$372K Will Help Prevent Evictions In Newark Amid Coronavirus

NEWARK, NJ — Newark residents facing eviction due to the coronavirus pandemic will now have an extra lifeline thanks to a citywide partnership with NJ SHARES SMART.

Last week, city officials announced that the nonprofit and the Newark Office of Tenant Legal Services (OTLS) will provide $372,000 in funding to prevent evictions for nonpayment of rent.

NJ SHARES will pay up to $2,000 a year to landlords to stave off eviction for back rent owed by a household, officials said.

“Last year, we began providing pro bono legal representation to low-income tenants facing eviction to protect their legal rights when facing unwarranted and illegal evictions by their landlords,” Mayor Ras Baraka said. “Newark was one of the nation’s first municipalities to do this.”

• See related article: Newark Helps Tenants Fight 'Abusive Landlords' With Free Lawyers

“Now, in the midst of COVID-19, there are many tenants that owe back rent who could face homelessness when the eviction moratorium ends, and the partnership with NJ SHARES is one step to help deal with this threat,” Baraka said.

Here’s who is eligible, officials said:

“The OTLS serves Newark households with a gross (before taxes) household income of 200 percent or less of the current federal poverty level and that are facing eviction. Those eligible for financial assistance under the NJ SMART partnership must in addition have an eviction complaint that has been reviewed by an OTLS attorney and be experiencing a financial crisis. Funds may only be used for homelessness prevention and are dispersed to the tenant’s current landlord or to a prospective landlord when current housing is uninhabitable or unsafe.”

“Our SMART Program is designed to assist households on the brink of eviction,” explained Cheryl Stowell, Chief Executive Officer of NJ SHARES. “Our partnership with OTLS will enable us to get funding into the hands of those who need it most throughout Newark.”

The OTLS is funded by the City of Newark, with additional funding from the Victoria Foundation and Santander Bank.

• See related article: Newarkers Urgently Need COVID Rent Aid, Councilwoman Says
• See related article: 3 Ways Newark Is Helping Tenants Cope With Coronavirus Crisis

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