Rev. Eric Dobson
Deputy Director of the Fair ShareHousing Center
Fair Chance in Housing Act
2022 Housing Justice Advocacy Priorities
I. Invest in the development and preservation of affordable homes in historically exclusionary and gentrifying communities in New Jersey.
a. Use American Rescue Plan funding to make a historic investment in the development and preservation of affordable homes.
b. When tax revenue from cannabis sales is realized, strategically invest a portion of those dollars into the creation and preservation of affordable homes in historically redlined communities of color.
c. Direct all NJ Affordable Housing Trust Fund funding to affordable housing needs.
d. Create more opportunities and incentives for minority and woman owned businesses to engage in the development of affordable housing. (S337)
e. Remove certain regulatory barriers that impede the development of affordable housing. (A1294, with amendments)
II. Reduce and eliminate access barriers to affordable housing that disproportionately impacts people of color.
a. Establish a first-generation home ownership program to address the racial wealth gap and provide a pathway to home ownership for people of color. (S1446/A2785, with amendments)
b. Establish guidelines that restrict the use of credit history as part of a housing application. (S934/A669, with amendments)
c. Establish guidelines that restricts the use of past eviction filings as part of a housing application. (S392/A1754, S1665/A2339, with amendments)
d. Strengthen protections and increase enforcement of discriminatory housing practices in New Jersey, including an emphasis on testing, to better identify and quantify discrimination and hold bad actors accountable.
III. Address historic racial and economic disparities, including the racial wealth gap, that disrupts the creation of healthy and thriving communities of color.
a. Create a framework to address discriminatory housing appraisals with a strong enforcement mechanism. (S777/A1519, with amendments)
b. Make it easier for individuals and families to maintain wealth within their community through home ownership. (S1427/A793)
c. Prohibit the use of certain factors in rate setting for auto insurance. (S357/A1674)
