ASSEMBLY APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

[First Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 684

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  DECEMBER 12, 2022

      The Assembly Appropriations Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 684 (1R).

      This bill requires that at least two Homelessness Prevention Program (HPP) agencies operate in certain populous counties and that all HPP agencies remain open during public health emergencies.  Under the bill, “populous county” means any county with a population of 350,000 or more, according to the most recent federal decennial census.

      The bill specifically requires the Department of Community Affairs to provide funding to ensure that at least two agencies are established in populous counties to help manage and implement the HPP within that populous county.

      Under the bill, to the extent permitted by federal law, the funding provided to an additional agency within a populous county are to be paid from the monies received by the State under the federal “Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act,” Pub.L.116-136, or any other financial assistance provided by the federal government to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.  If federal funding is not available to satisfy the full amount of establishing a second agency within a populous county, then the Commissioner of Community Affairs is permitted to notify the State Treasurer and the Joint Budget Oversight Committee of the Legislature of the deficiency and to request that the Legislature appropriate a portion of the remainder from the General Fund, or other available State funding sources.

FISCAL IMPACT:

      The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) concludes that the bill will result in an indeterminate increase in annual State costs to the Department of Community Affairs associated with providing funds to support the operations of additional non-profit agencies in the management and implementation of the Homelessness Prevention Program.

      The bill requires the department of utilize federal funding related to COVID-19 to initially establish additional agencies to provide services through the Homelessness Prevention Program.  If federal funding is not available, the department may request funding from the General Fund or other State funding source for this purpose.