​Local Impact of HOME Discussed: Medford, New Jersey

See how the HOME Investment Partnership Program has improved the lives of residents on fixed incomes at Medford Senior Residences in affluent Medford, New Jersey

October 27, 2011

Medford, New Jersey is one of the state's most affluent townships, with less than one percent of its families living below the poverty line, and some of the region’s highest housing costs.

Seniors on low fixed incomes in Medford and the surrounding Burlington County would certainly not be able to afford to live there but for residences that are assisted with federal dollars like HOME.

Our New Jersey member, the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey, recently met with housing developers, advocates, and local elected officials at Medford Senior Residences, home to 36 low-income seniors, to talk about the impact of HOME. They discussed how it contributes to a measure of economic diversity for the area that wouldn’t otherwise exist. They also talked about the contribution of HOME dollars to the single biggest issue facing our country: jobs -- particularly construction jobs and in-person service jobs that cannot be shipped overseas.

HOME is being targeted by Congress for major cuts this upcoming year. The House is proposing a 25 percent cut while the Democratically-controlled Senate is proposing an even larger 38 percent cut. Many attribute this attack on HOME to a highly distorted and damaging piece by the Washington Post in May on alleged misuses of HOME funds particularly related to projects in the Washington DC metro area. We have blogged about this piece in this space.

Arnold Cohen, policy coordinator at the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey says, “We understand that Congress has to make tough choices, but in the economic crisis, our representatives must make creating homes and jobs a priority. The HOME program is an integral part of putting New Jerseyans back to work and keeping seniors, like these residents, in homes that they can afford.”

Cohen puts a challenge to Medford’s Congressman Runyan to visit places like Medford Senior Residences, and places like it around our nation, so he and others can fully appreciate the return on investing in HOME.

Watch the YouTube video of the event.

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