Top Murphy Administration officials as well as several 2025 declared New Jersey gubernatorial candidates today addressed housing issues facing our state a sold-out convening of NJ’s nonprofit community development sector. Over 400 community developers, housing advocates, public officials and financial sector leaders participated in Under One Roof: The Housing and Community Development Network of NJ’s (the Network) Annual Community Development Conference and Membership Meeting to share best practices and solutions to HouseNJ.

“HouseNJ is the Network’s campaign to ensure that every single NJ resident has a safe place they can afford to call home in a thriving community of their choice,” said Staci Berger, president and chief executive officer of the Network. “This is an opportunity for those whose mission is to build strong, healthy homes and neighborhoods to learn from each other and hear from the leaders who are implementing the programs and policies that affect that work. We have ideas of how we can achieve housing justice, and we want to collaborate with our elected leaders so we can that a reality.”

Four of the announced candidates for New Jersey’s 2025 gubernatorial race participated in a non-partisan discussion on housing and community development issues including The Honorable Ras Baraka (D), mayor of the City of Newark; The Honorable Steven Fulop (D), mayor of the City of Jersey City; Sean Spiller, president, New Jersey Education Association. All declared major party candidates were invited to participate. The conversation centered on the Network’s HouseNJ blueprint for housing justice which includes innovative tools for community developers to preserve generational wealth, help municipalities convert blighted properties into affordable homes, increase state and emergency rental assistance funds, increase first-generation homeownership and end homelessness.

Also delivering remarks at Under One Roof were Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Associate Vice President for New Jersey Amber M. Randolph, NJ Department of Community Affairs Commissioner Jacquelyn A. Suárez and NJ Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin.

In recognition of his achievements and strong support of NJ’s community development sector, the Network honored NJ Senator Andrew Zwicker (D-Middlesex/Mercer/Somerset/Hunterdon) as this year’s The Hon. Sheila Y. Oliver Community Development Champion. Since joining the NJ Assembly in 2016, the now Senator Zwicker has been a resolute champion of programs and policies that help HouseNJ. His long support for affordable homes in NJ was recently demonstrated by his vote to pass legislation that reforms and strengthens fair housing obligations in the state. Also, this year, Senator Zwicker introduced a budget resolution to double the cap on the Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit Program as well as voted against an overhaul of the Open Public Records Act which places insurmountable restrictions on access to public information.

Other honorees included the Center for Community Progress, For the Many NJ, NJ Community Development Corporation, Princeton Community Housing, Homes for All, Homes by TLC, The Community Builders, Parkside Business and Community in Partnership, and Passaic Habitat for Humanity.

The event was sponsored by JP Morgan Chase, M&T Bank, TD Bank and Valley National Bank among others. Featured sessions included topics on homelessness prevention and building federal public policy. The full program for the event is available at www.hcdnnj.org/network-conference.

About the Housing and Community Development Network of NJ

The Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey is the statewide association of more than 250 community development corporations, individuals and other organizations that support the creation of affordable homes, economic opportunities, and strong communities. For more information on the Network, visit www.hcdnnj.org.