Volunteers of America Delaware Valley (VOADV) and New Jersey SHARES Inc. (NJ SHARES) said Thursday they are partnering to offer a new assistance program for Camden County residents in need.
The SHARES Mortgage Assistance Rent or Taxes (SMART) Program provides critical funding for rent or mortgage assistance to individuals that are currently facing eviction or foreclosure.
“Our SMART Program is designed to assist households on the brink of an emergency situation, where foreclosure and eviction are eminent,” explained Cheryl Stowell, chief executive officer of NJ SHARES. “As New Jersey begins the process of reopening from the COVID-19 shutdown, this type of assistance will be even more critical and needed. Our partnership with VOADV will enable us to get funding into the hands of those who need it most throughout the Camden County region.”
The SMART Program is designed to assist low-to-moderate income households in New Jersey with a combined total monthly income between 135 percent and 300 percent of the federal poverty level. Eligible households may then receive a one-time grant up to $1,500, to aide with a mortgage or rent payment.
To be eligible for the SMART Program, individuals must be Camden County residents and meet the following pre-qualifications:
- Have a back-owed rent or mortgage that puts the household in danger of eviction or foreclosure;
- Be experiencing a financial crisis, defined as a period of intense financial difficulty which the household did not create and which the household lacks the current means to overcome;
- Be able to demonstrate the ability to make on-time payments in the future;
- Have a total gross monthly income level that does not exceed 300 percent of the current federal poverty level; and
- Complete and submit an application, as well as all necessary supporting documentation.
VOADV’s Navigational Resource Centers will serve as the SMART Program’s only onsite referral source in Camden County, pre-qualifying households and assisting them with the grant application process. Located at 1812 Federal Street in Camden and at the Pine Hill Police Department (48 W 6th Avenue in Pine Hill), the centers provide outreach, rapid response and homeless navigation services to the communities’ most vulnerable, at-risk individuals, including those experiencing homelessness, and offer a spectrum of services, such as treatment, housing, employment, education and legal services.
For more information or to apply for the SMART Program, call (866) 657-4273 or email njsmart@njshares.org.
Editor’s Note: This article was updated on May 29, 2020, at 3:45 p.m. EST to add the paragraph detailing that VOADV will be the onsite referral source for residents in Camden County interested in the SMART Program.
