - Children's Center for Therapy and Learning, DisabledAdvocates Working for Northwest, NJ Division of Developmental Disabilities, NJDivision of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Epilepsy Foudnation of NJ, MorrisCounty Office for the Disabled, Morristown Memorial Hospital (MMH) Center forDevelopmental Disabilities, MMH Special Child Health Services, MS Society-Greater North Jersey Chapter, NJ Brain Injury Association, Spina BifidaAssocation of NJ and United Cerebral Palsy of Morris/Somerset
• In-Home Care Services - Morris County Personal Assistance Services Program
• Legal Assistance - NJ Protection and Advocacy, Community Health Law Project,Legal Services of Northwest Jersey, State Parent Advocacy Network,Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, Equal EmploymentOpportunity Commission, Employment of People with Disabilities, and ADAInformation and Referral Line
• Lifeskills Training - Disabled Advocates Working for Northwest
• Respite Care - United Cerebral Palsy of Morris/Somerset, ARC Morris County, NJ
Division of Developmental Disabilities, and Allegro School Respite Services
• Transportation - Morris Area Paratransit System, Access Link
• Visually Impaired - Alliance for Disabled in Action, NJ Foundation for the Blind, NJCommission for the Blind and Handicapped, Family Service of Morris CountyFriends of the Blind, NJ Library for the Blind and Handicapped, Morris ContyPublic Library, Parents of Blind Children, Seeing Eye
Services for Seniors include the follow ing:• Family Service of Morris County
− Care Management Program - adult day care, money management, and mentalhealth assistance.
− Outreach Program - offers outreach to caregivers of senior citizens at theirplace of employment.
− Respite Program - respite care for at risk seniors through the Time Out AdultDay Care Programs.
• Hope HouseCHORE Program - provides 2 hours a week of light housekeeping, laundry andfood shopping services, specifically for seniors under a doctor's care, livingalone, and are frail and physically disabled.Operation Fix-It - provides direct, in-home services in the form of health and
safety home repairs, to prevent premature institutionalization.
• Legal Services of Northwest Jersey/Senior Citizens Law Project - provides legaladvice, counseling and representation to seniors, 60 years of age or older, withspecial emphasis on serving minority, indigent and frail/disabled clients.
• Morris County Organization for Hispanic Affairs/Assisted Transportation -provides transportation to seniors (60+) who are unable to access transportationservices, have health barriers, are frail and live alone.
• NewBridge Services, Inc./Operation SAIL - Senior Assistance for Independent
Living provides Care Management services to help seniors remain in their homesand to assist seniors in applying for a variety of services.
• NJ Foundation for Aging/Renaissance Magazine - provides information to seniorcitizens and their caregivers.
• NORWESCAP/Healthy Bones Program, A Matter of Balance and Move Todayprograms
• Saint Clare's Hospital/Senior Connection - in-home mental health counseling withspecial emphasis on those who are economically and socially challenged, have amedical need, are frail and/or homebound.
• Visiting Nurse Association of Northern New Jersey - Caregiver InitiativeCommunity Health Aide Program - in-home program of personal care andassistanceFriendship House Adult Day Care - social day care center for individuals withAlzheimer's Disease and other memory related disordersRespite Program - provides home health aide and/or adult day care services asrespite for the caregiver of senior citizen
• Volunteers for Morris County/Access Services for the Elderly - includes TelephoneReassurace to homebound/isolated seniors and Friendly Visiting to isolatedseniors.
Barriers to Affordable Housing 91.210 (e)
18. Explain whether the cost of housing or the incentives to develop, maintain, orimprove affordable housing are affected by public policies, particularly those of the local jurisdiction. Such policies include tax policy affecting land and otherproperty, land use controls, zoning ordinances, building codes, fees and charges,growth limits, and policies that affect the return on residential investment.
Barriers to affordable housing identified in the county’s Analysis of Impediments toFair Housing include:• The lack of affordable housing, particularly for low-and middle-income
households, seniors, people with special needs, single head of households, and
young adults.• The greatest need of non-homeless special needs populations includes
accessible/ adaptable housing for persons with severe mental illness and thedevelopmentally disabled, victims of domestic violence, veterans, peopletransitioning out of homeless shelters and the frail elderly.
• United Way of Morris County identified the lack of housing accessible toaffordable transportation to get to jobs and services as an important housingchoice issue, particularly for senior citizens, people with physical disabilities andmental illness, low-income families and any other resident who does not haveready access to their own automobile.
• Due to the backlash from Sub prime lending practices and the subsequent
foreclosure crisis, banks have tightened their lending guidelines to the pointwhere obtaining a standard fixed mortgage is very difficult. This further impedesthe process of acquiring affordable housing for those who may have been viablecandidates.
• Insufficient Federal and State resources for affordable housing initiatives,such as programs and resources to build housing, provide rental assistance andtax credits for homebuyers.
• The uncertainty of the future of New Jersey’s Council on Affordable Housing and the associated affordable housing municipal obligations. As of this writing,there are undecided policy questions including: fate of municipal obligations,regional contribution agreements and which agency will oversee the resultingprogram.
• New Jersey's property taxes are the highest in the nation by the per capitameasure and 2nd highest as a percentage of income.
• The New Jersey Highlands Act restricts development within the delineatedHighlands Protection Area. With the diminishment of available land, the cost of remaining land will rise, affecting existing and future stock of affordable housing.
• The New Jersey State Development and Redevelopment P lan, has hadinfluence over land use through its designation of all areas in NJ as 1 of 5
different Planning Areas each with associated growth expectations. Implicationsfor development constraints indicate an increase in costs for affordable housing.
• Development approval process, e.g. state and regional agencies, county andmunicipal planning boards, utility authorities and soil conservation districts, alltime consuming and therefore increasing cost of development
• Impact fees associated with new development e.g., roads, sewer, water andother public facilities, result in the costs being passed along to the newhomeowners and renters.
• NIMBYism against affordable housing proposals.
STRATEGIC PLAN
The strategic plan must describe how the jurisdiction plans to provide new orimproved availability, affordability, and sustainability of decent housing, a suitableliving environment, and economic opportunity, principally for extremely low-, low-income, and moderate-income residents.
General Priority Needs Analysis and Strategies 91.215 (a)
19. In this narrative, describe the reasons for setting priorities for allocatinginvestment among different activities and needs, as identified in tables*prescribed by HUD. 92.215(a)(1)
Please see the Needs Table.
The basis for assigning the priority given to each category of priority needs ispredicated upon the following criteria in descending order of importance:a) meeting the goals and objectives of HUD programs
b) meeting the specific needs of low- and moderate-income residentsc) focus on low-to moderate-income areas or neighborhoodsd) coordination and leveraging of resourcese) response to expressed needsf) sustainability and/or long-term impact of strategyg) the ability to measure or demonstrate progress and success.
20. Describe the geographic areas of the jurisdiction (including areas of low incomefamilies and/or racial/minority concentration) in which assistance will bedirected.
The geographic area within the Consortium consists of all the 39 municipalities
making up Morris County, with a land area of 469 square miles. The county enjoysa range of rural, wooded environment, farmland to the west, suburbandevelopments, and some areas of more concentrated development such ashamlets, villages and small cities.
As per the US Census, American Community Survey 2006-2008 Data Profile, thepopulation’s major constituent groups consist of 3.2% Black or African American,8.3% Asian, and 83.5% White, in terms of race. When considering origin and race,
10.5% of the total population is Hispanic/Latino. Pockets, or concentrations of thesesubpopulations occur in 14 of the county's 39 municipalities. (See map “CensusTracts and Block Groups With Low/Mod Areas and Minority and EthnicConcentrations.”)
21. If applicable, identify the census tracts for Neighborhood Revitalization StrategyAreas and/or any local targeted areas.
N/A
22. Describe the basis for allocating investments geographically within the jurisdiction (or within the EMSA for HOPWA) (91.215(a)(1)) and the basis forassigning the priority (including the relative priority, where required) given toeach category of priority needs (91.215(a)(2)).
See #19.
23. If appropriate, the jurisdiction should estimate the percentage of funds the jurisdiction plans to dedicate to Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Areasand/or any local targeted areas.
N/A
24. Identify any obstacles to meeting underserved needs.
Obstacles to meeting underserved needs include:• Lack of affordable housing• Limited funds for all programs (HOME, CDBG and ESG)•
Lack of State funds• Lack of local funds• Lack of private funds• Increased competition for diminishing pool of funds• Limited resources on the part of providers• Lack of affordable child care services• Lack of transportation• Lack of employment opportunities• Lack of capacity to meet needs of veterans• Lack of land for construction of facilities and residential units• Lack of availability of suitable structures from which to provide services or
shelter• Lack of societal sensitivity to the needs of the underserved• Lack of employment training for veterans• Lack of affordable permanent supportive housing for veterans
25. Summarize priorities and specific objectives the jurisdiction intends to initiateand/or complete in accordance with the tables* prescribed by HUD. Outcomesmust be categorized as providing either new or improvedavailability/accessibility, affordability, or sustainability of decent housing, asuitable living environment, and economic opportunity.Goals and objectives to be carried out during the strategic plan period
are indicated by placing a check in the follow ing boxes.
Objective
CategoryDecent Housing
Which includes:
Objective
Category:Expanded
EconomicOpportunities
Which includes:
Objective
Category:Expanded
EconomicOpportunities
Which includes: assisting homeless
persons obtainaffordable housing
improving thesafety and livabilityof neighborhoods
job creation andretention
assisting persons atrisk of becominghomeless
eliminating blightinginfluences and thedeterioration of property andfacilities
establishment,stabilization andexpansion of smallbusiness (includingmicro-businesses)
retaining theaffordable housing
stock
increasing theaccess to quality
public and privatefacilities
the provision of public services
concerned withemployment
increasing theavailability of affordablepermanent housingin standardcondition to low-income andmoderate-incomefamilies, particularlyto members of disadvantagedminorities withoutdiscrimination onthe basis of race,color, religion, sex,national origin,familial status, ordisability
reducing theisolation of incomegroups within areasthrough spatialdeconcentration of housingopportunities forlower incomepersons and therevitalization of deterioratingneighborhoods
the provision of jobs to low-incomepersons living inareas affected bythose programsand activities underprograms coveredby the plan
increasing thesupply of supportivehousing whichincludes structuralfeatures andservices to enablepersons with specialneeds (includingpersons withHIV/ADOS) to live indignity andindependence
restoring andpreservingproperties of specialhistoric,architectural, oraesthetic value
availability of mortgage financingfor low incomepersons atreasonable ratesusing non-discriminatorylending practices
providing affordablehousing that isaccessible to jobopportunities
conserving energyresources and useof renewableenergy sources
access to capitaland credit fordevelopmentactivities thatpromote the long-
term economicsocial viability of the community
Please see Sum m ary o f Spec i f i c Ob j ec t i ves
HOUSING
Priority Housing Needs 91.215 (b)
26. Describe the relationship between the allocation priorities and the extent of needgiven to each category specified in the Housing Needs Table (Table 2A orNeeds.xls). These categories correspond with special tabulations of U.S. censusdata provided by HUD for the preparation of the Consolidated Plan.
The basis for assigning the priority given to each category of priority needs ispredicated upon the following criteria in descending order of importance:a) meeting the goals and objectives of HUD programsb) meeting the specific needs of low-and moderate-income residentsc) focus on low-to moderate-income areas or neighborhoodsd) coordination and leveraging of resourcese) response to expressed needsf) sustainability and/or long-term impact of strategyg) the ability to measure or demonstrate progress and success.
27. Provide an analysis of how the characteristics of the housing market and theseverity of housing problems and needs of each category of residents providedthe basis for determining the relative priority of each priority housing needcategory, particularly among extremely low-income, low-income, and moderate-income households.
Note: Family and income types may be grouped in the case of closely relatedcategories of residents where the analysis would apply to more than one familyor income type.
The characteristics of the housing market will influence the use of funds madeavailable for rental assistance, production of new units, rehabilitation of old units,or acquisition of existing units in the following ways:• lack of land for development will spur creative alternatives e.g., redevelopment,
mixed use developments• escalating housing costs will re-direct funding targets e.g, rental subsidy• lack of land for new development will re-direct funding emphasis toward
rehabilitation of old units.
28. Identify any obstacles to meeting underserved needs.• Limited funds for programs (HOME and CDBG )• Lack of State funds (Balanced Housing)• Stringent requirements of funders of special needs housing to obtain scarce
matches e.g., Project Based Rental Assistance, supportive services• Lack of local funds• Reluctance of local entities to use developers fees for new construction• Reluctance of lenders to make loans• Increased competition for diminishing pool of funds• Limited resources on the part of providers
Specific Objectives/ Affordable Housing 91.215 (b)
Note: Specific affordable housing objectives must specify the number of extremelylow-income, low-income, and moderate-income households to whom the
jurisdiction will provide affordable housing as defined in 24 CFR 92.252 for rentalhousing and 24 CFR 92.254 for homeownership. (24 CFR 91.215(b)(2)
29. Identify each specific housing objective by number (DH-1, DH-2, DH-2),proposed accomplishments and outcomes the jurisdiction hopes to achieve inquantitative terms over a specified time period, or in other measurable terms asidentified and defined by the jurisdiction.
Please see Summaries and Needs Tables.
30. Describe how Federal, State, and local public and private sector resources thatare reasonably expected to be available will be used to address identified needs
for the period covered by the strategic plan.
At this writing, we are at the very initial stage of coming out of the GreatRecession. Federal funds are the only sources that have remained steady. Statefunding sources continue to dry up and local government has had to severelycurtail spending due to plummeting revenues. The private sector has decreasedfunding and has made credit very difficult to obtain. Therefore, available fundswill be used primarily for priority activities dealing with life-sustaining type of
31. Indicate how the characteristics of the housing market will influence the use of funds made available for rental assistance, production of new units,rehabilitation of old units, or acquisition of existing units.
The characteristics of the housing market will influence the use of funds madeavailable for rental assistance, production of new units, rehabilitation of old units,or acquisition of existing units in the following ways:• lack of financing for construction will result in delay of build start dates for
activities; it may also lead to more partnerships among housing providers• lack of land for development will spur creative alternatives e.g., redevelopment,
mixed use developments• unaffordable housing costs will re-direct funding targets e.g, rental subsidy• lack of land for new development will re-direct funding emphasis toward
rehabilitation of old units and adaptive reuse of existing buildings.
32. If the jurisdiction intends to use HOME funds for tenant-based rental assistance,specify local market conditions that led to the choice of that option.
HOME funds have been used for tenant-based rental assistance for 3 years. Theintended target was for households looking to achieve permanent housing fromtransitional housing or shelters. The demand has far outstripped the supply of TBRAvouchers. Local market conditions include• Rental units ‘out of reach’ for low income households
Public Housing Strategy 91.215 (c)
33. Describe the public housing agency's strategy to serve the needs of extremelylow-income, low-income, and moderate-income families residing in the jurisdiction served by the public housing agency (including families on the publichousing and section 8 tenant-based waiting list).
There are 5 Public Housing Authorities in Morris County, each administering anumber of programs to provide housing assistance to a range of populations. Allunits are affordable to households at the "uncapped" 80% or less of the medianincome for the area. Approximately 40% are designated for low-incomehouseholds. These units have affordability controls for at least 20 years.
Specifically, Morris County Housing Authority’s strategy includes:
• Maximize the number of Family Self-Sufficiency participants by conductingworkshops aimed to address financial, educational, parenting, employment andself-improvement issues.• Provide a broad range of social services and activities to the elderly/disabledpopulations, aimed to maximize independent living in a safe living environment.• Administer meal/housekeeping program for the frail, elderly, decreasing the needfor unnecessary/premature institutionalization.
34. Describe the public housing agency’s strategy for addressing the revitalizationand restoration needs of public housing projects within the jurisdiction andimproving the management and operation of such public housing.
The Public Housing agencies' strategy for dealing with revitalization and restorationneeds of public housing projects has been severely compromised due to drasticfederal funding cuts. Likewise, management and operation budgets of the county'spublic housing agencies have been constrained due to funding cuts. Capitalexpenses, which normally would have received federal funding, are no longerreceiving those resources, and thus either being diverted to operational budgets, orforgone altogether.
As provided by Lou Riccio, Executive Director of the Madison Housing Authority “…over the past twelve years the federal government has reduced the amount of thepublic housing authority’s operating subsidy and capital funds. In 1998 a studyundertaken by Abt Associates commissioned by Congress showed that there was abacklog of modernization needs among public housing that amounted to $22.5
billion. Based on this study the annual accrual needs increased by about 1percent between 1990 and 1998. At a per-unit level the increase was about 10%.Extrapolating from these statistics, the need today would be $70.6 billion. Deductfrom that the allocations over the past twelve years of approximately $29 billionand you still have a significant shortfall of $40.6 billion.
Due to this shortfall many of the public housing units have fallen into disrepair andfunds from operations have had to be expended to maintain their livability. Byusing these funds there is a two-fold risk; 1) We are depleting our operatingreserves and as HUD reduces our operating subsidy, as they have done this year(Madison’s Operating Subsidy was reduced by 74.4%), we run the risk of being
insolvent. 2) By expending these Operating funds we will have to make othermajor cuts to services. The majority of these cuts will come in the form of layoffsand staff reductions that further delete our ability to serve our clients.
There is still a significant need for these funds to supplement the loss of capitalfunds over the past two decades, and even with the one-time infusion of theReinvestment Act funds this year we are all still way behind what is needed.
Therefore, there remains a substantial need for additional funding for majorrenovations and repairs to existing public and assisted housing units to assure theircontinued viability, and to supplement the meager funds received by the federalgovernment that are being reduced every year.”
Morris County’s Public Housing Authority identified the following strategies:• Conduct quarterly inspection to address/repair maintenance issues proactively• Maximize the number of affordable housing units available to the Housing
Authority within its current resources by reducing turnover time for vacated publichousing units; reducing the time to renovate public housing units.
• Develop collaborative working relationships with other housing agencies and non-profits organizations.
• Maximize the capital funds in order to improve and maintain public housingbuildings as they age.
35. Describe the public housing agency’s strategy for improving the livingenvironment of extremely low-income, low-income, and moderate familiesresiding in public housing.
The Public Housing agencies in Morris County have an excellent track record of providing decent, quality living environments for Extremely Low Income, LowIncome and Moderate Income famlies.
Morris County Public Housing Authority’s strategy includes:• Maintain Section 8 lease-up rates by establishing payment standards that will
enable families to rent throughout Morris County.• Increase the numbers of affordable housing units by applying for additional
Section 8 units should they become available and to pursue other housingresources other than public housing or Section 8 tenant based assistance.
• Target available assistance to the elderly by applying for special purpose voucherstargeted to the elderly, should they become available.
• Target available assistance to families with disabilities by applying for specialpurpose vouchers targeted to families with disabilities should they becomeavailable and to affirmatively market to local non-profit agencies that assistfamilies with disabilities.
• Increase awareness of PHA resources among families of races and ethnicities withdisproportionate needs by affirmatively marketing to races/ethnicities shown tohave disproportionate housing needs.
• Conduct community outreach/presentations/fairs designed to increase publicawareness of affordable housing options and alternatives.
• Assist families of extremely low income, very low income and low income bycontinuing to employ admissions preference aimed at families who areworking/residing in Morris County and to adopt rent policies to support andencourage economic self-sufficiency.
36. Describe the manner in which the plan of the jurisdiction will help address theneeds of public housing and activities it will undertake to encourage publichousing residents to become more involved in management and participate inhomeownership. (NAHA Sec. 105 (b)(11) and (91.215 (k))
The Consolidated Plan process included the solicitation of information regardingexisting conditions and needs, on the part of the housing authorities. In
addition, the county has been supportive of the Morris County HousingAuthority's effort to support homeownership, through acquisition of a unit for re-sale and utilization of the Section 8 to Homeownership program.
37. If the public housing agency is designated as "troubled" by HUD or otherwise isperforming poorly, the jurisdiction shall describe the manner in which it willprovide financial or other assistance in improving its operations to remove suchdesignation. (NAHA Sec. 105 (g))
None of the public housing agencies have been designated as "troubled" by HUD orare otherwise performing poorly.
HOMELESS
Priority Homeless Needs
*Refer to the Homeless Needs Table 1A or the CPMP Tool’s Needs.xls workbook
38. Describe the jurisdiction's choice of priority needs and allocation priorities, basedon reliable data meeting HUD standards and reflecting the required consultationwith homeless assistance providers, homeless persons, and other concernedcitizens regarding the needs of homeless families with children and individuals.
Consultation was made with the county’s homeless providers, members of CEASand the Morris County Division of Human Services. Additional resources included
the annual Point in Time, HMIS, the county’s Homeless Plan and the Continuum of Care.
39. Provide an analysis of how the needs of each category of residents (listed inquestion #38) provided the basis for determining the relative priority of eachpriority homeless need category.
The needs of each category of residents provided the basis for determining therelative priority of each priority homeless need category, as reflected in theContinuum of Care Table.
40. Provide a brief narrative addressing gaps in services and housing for thesheltered and unsheltered chronic homeless.A community should give a high priority to chronically homeless persons, wherethe jurisdiction identifies sheltered and unsheltered chronic homeless persons inits Homeless Needs Table - Homeless Populations and Subpopulations.
The gaps in services and housing for the sheltered and unsheltered chronichomeless are addressed in the county's 2009 Continuum of Care. These gaps, orobstacles included:• serious shortage of affordable housing• lack of programs with adequate resources to reduce excessive rent or mortgage
burdens to qualified persons• community resistance to siting special-needs housing programs• lack of sufficient job training and supportive employment opportunities for
disabled individuals who would like to return to work, and• nearly non-existent shelter and residential options for active substance abusers• high recidivism in the criminal justice system for individuals dually diagnosed
• individuals with serious and persistent mental illnesses can be very difificult toengage in treatment, making it especially challenging to provide them withpermanent supportive housing.
Homeless Strategy 91.215 (d)
Homelessness
41. Describe the jurisdiction's strategy for developing a system to addresshomelessness and the priority needs of homeless persons and families (includingthe subpopulations identified in the needs section). The jurisdiction's strategymust consider the housing and supportive services needed in each stage of theprocess which includes preventing homelessness, outreach/assessment,emergency shelters and services, transitional housing, and helping homelesspersons (especially any persons that are chronically homeless) make thetransition to permanent housing and independent living.
• Increasing the number of permanent supportive housing units• Enhance homeless people’s access to mainstream and other social service
programs• Improve transportation options• Increase collaboration among the faith based community, non-profits, county
agencies and business• Expand outreach to specialized populations, e.g., veterans
42. Describe the jurisdiction’s strategy for helping extremely low- and low-incomeindividuals and families who are at imminent risk of becoming homeless.
Activities to prevent low-income individuals and families with children frombecoming homeless include services that reduce risk factors and enhance protectivefactors. Risk factors include mental illness, alcohol and drug use, co-occurringdisorders, physical health problems, domestic violence, and criminal justice systeminvolvement.
Chronic Homelessness
43. Describe the jurisdiction’s strategy for eliminating chronic homelessness. Thisshould include the strategy for helping homeless persons make the transition to
permanent housing and independent living. This strategy should, to themaximum extent feasible, be coordinated with the strategy presented in Exhibit1 of the Continuum of Care (CoC) application and any other strategy or plan toeliminate chronic homelessness.
The jurisdiction’s strategy for eliminating chronic homelessness builds on itssuccess in housing homeless people with mental illness (who are often identified aschronically homeless). “Step Off the Street” provides street outreach and intensive
case management for adults who are homeless with a serious mental illness inMorris County. The program provides daily outreach to Soup Kitchens andelsewhere in the community and provided intensive case management to 10mentally ill adults who were assessed as not able to successfully manage and copein a Safe Haven environment or emergency shelter.
New Jersey AIDS Services (Eric Johnson House) provides transitional housingand/or supportive services to 24 individuals. Ten chronically homeless people liveonsite.
The Market Street Mission provided transitional housing and supportive services to63 chronically homeless men.
Strategy for helping homeless persons make the transition to permanent housingand independent living.Transitional Housing opportunities in the county include:• Jersey Battered Women’s Service - serving families with children
• Homeless Solutions, Inc. - Transitional Housing - serving families with children• Roots and Wings - serving unaccompanied young males and females• Market Street Mission - serving single males• The Eric Johnson House - serving single males and females with AIDS.
44. Describe the efforts to increase coordination between housing providers, health,and service agencies in addressing the needs of persons that are chronicallyhomeless.(91.215(l))
The effort to increase coordination between housing providers, health and serviceagencies in addressing the needs of persons that are chronically homeless includes
primarily the Morris County Comprehensive Emergency Assistance Systems (CEAS)Committee, which is the lead entity conducting the Morris County's Continuum of Care planning process. The CEAS Committee reports to the County's HumanServices Advisory Council (HSAC), which reports to the Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders. The Division of Human Services coordinates HomelessManagement Information System (HMIS) users sessions, which provides anopportunity to discuss common issues and finding ways to collect data uniformly.The new Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing program has also been anopportunity for all the providers to gather and discuss their programs, challenges,possibilities for collaboration, cross-referrals and establishing a uniform intake form.
The county also has a cross systems review committee comprised of homeless
service providers, hospital Emergency room staff, representatives from thedepartment of corrections, and professionals specializing in substance abuse. Thisreview committee will identify gaps in services for homeless substance abusers.
45. Describe the jurisdiction’s strategy to help prevent homelessness for individualsand families with children who are at imminent risk of becoming homeless.
The prevention component includes services that prevent people from becominghomeless by reducing risk factors and enhancing protective factors. Risk factorssuch as mental illness, alcohol and drug use, co-occurring disorders, physical healthproblems, domestic violence, and criminal justice system involvement ar addressedin the inventory section. Protective factors include the following: addressingminority status, poverty, the lack of affordable housing, the need for supportiveservices in housing, discharge planning, and education and advocacy.
Institutional Structure
46. Briefly describe the institutional structure, including private industry, non-profit
organizations, and public institutions, through which the jurisdiction will carryout its homelessness strategy.
The Institutional Structure consists of the Morris County Comprehensive EmergencyAssistance Systems (CEAS) Committee, which is the lead entity conducting theMorris County's Continuum of Care planning process. The CEAS Committee reportsto the County's Human Services Advisory Council (HSAC), which reports to theMorris County Board of Chosen Freeholders.
Discharge Coordination Policy
47. Every jurisdiction receiving McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act,Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG), Supportive Housing, Shelter Plus Care, orSection 8 SRO Program funds must develop and implement a DischargeCoordination Policy, to the maximum extent practicable. Such a policy shouldinclude “policies and protocols for the discharge of persons from publicly fundedinstitutions or systems of care (such as health care facilities, foster care or otheryouth facilities, or correction programs and institutions) in order to prevent suchdischarge from immediately resulting in homelessness for such persons.” The
jurisdiction should describe its planned activities to implement a cohesive,community-wide Discharge Coordination Policy, and how the community willmove toward such a policy.
Local hospitalsDischarge planners on medical units of the local hospitals call the area shelters forbed availability when a homeless patient is ready for discharge. Homelessindividuals have been discharged to shelters, such as Homeless Solutions, Inc. withnursing follow up care provided on-site at the shelter. Shelters do require that aperson is able to care for physical needs such as eating, bathing, ambulating, andcomplying with a medication.
Through a partnership between Jersey Battered Women’s Service (JBWS) andMorristown Memorial Hospital (MMH), patients identified as domestic violencevictims will be referred to JBWS for appropriate services, including shelter. TheOffice of Temporary Assistance (OTA) may assist with placements for homelesspatients requiring a level of care that cannot be provided in a shelter.
Discharge planners on psychiatric units of the local hospitals call the Mental HealthAssociation of Morris County (MHAMC) for placement and services for psychiatricpatients who are homeless and ready for discharge. The MHA will meet with theindividual on the unit whenever possible and then arrange a Safe Haven bed atHomeless Solutions, Inc., a motel placement through OTA, or some other housingarrangement. Local hospitals can also utilize the OTA 24-hour emergency homelesshotline for housing assistance after hours.
State psychiatric hospitalsNew Jersey has a policy prohibiting discharge from state psychiatric hospitals to
shelters and/or to the streets. Patients who are ready for discharge are referred tothe county Integrated Case Management Service (ICMS) prior to discharge. TheMHAMC contracts for ICMS in Morris County and operates the service as aconsortium with two community mental health centers - St. Clare’s and NewBridgeServices. ICMS clients receive 18 months of post-discharge case managementservices. If an ICMS client becomes homeless the case manager refers theindividual to the MHA Homeless Outreach Services for a Safe Haven bed if necessary.
County and local jailsIndividuals who are incarcerated, homeless, and have a psychiatric illness come to
the attention of the county-funded forensic liaison to the jail. The jail’s socialworker and substance abuse counselor, county probation officers, and the MorrisCounty Drug Court will also refer homeless individuals to the area shelters such asHomeless Solutions, Inc., and the Market St. Mission. Every effort is made tocoordinate time of discharge with the receiving agency. JBWS has establishedlinkages with correctional facilities to provide services for Morris County womenwho are victims of domestic violence while they are incarcerated and offerplacement upon release.
PrisonsHomeless Solutions, Inc. has an agreement with the Administrative Office of the NJCourts to accept Intensive Supervision Program (ISP) participants. ISP is an
alternative to jail for non-violent offenders. Homeless men and women enter theshelter with 24/7 supervision and are expected to find employment, link withtreatment, pay fines and eventually secure housing.
Aging out youthDYFS provides discharge planning for 18 year olds leaving the care of DYFS.
Roots and Wings provides housing and case management support for youth whohave aged-out of the foster care system. Currently Roots & Wings has 8 eligibleyouth in this program and is looking to expand.The county’s Acute Care Systems Review Committee, which includesrepresentatives of the mental health system and the jail, reviews systems problemsrelated to individuals who cross systems. The Mental Health/ Criminal Justice TaskForce is actively forging a stronger partnership between systems.
Specific Objectives/Homeless (91.215)
48. Identify specific objectives that the jurisdiction intends to initiate and/orcomplete in accordance with the tables* prescribed by HUD, and how Federal,State, and local public and private sector resources that are reasonablyexpected to be available will be used to address identified needs for the periodcovered by the strategic plan. For each specific objective, identify proposedaccomplishments and outcomes the jurisdiction hopes to achieve in quantitative
terms over a specified time period (one, two, three or more years) or in othermeasurable terms as defined by the jurisdiction.Please see Summaries Table.
NON-HOMELESS SPECIAL NEEDS
*Refer to Table 1B Non-Homeless Special Needs or the CPMP Tool’s Needs.xlsworkbook
Priority Non-Homeless Needs 91.215 (e)
49. Identify the priority housing and supportive service needs of persons who arenot homeless but may or may not require supportive housing, i.e., elderly, frailelderly, persons with disabilities (mental, physical, developmental, persons withHIV/AIDS and their families), persons with alcohol or other drug addiction byusing the Non-homeless Special Needs Table.
The “Non-Homeless Special Needs Including HOPWA”Table provides an actualestimated number housing units needed throughout the county for the varioussubpopulations. Priority needs, as indicated by the estimates offered by providers,are listed according to gap, starting with the largest gap:• Elderly• Developmentally Disabled• Public Housing• Persons with HIV/AIDS and their families• Persons with Severe Mental Illness• Alcohol/Other Drug Addicted• Physically Disabled• Frail Elderly
Services needed, ranked according to the largest gap, include:• Developmentally Disabled tied with Alcohol/Other Drug Addicted• Persons with Severe Mental Illness tied with Physically Disabled• Elderly tied with Persons with HIV/AIDS and their families
Rosemary Gilmartin, Director of Interfaith Food Pantry summed up the need forservices:
“Seniors needs are going to become even more of an issue - transportation, in-home services, food, health issues and housing. More and more seniors and thedisabled are low-income and housebound. Services need to be brought to them tohelp them age in place rather than force them into nursing homes before they areready.
Community services for clients with mental health issues will need to greatlyexpand as more move from inpatient settings into the community. This has beenthe area of our largest growth - clients being referred for food assistance frommental health agencies or brought up by their caseworkers.
Affordable child care, not just for infants and toddlers, but before and after schoolprograms and summer programs, are extremely important as low-income andmiddle income workers are spending a huge portion of their incomes to care fortheir kids or are forced to leave their kids unattended.
Clearly affordable accessible transportation is critical to access services and get to jobs. You know how NJ cuts are going to affect all our clients.
Housing - More affordable housing. So many workers are forced to move out of county or out into more affordable parts of Morris County and if public
transportation is cut what will happen to them. A taxi from Dover to the FoodPantry can run $40.” 17
50. Describe the basis for assigning the priority given to each category of priorityneeds.
The basis for assigning the priority given to each category of priority needs ispredicated upon the following criteria in descending order of importance:a) meeting the goals and objectives of HUD programsb) meeting the specific needs of low- and moderate-income residentsc) focus on low- to moderate-income areas or neighborhoodsd) coordination and leveraging of resourcese) response to expressed needs
f) sustainability and/or long-term impact of strategyg) the ability to measure or demonstrate progress and success.
51. Identify any obstacles to meeting underserved needs.
• Limited funds
17 Rosemary Gilmartin, Interfaith Food Pantry, March 2010.
• Lack of funds for long term supportive services• Increased competition for diminishing pool of funds• Limited resources on the part of providers• Lack of land for construction of facilities and residential units• Lack of availability of suitable structures from which to provide services or
shelter• Lack of societal sensitivity to the need of the underserved
Barrier identified in treating people with substance abuse issues include:• Lack of treatment programs of youth aged 0-12, including services for children of
substance abusers• Lack of family services for youth under 12• Limited substance abuse services available within the family model• Lack of bilingual/culturally sensitive services• Lack of transportation• Inadequately trained staff to address the developmental issues of youth• Lack of services for Co-Occurring disorders
• The prevalence of sexual assault and incest in substance abusing adolescents• Parental resistance to identification of substance issue in adolescents• Lack of substance abuse program modification for disability issues• Insufficient programming for young adults• No childcare for mothers• Lack of placement opportunities and ongoing recovery that can accommodate
children• Lack of affordable housing for women• Lack of vocational skills programming for women• Lack of services for pregnant women• Lack of methadone treatment for pregnant women•
Need for detox services for pregnant women• Need for substance abuse treatment options meeting the needs of people with
disabilities.
52. To the extent information is available, describe the facilities and services thatassist persons who are not homeless but require supportive housing, andprograms for ensuring that persons returning from mental and physical healthinstitutions receive appropriate supportive housing.
Beds for the Physically Disabled• Cheshire I (Residential Nursing Care) 35 beds• Cheshire II (Group Home) 7 beds• Cheshire III (Group Home) 8 beds• Mcail Liberty House 15 beds• UCP Group Homes 8 beds
Beds for the Developmentally Disabled• Center for Humanistic Change – Denville, Flanders, Jefferson 17 beds• Department for Persons With Disabilities, Jefferson 23 beds• Morris ARC: Access House, Parsippany 6 beds
• Morris ARC: Lake Parsippany, Parsippany 6 beds• Morris ARC: Chester 6 beds• Morris ARC: Washington Township 6 beds• Morris ARC: Randolph 5 beds• Morris ARC: Hanover 6 beds• Morris ARC: East Hanover 6 beds• Community Options Siek, Butler 3 beds• Community Options Van Houten S., Butler 3 beds• Developmental Resources Corporation 10 beds• Jewish Service for Developmental Disabilities 5 beds• Much Dignity House, Randolph 8 units• Special Homes of NJ, Wharton 4 units• Special Homes of NJ, Boonton 6 units• Special Homes of NJ, Boonton 6 units• The Rose House, Budd Lake 8 beds
Beds for the Mentally Ill
• Richmond Fellowship 20 beds• Community Hope 85 beds• Comprehensive Behavioral Healthcare, Morris Plains 25 beds• NewBridge Services, Inc. 132 beds• St. Clare's/Morristown 73 beds• St. Clare's/Denville 11 beds
Housing stock available to serve persons with HIV/AIDS and their families is offeredby the Eric John House, which provides transitional housing and/or supportiveservices to 24 individuals and has 10 beds available on site.
Services include the following:Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Outpatient Services:• St. Clare's - Alcohol Evaluation Program• NewBridge Services, Inc. - Substance Abuse Alternative• Hope House - Adolescent Substance Abuse Services• Hope House - Adult Alcohol Counseling
Intensive Outpatient Services• Morristown Memorial Hospital Center for Addictive Illness• Daytop Village, Inc. - treatment for delinquent and at-risk alcohol and drug
abusing adolescents
Extended Care - Halfway Houses• Mrs. Wilson's Halfway House for Women, Morristown, 14 beds
Long Term Residential/Therapeutic Community – 9-12 months• Daytop Village, Inc. - treatment for at-risk alcohol and drug abusing adolescents
70 beds• Freedom House - Halfway House Program for Men, Morristown, 7 beds
Short Term Residential – 28 days• Market Street Mission, Morristown, 34 beds• Saint Clare's Hospital, Riverside Campus - Alcohol/Chemical Dependency Unit, 30
beds
Detoxification Services• Saint Clare's Hospital, Riverside Campus
Hospital/Medical Detoxification• Saint Clare's Hopsital, Riverside Campus
Disability Services are provided by the following agencies:• Services for those with Autism - The Allegro School, Skyland Center and NJ
Division of Developmental Disabilities
• Care Management - Morris County Divisio on Aging, Disabilities and Veterans,Morristown Memorial Hospital (Special Child Health Services), NJ Commission for
the Blind and Visually Impaired, and NJ Division of Developmental Disabilities
• Day Programs - ARC Morris County Chapter, Community Options and SkylandCenter
• Dental Care - NJ Foundation of Dentistry for Persons with Disabilities, ZufallHealth Center in Dover and Morristown
• Education - College of Saint Elizabeth, County College of Morris, Drew University,and Fairleigh Dickinson University
•
Employment Assistance - ECLC of New Jersey, Morris County School of Technology, The Lexington Center, Allegro Adult Services, ARC Morris County,Cheshire Home Community Resource Center, Community Options, EmploymentHorizons, Jewish Vocational Service of MetroWest, NewBridge Services, RehabInstitute at Morristown Memorial Hospital and NJ Division of VocationalRehabilitation Services
• Hearing Impairment - NJ Division of Deaf and Hard of Hearing, NJ Association of the Deaf-Blind, NJ Division of Health and Senior Services
• Information and Referral - Children's Center for Therapy and Learning, DisabledAdvocates Working for Northwest, NJ Division of Developmental Disabilities, NJ
Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Epilepsy Foudnation of NJ, MorrisCounty Office for the Disabled, Morristown Memorial Hospital (MMH) Center forDevelopmental Disabilities, MMH Special Child Health Services, MS Society-Greater North Jersey Chapter, NJ Brain Injury Association, Spina BifidaAssocation of NJ and United Cerebral Palsy of Morris/Somerset
• In-Home Care Services - Morris County Personal Assistance Services Program
• Legal Assistance - NJ Protection and Advocacy, Community Health Law Project,Legal Services of Northwest Jersey, State Parent Advocacy Network,Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, Equal EmploymentOpportunity Commission, Employment of People with Disabilities, and ADAInformation and Referral Line
• Lifeskills Training - Disabled Advocates Working for Northwest
• Respite Care - United Cerebral Palsy of Morris/Somerset, ARC Morris County, NJDivision of Developmental Disabilities, and Allegro School Respite Services
• Visually Impaired - Alliance for Disabled in Action, NJ Foundation for the Blind, NJCommission for the Blind and Handicapped, Family Service of Morris CountyFriends of the Blind, NJ Library for the Blind and Handicapped, Morris Conty
Public Library, Parents of Blind Children, Seeing Eye
• Volunteerism - Volunteers for Morris County
Services for Seniors include the following:• Family Service of Morris County
− Care Management Program - adult day care, money management, and mentalhealth assistance.
− Outreach Program - offers outreach to caregivers of senior citizens at theirplace of employment.
− Respite Program - respite care for at risk seniors through the Time Out Adult
Day Care Programs.
• Hope House− CHORE Program - provides 2 hours a week of light housekeeping, laundry and
food shopping services, specifically for seniors under a doctor's care, livingalone, and are frail and physically disabled.
− Operation Fix-It - provides direct, in-home services in the form of health andsafety home repairs, to prevent premature institutionalization.
• Legal Services of Northwest Jersey/Senior Citizens Law Project - provides legaladvice, counseling and representation to seniors, 60 years of age or alder, withspecial emphasis on serving minority, indigent and frail/disabled clients.
• Morris County Organization for Hispanic Affairs/Assisted Transportation -provides transportation to seniors (60+) who are unable to access transportationservices, have health barriers, are frail and live alone.
• NewBridge Services, Inc./Operation SAIL - Senior Assistance for IndependentLiving provides Care Management services to help seniors remain in their homesand to assist seniors in applying for a variety of services.
• NJ Foundation for Aging/Renaissance Magazine - provides information to seniorcitizens and their caregivers.
• NORWESCAP/Healthy Bones Program - osteoporosis prevention eduction.
• Saint Clare's Hospital/Senior Connection - in-home mental health counseling withspecial emphasis on those who are economically and socially disadvantaged,have a medical need, are frail and/or homebound.
• Visiting Nurse Association of Northern New Jersey− Caregiver Initiative− Community Health Aide Program - in-home program of personal care and
assistance− Friendship House Adult Day Care - social day care center for individuals with
Alzheimer's Disease and other memory related disorders− Respite Program - provides home health aide and/or adult day care services as
respite for the caregiver of senior citizen
• Volunteers for Morris County/Access Services for the Elderly - includes TelephoneReassurace to homebound/isolated seniors and Friendly Visiting to isolatedseniors.
The jurisdiction plans to use HOME to assist one or more of these subpopulations byassisting with the construction of new housing and/or the acquisition andrehabilitation of existing housing because its mission is to provide safe, decent, andaffordable housing and a positive community environment that offers a good qualityof life and economic opportunity to all residents, but especially to Low- andModerate-Income residents, including the elderly, disadvantaged and disabled.
53. If the jurisdiction plans to use HOME or other tenant based rental assistance toassist one or more of these subpopulations, it must justify the need for suchassistance in the plan.
HOME funds have been used for tenant-based rental assistance for 3 years. Theintended target was for households looking to achieve permanent housing fromtransitional housing or shelters. The demand has far outstripped the supply of TBRAvouchers.
Specific Special Needs Objectives
91.215 (e)
54. Identify each specific objective developed to address a priority need by numberand contain proposed accomplishments and outcomes the jurisdiction expects toachieve in quantitative terms through related activities over a specified timeperiod (i.e. one, two, three or more years), or in other measurable terms asidentified and defined by the jurisdiction.
55. Describe how Federal, State, and local public and private sector resources thatare reasonably expected to be available will be used to address identified needsfor the period covered by the strategic plan.
This jurisdiction intends to provide continued assistance to supportive housingagencies, especially for persons with disabilities (mental, physical anddevelopmental), veterans and the frail elderly. In addition, it will continueassistance for supportive services and facilities.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Priority Community Development Needs 91.215 (f)
*Refer to the Community Development Table in the Needs.xls workbook
56. Identify the jurisdiction's priority non-housing community development needseligible for assistance by CDBG eligibility category specified in the CommunityDevelopment Needs Table* − i.e., public facilities, public improvements, publicservices and economic development.
The jurisdiction's priority non-housing community development needs eligible forassistance by CDBG eligibility category specified in the Community DevelopmentNeeds Table are informed by multiple sources. The Division of CommunityDevelopment solicited information from all the county's municipalities and severalnon profits to ascertain projected needs and the level of priority. Generally,Facilities and Improvements were the categories receiving the highest priority in
terms of needs identified. Activities, by level of importance, rank accordingly:• Facilities
• Services− Services for children and youth− Childcare− Employment Training− Senior Care− Recreation, respite care and employment training for special needs population− Transportation
• Housing− Safety and Security upgrades in private and public housing residential units− Homeowner rehabilitation
57. Describe the basis for assigning the priority given to each category of priorityneeds provided on Table 2B or the Community Development Table in the CPMPTool’s Needs.xls worksheet.
The basis for assigning the priority given to each category of priority needs ispredicated upon the following criteria in descending order of importance:a) meeting the goals and objectives of HUD programsb) meeting the specific needs of low- and moderate- income residentsc) focus on low- to moderate-income areas or neighborhoddsd) coordination and leveraging of resourcese) response to expressed needsf) sustainability and/or long-term impact of strategyg) the ability to measure or demonstrate progress and success.
58. Identify any obstacles to meeting underserved needs.
Obstacles to meeting underserved needs include:
• Limited funds• Increased competition by local government and nonprofit agencies for
diminishing pool of funds• Tight fiscal constraints on all levels of government forcing zero funding for
activities, deemed non essential, such as transportation assistance (car service)• Limited supplementary resources experienced by providers• Lack of sympathy for financial plight of local government• Lack of land for construction of facilities and residential units• Lack of availability of suitable structures from which to provide services or
shelter• Lack of societal sensitivity to the need of the underserved.
Specific Community Development Objectives
59. Identify specific long-term and short-term community development objectives(including economic development activities that create jobs), developed inaccordance with the statutory goals described in section 24 CFR 91.1 and theprimary objective of the CDBG program to provide decent housing and a suitableliving environment and expand economic opportunities, principally for low- andmoderate-income persons.
The primary objectives and strategies of the CDBG program in meeting the goals toprovide decent housing and a suitable living environment and expand economic
opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income persons include:
PUBLIC FACILITES NEEDS STRATEGIESStrategy #1 – Develop or Rehabilitate Facilities to Serve Population Segments –Senior, Youth and Children
Strategy #2 – Assist Municipalities in the Development and Preservation of Neighborhood and Other Public Facilities
NON-RESIDENTIAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION STRATEGIESStrategy #1 Assist in the Preservation of Historically Significant Structures
Community Development/ Public Improvements Objectives
PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS STRATEGIESStrategy #1 –Assist in Infrastructure Improvements in Eligible Areas of the County
Community Development/ Public Services Objectives
PUBLIC SERVICE NEEDS STRATEGIESStrategy #1 Expand transportation, senior and youth Services.
Strategy #2 Provide Affordable Childcare and Children’s Services
Strategy #3 Assist Other Public Service Needs and Programs
Community Development/ Economic Development Objectives
N/A
Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Areas 91.215(g)
60. If the jurisdiction has one or more approved Neighborhood RevitalizationStrategy Areas, the jurisdiction must provide, with the submission of a newConsolidated Plan, either: the prior HUD-approved strategy, or strategies, with astatement that there has been no change in the strategy (in which case, HUDapproval for the existing strategy is not needed a second time) or submit a new
or amended neighborhood revitalization strategy, or strategies, (for whichseparate HUD approval would be required).
N/A
Barriers to Affordable Housing 91.215 (h)
61. Describe the strategy to remove or ameliorate negative effects of public policiesthat serve as barriers to affordable housing, except that, if a State requires aunit of general local government to submit a regulatory barrier assessment thatis substantially equivalent to the information required under this part, asdetermined by HUD, the unit of general local government may submit that
assessment to HUD and it shall be considered to have complied with thisrequirement.
Barriers to affordable housing identified in the county’s Analysis of Impediments toFair Housing include:
• The lack of affordable housing, particularly for low- and middle-incomehouseholds, seniors, people with disabilities, single head of households, andyoung adults.
• The greatest need of non-homeless special needs populations includesaccessible/ adaptable housing for persons with severe mental illness and thedevelopmentally disabled, victims of domestic violence, veterans, peopletransitioning out of homeless shelters and the frail elderly.
• United Way of Morris County identified the lack of housing accessible toaffordable transportation to get to jobs and services as an important housingchoice issue, particularly for senior citizens, people with physical disabilities andmental illness, low-income families and any other resident who does not haveready access to their own automobile.
• Due to the backlash from Sub prime lending practices and the subsequentforeclosure crisis, banks have tightened their lending guidelines to the pointwhere obtaining a standard fixed mortgage is very difficult. This further impedesthe process of acquiring affordable housing for those who may have been viablecandidates.
• Insufficient Federal and State resources for affordable housing initiatives,such as programs and resources to build housing, provide rental assistance andtax credits for homebuyers.
• New Jersey's property taxes are the highest in the nation by the per capitameasure and 2nd highest as a percentage of income.
• Severe impediments to ease in filing Fair Housing complaint. Complaints cannotbe made online; an individual has to travel to Paterson to file a complaint.
• The New Jersey Highlands Act restricts development within the delineatedHighlands Protection Area. With the diminishment of available land, the cost of remaining land will rise, affecting existing and future stock of affordable housing.
• The New Jersey State Development and Redevelopment P lan, has had
influence over land use through its designation of all areas in NJ as 1 of 5different Planning Areas each with associated growth expectations. Implicationsfor development constraints indicate an increase in costs for affordable housing.
• Development approval process, e.g. state and regional agencies, county andmunicipal planning boards, utility authorities and soil conservation districts, alltime consuming and therefore increasing cost of development
• Impact fees associated with new development e.g., roads, sewer, water andother public facilities, result in the costs being passed along to the newhomeowners and renters.
• NYMBYism against affordable housing proposals.
Lead-based Paint 91.215 (i)
62. Describe the jurisdiction’s plan to evaluate and reduce lead-based paint hazardsand describe how lead based paint hazards will be integrated into housingpolicies and programs, and how the plan for the reduction of lead-based hazardsis related to the extent of lead poisoning and hazards.
Accordingly, the Division of Community Development has implemented the lead-based paint regulations requirements in the programs it administers. Specifically, ithas helped develop and present educational presentations on lead-based painthazards to students of the Step-by-Step Program for first time homebuyers. It alsoconducts visual assessments prior to the sale of a house to a first time homebuyerand provides educational material to first time homebuyers published by the USEPA entitled "Reducing Lead Hazards When Remodeling Your Home."
Antipoverty Strategy 91.215 (j)
63. Describe the jurisdiction's goals, programs, and policies for reducing the numberof poverty level families (as defined by the Office of Management and Budgetand revised annually
The Division of Community Development does not itself have an adopted anti-poverty strategy. Nonetheless the Division is involved in addressing poverty, de
facto, in its role as administrators of HUD CDBG, CDBG-R, HOME, ESG and HPRPprograms. In carrying out those responsibilities, the Division serves as a partner inseveral coalitions including CEAS, the Fair Housing Committee of the Morris CountyHuman Relations Commission and the Housing Alliance of Morris County. Viewed asa governmental service provider, and located within the county governmentcomplex, the Division frequently serves as an information and referral provider topotential clients in need of assistance. Therefore the Division plays a part in a fullspectrum of services needed to address the multiple needs of people in poverty.
Examples of local efforts include the work of the Morris County Department of Human Services. The Division of Employment and Temporary Assistance offers
employment and training services through the One Stop Career Center, theWorkforce Investment Act, the Workforce Development Partnership Program, WorkFirst New Jersey Program, Workforce Investment Board and the Youth InvestmentCouncil.
In a county where residents rely heavily on single occupied vehicles to commute towork, lack of transportation is a pervasive problem interfering with many low-income individuals trying to get to jobs. While providers recognize this gap,services, such as "Morris On the Move" and the Division of Employment andTemporary Assistance Office of Training and Assistance voucher system, are scant.Compounding this gap is the related need for transportation to child care services, anecessary reality enabling parents to work.
The Morris County Human Services Advisory Council (HSAC) identified lack of transportation to and from child care services as a high priority need in their "2003Child Care Services Plan Update."
Affordable child care, as well as quality child care especially for infants andtoddlers, were high priority items identified by HSAC.
The Offices of Temporary Assistance Program Services also provide a variety of financial, medical and social services for those who meet certain criteria, dependingon family size, monthly income, assets and resources.
The Morris County Mental Health and Substance Abuse Advisory Board (MorrisCounty Department of Human Services) is working to address the service gapspecific to indigent and homeless individuals.
The needs of immigrants brings a new dimension to these issues. While specificneeds are being researched, provision of culturally competent services arerecommended.
64. Identify the extent to which this strategy will reduce (or assist in reducing) thenumber of poverty level families, taking into consideration factors over whichthe jurisdiction has control.
It is hoped that all funded activities will make individuals, families, households and
communities stronger, consequently contribution toward the reduction of poverty.
Institutional Structure 91.215 (k)
65. Provide a concise summary of the institutional structure through which the jurisdiction will carry out its consolidated plan, including private industry,non-profit organizations, community and faith-based organizations, and publicinstitutions.
The jurisdiction will carry out its consolidated plan through a network of partnerships with governmental and non profit agencies. It reinforces these
relationships through participation in regional efforts such as the Housing Alliance of Morris County, the Housing Committee of the Morris County Human RelationsCommission and the Comprehensive Emergency Assistance Strategy Committee(CEAS).
The Division collaborates with the Community Development Revenue Sharing(CDRS) Committee, consisting of municipal representatives, and other municipalofficials in coordinating efforts to meet public facility, infrastructure improvements,public service needs, accessibility needs, economic development needs, andhousing needs. The CDRS Committee determines which projects receive funding.Funding resources and programs for the homeless are coordinated through theComprehensive Emergency Assistance System (CEAS).
The county has entered into inter-local Cooperation Agreements with 37municipalities which form the urban county. The two remaining municipalities,Parsippany-Troy Hills and Dover, have joined with the urban county in meetinghousing needs with HOME funds.
All participating municipalities and non-profit agencies apply for funding for CDBG,HOME, and Emergency Shelter Grants to the Division of Community
Development.The county enters into agreements for implementation of projectsexcept for housing rehabilitation, which is administered directly by the Division.
The Board of Chosen Freeholders, through the Division of Community Development,has the ultimate responsibility in assuring that the priority needs of theConsolidated Plan are met. The Division provides technical assistance to, andmonitoring of, the municipalities, non-profit housing developers and serviceproviders, and county agencies and authorities for projects that meet the needsdocumented in the plan.
Priority human service needs are developed and incorporated into theComprehensive Human Services Plan, and funding resources and programs to meetservice needs, including health and mental health, are coordinated through theDepartment of Human services based on recommendations made by the Humanservices Advisory Council (HSAC) and its committees. Both public and privateagencies are active on their respective committees. The lead agency meets withappropriate staff and committees to implement the strategies of the plan. The
Division was recently invited, as a non-voting member, to participate in HSAC.
Although the county enjoys a positive relationship with each of the five PHAs, itonly has a formal relationship with the Morris County Housing Authority, by virtueof the county appointing the Commissioners to the Morris County Housing AuthorityBoard. The county does not have any jurisdiction over the Morris County HousingAuthority concerning its administration, development or other activities.
However, as required, the county reviews all five PHA's Annual and Five-Year Plansfor consistency, and assigns Certifications of Consistency accordingly. Each PHA
boasts a respectable track record.
66. Provide an assessment of the strengths and gaps in the delivery system.Strengths and Gaps in the Delivery System:
The strengths of this delivery system lie in relationships and experience. The staff at Community Development have fostered relationships throughout the jurisdiction.This enables a certain "comfort level" in applicants' abilities and reliability incarrying through grants. Additionally, the staff and many applicants have aseasoned familiarity with the programs, facilitating grant development andimplementation, as well as maximizing grant value through coordination betweenHOME and CDBG.
The United Way of Morris County continues to facilitate the activities of the MorrisCounty Housing Alliance. Because organizations approach affordable housing,through their service of specific subpopulations, the coalition is broad-based.
Gaps in the delivery system have to do primarily with scarcity of resources, whetherit be deminishing funds (Federal and State) or land (specifically for construction of housing). Based on information from providers and towns, as well as the total
amount requested through grant applications, the prevailing trend indicates a needfor housing, services, and facilities, increasingly exceeding the supply of funding.These needs have been accentuated by the current recession, which has resulted in
“newly needy” and pushed vulnerable households into need.
A programmatic gap lies within the HOME program which applies income criteria ona regional basis, encompassing Newark. This results in unrealistic figures for MorrisCounty, which has higher median sales prices for residential units.
In Morris County there is a growing shortage of land for home construction. Thislow supply is resulting in substandard parcels. Project developers need to becreative in designing housing opportunities. That creativity needs to be met byflexibility within the formula programs.
67. Describe efforts to enhance coordination with private industry, businesses,developers, and social service agencies, particularly with regard to thedevelopment of the jurisdiction’s economic development strategy. (91.215(l))
Enhanced coordination with private industry, businesses, developers and socialservice agencies is occurring through participation in coalition groups e.g., HousingAlliance of Morris County, the Fair Housing Committee of the Morris County HumanRelations Commission, the county’s Human Services Advisory Committee, theComprehensive Emergency Assistance Systems (CEAS), and through regularcommunication with the members of the Division’s Community DevelopmentRevenue Sharing Advisory Committee. This last group consists of volunteers fromeach participating municipality in the county. They review all the programs’ grantapplications, make funding recommendations and serve as liaisons between thecounty and their towns.
Coordination 91.215 (l)
68. Describe the efforts to enhance coordination between public and assistedhousing providers and governmental health, mental health, and serviceagencies.
The best forum for coordination among housing providers is the Housing Alliance of Morris County and for governmental health, mental health and service agencies, thecounty’s Human Services Advisory Committee. Both organizations meet monthlyand the Division is a participating member.
69. Describe efforts in addressing the needs of persons that are chronicallyhomeless with respect to the preparation of the homeless strategy.
The County’s Continuum of Care is the most coordinated effort addressing needs of persons that are chronically homeless.
The "Step off the Street" project at the Mental Health Association of Morris Countyhouses individuals in motel and/or apartments with case management services.
The Eric Johnson House provides transitional housing and has 10 beds available onsite and/or supportive services to chronically homeless people.
The Market Street Mission provides transitional housing and supportive services tochronically homeless men.
Strategy for helping homeless persons make the transition to permanent housingand independent living.Transitional Housing opportunities in the county include:• Jersey Battered Women Services - serving families with children• Homeless Solutions, Inc. - Transitional Housing - serving families with children• Roots and Wings - serving unaccompanied young males and females• Market Street Mission - serving single males• The Eric Johnson House - serving single males and females with AIDS.
The county's long-term plan "Homelessness to Home Ownership…" identifiedemerging strategies during its preparation, reflecting needs for services for peoplewho are homeless; these included:• better, advanced housing planning for families with members of vulnerable
populations;• creating a central, culturally competent center that is accessible to all for
information, service delivery/referrals, and personal advocacy;• increased supply of affordable housing;• examining the best alternative for housing those with substance abuse issues• advocating to increase job skills, local job opportunities and livable wages to
county residents; and• coordinated services available to homeless people.
Goals included:• maintain quantity and quality of existing Emergency Shelter, Transitional, and
Permanent supportive housing;• increase collaboration and coordination of Food distribution resources;• identify faith-based resources for people who are homeless or at risk of
homelessness;• improve transportation options for homeless people;• increase number of units of Permanent Supportive Housing for families and
individuals;• enhance homeless people's access to mainstream and other social service
programs in the county;• improve employment opportunities for homeless people; and• expand outreach to specialized populations.
70. Describe the means of cooperation and coordination among the state and anyunits of general local government in the metropolitan area in theimplementation of the plan.
In Morris County has entered into inter-local Cooperation Agreements with 37municipalities which form the urban county. The two remaining municipalities,Parsippany-Troy Hills and Dover, have joined with the urban county in meetinghousing needs with HOME funds.
71. Describe efforts to enhance coordination with private industry, businesses,developers, and social service agencies, particularly with regard to thedevelopment of the jurisdiction’s economic development strategy.
The Division does not, at this time, fund activities of economic development.
72. Describe the jurisdiction's efforts to coordinate its housing strategy with localand regional transportation planning strategies to ensure to the extentpracticable that residents of affordable housing have access to publictransportation.
The best forum for coordination of housing activities is the Housing Alliance of
Morris County. The Division enjoys a close working relationship with the county’sDepartment of Transportation and Department of Planning and Development, whichallows for coordination of reviews and technical assistance to municipalities, nonprofits and others.
Monitoring 91.230
73. Describe the standards and procedures the jurisdiction will use to monitor itshousing and community development projects and ensure long-term compliancewith program requirements and comprehensive planning requirements.
All activities administered by the Morris County Division of CommunityDevelopment are monitored as follows:
Planning: Proposed activities are reviewed for eligibility under statutory andregulatory requirements and for their ability to meet an identified need in theCounty's Consolidated Plan.
Implementation: Fiscal monitoring of activities include the review and approval of activity budgets; compliance with executed Grant Agreements and the subsequentreview and approval of vouchers.
Long-term Compliance: Staff establish a monitoring schedule for HOME projects as
required. Based on the monitoring schedule staff conduct site visits to ensurecompliance with the following:* Period of affordability* Income of tenants* Amount of rent charged* Housing quality standards of facility.
Each activity is filed separately under a general Compliance/Monitoring File.
The County attempts, to the maximum extent possible, to identify Minority BusinessEnterprises and Women Business Enterprises and implement outreach programs toensure inclusion of these entities in all contracting activities of the HOME program.Procedures include:* Methods to identify certified minority and women's business enterprises* Outreach Program* Record keeping* Other Activities.
Staff visit facilities funded through Community Development Block Grant to ensurecontinued compliance with the national objective and applicable programrequirements.
Housing Opportunities for People w ith AIDS (HOPW A)
*Refers to the HOPWA Table in the Needs.xls workbook.
74. Describe the activities to be undertaken with HOPWA Program funds to addresspriority unmet housing needs for the eligible population. Activities will assistpersons who are not homeless but require supportive housing, such as efforts toprevent low-income individuals and families from becoming homeless and mayaddress the housing needs of persons who are homeless in order to helphomeless persons make the transition to permanent housing and independentliving.
N/A
75. Identify any obstacles to meeting underserved needs and summarize the
priorities and specific objectives, describing how funds made available will beused to address identified needs.
N/A
76. The Plan must establish annual HOPWA output goals for the planned number of households to be assisted during the year in: (1) short-term rent, mortgage andutility payments to avoid homelessness; (2) rental assistance programs; and (3)in housing facilities, such as community residences and SRO dwellings, wherefunds are used to develop and/or operate these facilities. The plan can alsodescribe the special features or needs being addressed, such as support forpersons who are homeless or chronically homeless. These outputs are to be
used in connection with an assessment of client outcomes for achieving housingstability, reduced risks of homelessness and improved access to care.
N/A
77. For housing facility projects being developed, a target date for the completion of each development activity must be included and information on the continueduse of these units for the eligible population based on their stewardship
requirements (e.g. within the ten-year use periods for projects involvingacquisition, new construction or substantial rehabilitation).
N/A
78. Provide an explanation of how the funds will be allocated including a descriptionof the geographic area in which assistance will be directed and the rationale forthese geographic allocations and priorities. Include the name of each projectsponsor, the zip code for the primary area(s) of planned activities, amountscommitted to that sponsor, and whether the sponsor is a faith-based and/orgrassroots organization.
N/A79. Describe the role of the lead jurisdiction in the eligible metropolitan statistical
area (EMSA), involving (a) consultation to develop a metropolitan-wide strategyfor addressing the needs of persons with HIV/AIDS and their families livingthroughout the EMSA with the other jurisdictions within the EMSA; (b) the
standards and procedures to be used to monitor HOPWA Program activities inorder to ensure compliance by project sponsors of the requirements of theprogram.
N/A
Specific HOPW A Objectives
80. Identify specific objectives that the jurisdiction intends to initiate and/orcomplete in accordance with the tables* prescribed by HUD.
Complete and submit Table 1C Summary of Specific Objectives or, if using theCPMP Tool, the Summaries.xls worksheets.
N/A
81. Describe how Federal, State, and local public and private sector resources thatare reasonably expected to be available will be used to address identified needsfor the period covered by the strategic plan.
N/A
OTHER NARRATIVES AND ATTACHMENTS
82. Include any Strategic Plan information that was not covered by a narrative inany other section. If optional tables are not used, provide comparableinformation that is required by consolidated plan regulations.
If the jurisdiction has an open Section 108 project, provide a summary of theproject. The summary should include the Project Name, a short description of the project and the current status of the project, the amount of the Section 108loan, whether you have an EDI or BEDI grant and the amount of this grant, thetotal amount of CDBG assistance provided for the project, the nationalobjective(s) codes for the project, the Matrix Codes, if the activity is complete, if the national objective has been met, the most current number of beneficiaries(jobs created/retained, number of FTE jobs held by/made available to LMIpersons, number of housing units assisted, number of units occupied by LMIhouseholds, etc.)
N/A
84. Regional Connections
Describe how the jurisdiction's strategic plan connects its actions to the largerstrategies for the metropolitan region. Does the plan reference the plans of
other agencies that have responsibilities for metropolitan transportation,economic development, and workforce investment?
