Greater Trenton EITC and Asset Building Campaign Kick-off

You are invited to
The Greater Trenton Earned Income Tax Credit
and Asset Building Coalition (GEA)
meeting on
Thursday, October 21, 2010, 9:00 am,
at United Way 3131 Princeton Pike, Bldg 4, Suite 112
Lawrenceville

Greater Trenton Earned Income Tax Credit and Asset Building Coalition (GEA)

Promotes and Supports Mercer County Free IRS Tax Sites
Promotes the Earned Income Tax Credit for low-wage working families
Promotes and offers Free Asset Building classes in local non-profits

COURT INVALIDATES DISCRIMINATORY HOUSING REGULATIONS

Ensures that Municipalities Cannot Ban Starter Homes

October 8, 2010 - Trenton - The Appellate Division of the New Jersey Superior Court today held that the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) has done too little to remove regulatory barriers to housing affordable to low- and moderate-income people, and ordered development of a new housing policy for the state.

"Today's decision is a victory for New Jersey's families, seniors, and people with special needs. The court held that COAH's rules simply do not do enough to produce homes and jobs on the ground in New Jersey," Fair Share Housing Center attorney Kevin D. Walsh said. "This is a message that it's time to move past the game of trying to block starter homes, especially when we need economic development in New Jersey."

The court held that:

• Exclusionary zoning practices that ban townhouses and apartments even when developers are ready and able to build them, and no environmental constraints exist, are unconstitutional.
• COAH should return to a longstanding and proven system that worked - the rules in place during the 1980s and 1990s that produced 60,000 homes affordable to low- and moderate-income people and another 100,000 homes affordable to the middle-class workforce. A 2009 national study by the Lincoln Institute for Land Policy found that when these rules were in place, New Jersey successfully held down costs in home prices for middle-class homebuyers.
• Paper plans - that simply promise that at some point in the future homes will happen, but leave exclusionary policies in place in the meantime - are unconstitutional.

The court rejected all arguments raised by municipalities that COAH required too much, rather than too few homes, and found for advocates and private sector developers who argued that the regulations were unlawful.

The court required COAH to adopt new and constitutional regulations within five months.

The decision is available here.

Further analysis of the decision will be available at www.fairsharehousing.org/blog.

From Fair Share Housing Center newsletter

Mortgage Assistance Night!

Isles is Offering FREE October Information Sessions

Learn about:

• Credit Counseling
• First Time Home Buyer Programs
• Foreclosure Assistance
• Mediation Program (focus: Preventing Sheriff Sales)
• Transitional Services (focus: Post-Sheriff Sale services)

Tuesday, October 19th and 26th
6:00pm-7:30pm
Trenton Free Public Library
120 Academy St.
Trenton, NJ 08608

Thurs., October 21st and 28th
6:00pm-7:30pm
Capital Health Systems
Mercer Campus
446 Bellevue Ave, Trenton

Weds., October 27th
6:00pm-7:30pm
Bromley Neighborhood Center
1801 E. State St.
Hamilton, NJ

Register Now! Ms. Brown (609) 341-4789 or cbrown@isles.org

Fugitive Safe Surrender – Central Jersey

November 3rd – 6th, 2010, 9 am to 4 pm

First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens, 771 Somerset Street, Somerset, New Jersey 08873
(A secular surrender site can be made available)

Fugitive Safe Surrender-Central Jersey is open to individuals who are wanted by New Jersey law enforcement agencies on non-violent felony or municipal warrants (including family matters and child-support warrants).

Individuals wanted for violent crimes (or with previous convictions for violent crimes), may also surrender. However, they are more likely to be taken into custody.

Fugitive Safe Surrender is NOT an amnesty program. However, those who turn themselves in will receive favorable consideration from the court. This typically results in probation or reduced fines.

Fugitive Safe Surrender-Central Jersey is ONLY open to US citizens and legal residents.

For More Information (Members of the Public): 732-828-2009.

For More Information

Please Contact: Tarry Truitt, Communications and Project Manager, ttruitt@merceralliance.org or 609-844-1008