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Advocacy Agenda



2010 Advocacy Agenda

 Level A:  Collaboration/Leadership:

These issues will be given priority in agency advocacy activities and are ones for which we will take a lead, or actively participate in coalitions/networks that are leading the charge. A full range of strategies will be employed, with some combination of mass mailings to elected officials, developing testimony and talking points, delivering testimony, writing and distributing op-eds, coordinating State House rallies, and scheduling individual meetings with lawmakers.

 Preserving Services to People in Need

  • Work in collaboration with our community and statewide partner organizations to ensure that services to those we assist are preserved during state budget negotiations.
  • Ensure no Medicaid co-pays are instituted in New Jersey.

 

Housing and Homelessness

  • Support the Advocacy Agenda of the NJ Advocacy Network to End Homelessness which includes both Federal and State issues.   (See attached)

 

Level B:  Collaboration:

These are issues we will pursue in collaboration with related organizations/coalitions as needed.  Actions could include any of the above strategies, but are likely to be more limited and less aggressive.

 Economic Security

  • Support proposals that focus on job development and training, including green job development.
  • Ensure adequate unemployment benefits are in place.
  • Participate in efforts to address re-entry issues such as housing and employment for ex-offenders.
  • Support proposals and legislation that would improve access to public transportation and transportation that supports employment opportunities.
  • Advocate for the protection of vulnerable populations in climate change legislation.

 

Hunger

  • Collaborate with CCUSA and the NJ Anti-Hunger Coalition in efforts to improve access to and participation in SNAP.
  • Advocate for increased allocations in Federal and State budgets for emergency food. 

 

Health Care

  • Support Catholic Charities USA efforts to reform national health care.
  • Support efforts to expand NJ Family Care coverage.

 

Immigration Reform

  • Support comprehensive immigration reform at the Federal level, in collaboration with Justice for Immigrants campaign.

 

Level C:  Monitor and Mobilize

This level represents issues that are of significance to programs within the agency’s service areas, focusing on specific consumer populations. In 2010 Government Relations will assist service areas in developing advocacy plans and action steps as these issues arise.  This list is not inclusive, but represents issues currently identified.

  • Support the reauthorization of the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act. (PH)
  • Increased Medicaid rates to cover the cost of providing a unit of service. (BHS and CFS)
  • Increased services for the DDD population. (CFS)

 

New Jersey Advocacy Network to End Homelessness

FEDERAL POLICY ISSUES:

  • SEVRA (HR3045)  The Section Eight Voucher Reform Act is a proposal to reform and vastly improve our Section 8 program
  • SELHA (HR3636/S1523) The Services to End Long Term Homelessness Act which is crucial to ending homelessness.
  • National Housing Trust Fund (HR2856/S731) This legislation would provide a permanent funding mechanism within the Department of Housing and Urban Development to produce, preserve and rehabilitate rental housing for the lowest income Americans.

 

STATE POLICY ISSUES:

  • Support the State Policy of the NJANEH

 

  • Housing Reform (S.1 /A2071) sponsored by Assemblywoman Greenstein/D’Angelo and Senators Lesniak/Bateman.  Reforms procedures concerning provision of affordable housing; abolishes Council on Affordable Housing.  Our concern is this bill lowers the amount of affordable housing towns have to do and lowers the requirement to address lower income people.

 

  • Foreclosure Filing Fee (A.1759) sponsored by Assemblywoman Watson Coleman.  This bill provides additional resources for foreclosure counseling agencies and REO properties by assessing an increase of $800 per foreclosure filing.  This increase will provide approximately $40 million annually, until the foreclosure crisis abates and the fee reverts to its current amount.   

 

  • Relocation Assistance (A.442/S.554) sponsored by Assemblyman Green/Senator Cunningham: This bill increases state relocation assistance payment levels from 1972 levels to current dollars, based on increases in the CPI since 1972. The bill would raise the payment levels over two years, with annual changes indexed to CPI going forward. 

 

  • State Rental Assistance Program (SRAP):   In FY09, SRAP was funded at a historic $52.5 million.  We will work to keep SRAP funding level in FY11 and increase it if possible, keeping thousands of recipients in decent homes they can afford.  We will continue to work with DCA to improve the efficiency of the program.