Morristown United for Healthy Living September 25, 5:30pm- 7:30pm, St. Margaret s Church

Transcription

1 Agenda Minutes in purple Mrristwn United fr Healthy Living September 25, 5:30pm- 7:30pm, St. Margaret s Church 5:30 Welcme, Summer Re-Cap & Intrductins Brief verview f ur calitin was prvided; if yu are new t the grup, visit r mrristwnunited@njhealthmatters.rg fr mre infrmatin Recap f summer activities distributed with these minutes 5:40 Upcming Events/Activities Husing Alliance Octber Meeting/Breakfast (Octber 10 th, 8:30-10:30, Randlph Diner) Gd Neighbr Training (Spnsred by Mrristwn United, led by Family Prmise; Octber 18 th, details TBD) Under One Rf Cnference (Octber 19 th -20 th, Hyatt Regency New Brunswick) Train-the-Trainer sessin n fair husing & husing discriminatin (Octber 23 rd, 10:00am -3:00pm, Mrris Cunty Office f Temprary Assistance, Mrristwn) If yu are interested in attending these events and want mre infrmatin, cntact Ashley.anglin@atlantichealth.rg 5:50 Jint Learning Opprtunity - Gerald Brennan, Esq., Managing Attrney, Mrris Cunty Office, Legal Services f Nrthwest Jersey (see ntes n p. 4 and flyer/brchure sent with these minute) 6:05 Grant Applicatins and Current Funding Updates - New Jersey Healthy Cmmunities Netwrk - We are applying fr funding frm the 2017 NJHCN Cmmunity Grant Prgram. Mrristwn United will versee the grant, with strategies being led by Grw it Green (mbile market in the 435) and the Twn f Mrristwn (park imprvements at Pcahntas Park). Ashley.anglin@atlantichealth.rg fr mre infrmatin. - MUHL Mini-Grant Updates -Twnlgy (funding fr parklet), nt present -Family Prmise (Gd Neighbr Training); training is in the wrks, currently set t be held n 10/18. Additinal details frthcming. 6:20 Calendar Review & Planning [Tabled until next meeting] 6:30 Break-Outs by Grup - Thse interested in wrking n trainings will meet tgether - Built Envirnment/Sense f Cmmunity grup will meet tgether - Fcus n actin steps fr selected strategies 1

2 7:20 Reprt-Backs by Grup Training grup: Tw fcus grups were held since we last met. One with primarily African-American participants (~10 peple). One with primarily Latinx participants (~30 peple) In general, peple want t stay in Mrristwn; they are cncerned abut safety, drugs, and parking; they are interested in training and resurces, but cncerned abut pprtunities that lead t dead-ends; need mre assistance navigating services/pprtunities; incme eligibility is t high; a racial divide is felt in the cmmunity. Specific trainings peple are interested in include, GED training, tenant rights, 7:30 Clse navigating affrdable husing, wage theft issues, wners rights/permitting The grup is currently wrking n tw trainings based n this infrmatin: The Gd Neighbr Training dne by Family Prmise The Knw Yur Rights Training dne by Legal Aid If yu are interested in helping ut with these trainings r learning mre abut the fcus grup results, cntact lmurphy@cfp-mnh.rg r michelle.rers@unitedwaynnj.rg Built envirnment/sense f cmmunity grup: Currently wrking n putting tgether ur NJHCN grant applicatin (due 10/20) Lking fr additinal funding t enhance ur tw prjects (mbile market and park imprvements); Ashley will fllw up with lcal banks and Twn grant writers are als lking fr additinal funds Twn engineers wrking n park plan Partnership between Grw it Green and Mrris Habitat is mving frward; wrking n a public bulletin bard/place t give away free prduce and a retaining wall t increase safety n the site. Grup is interested in mving frward with the creatin f lending libraries thrughut the neighbrhd; Sl will reach ut t lcal libraries, Ashley will reach ut t the twn re: placement/permissins; Francine is willing t help with bks via Jack and Jill We did nt get the Natinal Center fr Healthy Husing Lead Pisning Preventin grant; hwever, we will cnnect with the Nrthern Reginal Childhd Lead Pisning Preventin and Healthy Hmes Calitin t see if we can d any additinal wrk in this area Partnership with Mrris Arts is mving frward with events at the Early Street Garden; Carls will wrk t integrate this mre clsely with ur wrk There is als interest in hlding arts/music events indrs during the winter led by Mrristwn United t build sense f cmmunity. Pssible lcatins include St. Margaret s, Neighbrhd Huse, Manihan Village Cmmunity Center. Angel can help us get int the Cmmunity Center; we wuld lve t be able t use this space and want t knw what we can d t mve this prcess alng. Next meeting: Octber 23 rd, 5:30 7:30 2

3 Our Impact Statement: We will imprve the cnditin f existing hmes, increase access t affrdable husing stck (rented and wned), and imprve the built envirnment/cmmunity infrastructure via resident educatin and utreach, plicy change/advcacy, imprvements t the physical envirnment, and versight f existing prtectins fr all peple living in 435 with a particular fcus n equity. 3

4 Jint Learning Opprtunity Ntes (Legal Services f Nrthwest NJ): Office lcatin: 30 Skylar Place, Mrristwn (accessible t peple with disabilities) Intake line: (973) Peple with a summns f cmplaint r a warrant f remval are seen immediately; cmplaints abut landlrds are cnnected t an attrney Clients must be at r abve 200% f the federal pverty level (and their assets are als assessed) t be able t get representatin frm Legal Services f Nrthwest NJ Overall gal related t husing is making sure that husing is accessible, sanitary, and safe. They fcus n what tenants can d t make sure their husing needs are met and that their rights as tenants are prtected. Legal Services are available t speak t tenant grups abut particular issues They als wrk t make sure clients have the incme they need t affrd their rent via cnnectin t ther prgrams (e.g., Temprary Rental Assistance prgram) In NJ laws are very prtective f tenants because there is a shrtage f affrdable husing. Tenants have a lt f remedies/rights under NJ law, but peple d nt ften knw what they can d r what services/laws are in their favr. It is very imprtant fr tenants t understand that if they get a letter frm a landlrd r lawyer, they dn t have t mve ut. The nly legal way fr a tenant t be evicted is fr the landlrd t file a cmplaint in landlrd/tenant curt. Landlrd self-help tactics (like changing the lcks) is illegal and is a criminal ffense Mrristwn has rent-leveling (aka rent cntrl) plicies in place. This restricts hw much landlrds can increase rent while a unit is ccupied. Hwever, nce a unit is vacant, the landlrd can increase rent t match market rates. Landlrd cannt make uncnscinable rent increases (i.e., an amunt that wuld seem utrageus t the cmmn persn/curt). There is n statewide statute fr this. Legal Services f Nrthwest NJ accepts federal funding; therefre, clients must have legal dcumentatin. HOWEVER, they can cnnect peple t Legal Services f New Jersey, wh dn t take federal funding and therefre dn t require legal status, at least fr prviding advice/resurces. Questins and Answers: Q: Has the number f evictin due t inability t pay gne up recently? A: It ges in cycles with the ecnmy Q: What if there are cncerns abut safety? Fr example, harassment by ther tenants in public husing. What if the husing authrity isn t taking actin? A: Call the intake number. Public husing tenants have additinal rights (e.g., right t a public hearing). Make sure that yu have cmplaints n file and keep track f all cntacts/dcumentatin. Lk up the Grievance Prcedure included in yur lease. Cnvene a tenant grup (there is a regulatin with the frce f law that all public husing have tenant grups). In cmmunicatins, cpy the 4

5 Executive Directr (in Mrristwn, there is currently a Acting Directr, Duglass Priester) and the attrney fr the Husing Authrity. Q: I ve had the same jb fr three years, and my assets haven t changed but my rent was increased withut fair ntice. Hw can this happen? A: The Husing Authrity is allwed t charge up t 30% f yur incme fr rent. If yu disagree, request a meeting with whever made the determinatin. Yu have a right t a grievance hearing. If yur requests are ignred, yu can als reach ut t the HUD reginal ffice in Newark. Public husing is subject t federal versight. Q: What if peple are tld that they will be evicted if they make cmplaints? A: This is illegal. NJ has a retaliatry evictin law that prhibits landlrds frm retaliating against tenants wh make cmplaints. Actin item: Hld training fr cmmunity members n tenant rights Training sub-grup is wrking t hld a training led by Gerry at Neighbrhd Huse in Nvember. Additinal details t cme 5