New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency – 91��Ƭ

91��Ƭ Board Approves Four New Members

Michelle Lang — Tue, 08 Jan 2019 19:36:06 +0000

New NCC Board members Diane Johnson, Anthony Marchetta, Ingrid Rasmussen and Jerome St. John, left to right.

The 91��Ƭ Board of Directors has four new members: Diane Johnson, Anthony Marchetta, Ingrid Rasmussen and Jerome St. John.
The expansion to 11 board members is part of ongoing board development. NCC Board President Dr. A. Zachary Yamba is excited to move forward in 2019 with a larger board.
“We are delighted to have dedicated and qualified individuals who have agreed to join the board to help carry out the mission of NCC,” he said.
Several of the new members have long histories with 91��Ƭ and all are committed to the organization’s mission: To help residents of inner cities improve the quality of their lives to reflect individual God-given dignity and personal achievement.
“We have been very fortunate to have attracted four accomplished and well respected new board members to NCC. Each has a specific skill, experience and contacts to help propel NCC into its bright future,” said 91��Ƭ CEO Richard Rohrman. “We have a rich mix of skills and community involved leadership in our board that will be a benefit for years to come. This is a major step in positioning ourselves to be a force in Newark’s future and I am thankful for their commitment to our mission.”
Johnson, who is the retired director of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Newark Field Office, interacted with 91��Ƭ and Founder Monsignor William J. Linder for decades in that role. She became a consultant for NCC in 2015.
“I joined the board because I’ve always believed in the mission and the programs of 91��Ƭ and the various activities that they do to assist residents in the city of Newark,” Johnson said. “Whether it is families or seniors or children, 91��Ƭ has touched the lives of all facets of those individuals.”
Marchetta, who formed and currently serves as the principal of ALM Consulting Group, worked with Monsignor Linder when he was the executive director of the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA) from 2010 to 2017. Monsignor Linder was a board member of NJHMFA for 43 years and 91��Ƭ also worked with NJHMFA on several projects.
“I’m honored to be part of this organization, which is legendary, and I’m happy it’s taking place with their financial house in order and with the town that they’re based in starting to see progress moving towards a more stable and positive future,” Marchetta said.
St. John is a retired judge, having served 10 years as a New Jersey Superior Court Judge, five of those years in the Appellate Division. He was also a councilman and mayor of Essex Fells and has been a volunteer for 91��Ƭ since 1985. He and his family became close friends with Monsignor Linder over the years.
“When I was asked to join the board, I knew that Monsignor was looking down on me and I couldn’t turn it down,” St. John said. “I want to continue Monsignor’s vision for 91��Ƭ and do whatever I can to keep that vision going.”
Rasmussen is more of a newcomer to 91��Ƭ. She is the vice president of Finance and Operations for the Heron Foundation, a private foundation based in Manhattan with the mission to help people and communities help themselves out of poverty. As a Jersey City resident, she was interested in volunteering for an organization closer to where she lives so she contacted the Victoria Foundation, which put her in contact with 91��Ƭ.
“My day job is nonprofit finance, but it’s what I do in my free time as well because I just really enjoy it,” she said. “Being able to work with good organizations and be helpful in whatever way I can has always been my goal and in this case in particular, I really wanted something that was closer to home.”
The 91��Ƭ Board of Directors is made up of the following members: Barry Baker, Fernando Colon, Diane Johnson, Anthony Marchetta, Migdalia Martinez, Edgar Nemorin, Ingrid Rasmussen, Newton Richards, Jerome St. John, Madge Wilson and Dr. A. Zachary Yamba.

NJHMFA Dedicates Board Room To NCC Founder Monsignor William J. Linder

Michelle Lang — Fri, 24 Aug 2018 18:30:09 +0000

The New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA) dedicated its board room to 91��Ƭ Founder Monsignor William J. Linder during a board meeting Aug. 9 in Trenton. Monsignor Linder was a member of the board for NJHMFA for 43 years.

Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver led the NJHMFA board meeting and spoke about Monsignor Linder, who she had known for decades. She discussed the founding of 91��Ƭ in 1968 after the summer disorders in Newark and how Monsignor Linder was appointed to the NJHMFA board in 1975.

“Being the ingenious person that he was, he paid attention to the reports from all of these staffers and he began to connect the dots of understanding how he could revitalize the Central Ward of Newark and create affordable housing,” Oliver said. “But also his focus was all the other things that are needed and required to contribute to a good quality of life.”

Oliver talked about the many services 91��Ƭ began to provide under Monsignor’s leadership, from housing to health care to education, and how he was a constant at Newark City Hall.

“He had no difficulty speaking truth to power. And as a result, he was a vociferous voice for underserved populations,” she said.

Oliver said that although Monsignor is no longer here, 91��Ƭ continues to follow his vision and serve the community in positive ways.

“If anyone is deserving of having a room at New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency named after him, it certainly is Monsignor William J. Linder,” she said.

91��Ƭ representatives were in attendance to witness the dedication, show their appreciation and say a few words.

“He was very proud of the part he played over 40-plus years with HMFA and all the things that were accomplished,” said 91��Ƭ CEO Richard Rohrman about Monsignor. “He made a lot of friends and those of you who know him, he made a few enemies. But the unique thing about him was that he would never hesitate to further the needs of the underserved.”

NCC Board President Dr. A. Zachary Yamba said Monsignor would not have agreed to have a room named after him.

“But of course now, we can override him and do that which is right — to remember the legacy, to carry out the vision and the purpose with which he served the city of Newark and indeed the state of New Jersey and the rest of the nation,” Yamba said.

Retired HUD Director and NCC Consultant Diane Johnson said Monsignor was always willing to fight for what he believed was right and needed, but he was more than that as well.

“Monsignor Linder was not only a fighter, he wasn’t only just a visionary, but he was truly a man of God that certainly carried out the vision that the Lord had for his people,” Johnson said.

Editorial: Remembering Brendan Byrne

Michelle Lang — Sun, 28 Jan 2018 16:40:01 +0000

Editorial By Monsignor William J. Linder

New Jersey lost a good man Jan. 4. Brendan Byrne was a highly respected governor of the state and did a lot to ensure housing was available for residents.

While he may best be remembered for getting the state income tax passed and being dubbed the man “who couldn’t be bought” by mobsters, Byrne also gave a great deal of support to increase the housing stock in the state.

I first met Byrne when he was governor through the issue of housing. Byrne appointed me as a board member to the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA). Attorney General John Degnan and Treasurer Cliff Goldman, who served under Byrne, were on the NJHMFA board and used to come to all the meetings. We worked like a team. They accepted me immediately even though I had a different viewpoint.

Byrne was the successor to Gov. Richard J. Hughes, who created the NJHMFA. Byrne kept that tradition going. The NJHMFA is a very important part of government. Without it, we wouldn’t have had the same production of housing. New Jersey led the nation in creating housing. And Essex County was one of the highest areas in the state to increase the housing stock.

Many thought Byrne’s political career was over after the passage of the unpopular state income tax, but they were wrong. What got him re-elected was housing for seniors.

During his time as governor, Byrne was hands-on. He would go to events related to housing, including groundbreakings and dedications. He came to events for 91��Ƭ residents as well, including Thanksgiving celebrations.

Byrne has strong ties to Essex County. He was born and raised in West Orange. He attended Seton Hall University briefly before joining the U.S. Army and serving in World War II. He served as the Essex County Prosecutor before becoming a Superior Court judge in Morris, Sussex and Warren counties. He left his judgeship to campaign and served as the 47th governor of New Jersey from 1974 to 1982.

In addition to the state income tax, Byrne is known for implementing public financing for gubernatorial races, supporting a referendum to bring casino gambling to Atlantic City and the Pinelands Protection Act.

While it may not be considered the highlight of Byrne’s administration, we shouldn’t forget his contribution to housing. After all, having a home is one of the most basic human needs.

91��Ƭ Hosts Grand Opening Of Housing Facility For The Chronically Homeless

Michelle Lang — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 20:38:46 +0000

NEWARK — 91��Ƭ hosted about 100 people Oct. 18 for the grand opening of its new supportive housing facility for the chronically homeless, which is also New Jersey’s first HUD Safe Haven model development.

Called A Better Life, the facility will house chronically homeless individuals, many who suffer from mental illness. They will live in studio apartments at 101 Fourteenth Ave. in Newark that include a private bathroom that is handicapped accessible and a kitchen area with a stovetop, microwave and refrigerator. A Better Life also has an engagement center, library, dining area, laundry room and common areas. Residents will have access to supportive services on site.

The grand opening was a culmination of six years of work. The $8 million project was the vision of 91��Ƭ Founder Monsignor William J. Linder.
At the grand opening, Linder said A Better Life is a beautiful facility for residents.

“One elected official said to me when we started 91��Ƭ that 91��Ƭ homes were too good for poor people. The housing should look poor. No, it shouldn’t look poor. It should look how much we love,” he said. “It’s a sign of our love, not their condition.”

CEO Richard Rohrman said throughout its 50 years, 91��Ƭ has always helped the most vulnerable and housing the chronically homeless is another piece of the puzzle.

“This is a group that requires our help. It requires much more than this. This can only just be the very beginning. The issue that we’re facing of homelessness is much larger than this,” Rohrman said. “We’re hoping that by doing this it can be replicated with more and more of this in the city and elsewhere.”

Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo said the county has more than 3,000 homeless people. “So that’s a very, very high number. Being part of the 91��Ƭ family and being part of this, people that are here will be involved in all the other programs and services that are offered so it’s giving them a second chance and that’s what we should be doing,” he said.

Congressman Donald Payne Jr. said he was delighted to lend his support. “It’s not radical to propose that everyone have a home,” he said. “Our veterans, our citizens are in need and it’s incumbent upon us to do everything we can to eradicate that need.”

Federal Home Loan Bank of New York Community Investment Research and Outreach Specialist Brian Loeb said A Better Life meets people where they are to help them. “These 20 of the most vulnerable people in Newark are going to have a bed. And more than a bed, a place to call home,” he said.

Red Stone Equity Partners Managing Director of Acquisitions Richard Roberts said the solution to homelessness is simple. “It is supportive housing. It is the bricks and mortar with the services on site. Not around the corner, not down the block, not downtown,” he said. “And if we muster the resources and the political will to commit more money, time and energy to projects like this, a problem which harms so many people could be solved.”

New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency Executive Director Anthony Marchetta said the Christie and Obama administrations were involved in the completion of A Better Life. “We got half of the resources for this facility from the Sandy Special Needs Housing Trust Fund. That’s a combination of both the state and the federal government,” he said.

University Hospital’s emergency care system will refer individuals for placement at A Better Life. Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care will be providing 24/7 supervision and support for the residents.

Rosemarie Rosati, who recently retired as COO of Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care and was heavily involved in the planning and completion of A Better Life, said, “This program represents the best types of services that I worked to develop over my 38-year career in mental health.”

She said the building has been specially designed to serve the chronically homeless. “The services are tailored to engage folks because it’s difficult to just move off the streets to a structured program,” she said.

Former director of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Newark Field Office Diane Johnson served as the emcee of the grand opening. She talked about the many offerings of 91��Ƭ, including two early childhood learning centers; education and youth services; the Adult Learning Center; Workforce Development Center; 91��Ƭ Federal Credit Union; Harmony House, a transitional housing facility for homeless families; housing for families in Newark and Jersey City; senior housing in Newark, Orange and Jersey City; Extended Care, a nursing home; the Family Service Bureau, which provides behavioral and mental health services; and the Family Resource Success Center, which links individuals to services they need.

A Better Life is a joint project led by 91��Ƭ in collaboration with a number of funders and partnering agencies: New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, an affiliate of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs; Red Stone Equity Partners; Essex County HOME Program; Newark HOME Program; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; and the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York. Chelsea Construction Company, a subsidiary of 91��Ƭ, managed the project and Claremont Construction served as the general contractor. The facility was designed by lwdmr Architects.

Housing Project For Chronically Homeless Nears Completion

Michelle Lang — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 17:50:50 +0000

Workers paint a railing inside 91��Ƭ’s new housing facility for the chronically homeless, A Better Life.

Homeless individuals will soon have a new place to live.
Construction is about 85 percent complete for A Better Life, 91��Ƭ’s housing project for the chronically homeless. The facility is expected to be done this summer.
The $8 million endeavor is a joint project led by 91��Ƭ in collaboration with various funders and partnering agencies: New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, an affiliate of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs; Red Stone Equity Partners; Essex County HOME Program; Newark HOME Program; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; and the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York.
NCC Founder Monsignor William J. Linder says the facility is meant for the “hardcore homeless,” chronically homeless individuals who often suffer from mental and behavioral health issues, many of whom are veterans.
“These are people who will not live in city shelters. They would rather live on the streets,” Linder said. “I think they have a lot to teach us.”
NCC CEO Richard Rohrman believes the project will benefit the community. “A Better Life will provide the chronically homeless not only with a place to live, but with the services they need to further improve their quality of life.”
‘s emergency care system will refer the chronically homeless for placement at A Better Life and will provide 24-hour supervision at the facility to support the wellness and recovery efforts of the people living in the building.

Closet doors being installed in a unit of A Better Life.

Rena Gitlitz, director of community based services at Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care, says her organization will ensure the residents are linked to the resources they need, including physical and mental health services.
“We’re very excited about this partnership between three very strong entities, all very committed to the homeless population in Newark where there’s so much need,” Gitlitz said. “We’re very excited about this amazing opportunity for individuals to live in their own studio apartment, to really maximize their independence and to have a safe roof over their heads. This is an incredible opportunity for people.”
A Better Life has been six years in the making partly because it involves so many entities and funders. 91��Ƭ Environmental Services Project Manager Ronda Lawrence said the paperwork for A Better Life is extensive due to the various sources of funding for the multi-million dollar permanent supportive housing project.
“Every penny has to be accounted for,” she said.
The building is green, meaning the appliances are energy efficient and environmentally friendly. Unit doors are made of metal to reduce the risk of fire spreading throughout the building.
The building also has flooring that prevents water from seeping through from the second to first floor. Lawrence said that comes in handy should there be any type of flooding or if the sprinkler system were to be set off.
Chelsea Construction Company, an NCC subsidiary, is managing the project. It has served as the general manager during the construction phase of several NCC housing developments. Claremont Construction is serving as the general contractor.
The two-story facility will have 24 units, 20 of which will be reserved for residents. Each unit will be equipped with a private bathroom, kitchenette and living area. There will be an engagement center, laundry facilities and library available to residents.
A Better Life will provide the chronically homeless in need of services the opportunity to stay long-term as needed. Residents may also transition from the facility to other housing.
Lawrence is looking forward to the building’s opening and the gratifying feeling of providing housing to those that need it most.
“That’s the best feeling in the world,” she said.