New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
 | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | New Jersey |
| Headquarters | 101 South Broad Street, Trenton, NJ 08625 |
| Agency executive | Richard E. Constable, III, Commissioner |
| Website | http://www.nj.gov/dca/ |
The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs is a governmental agency of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The department is headed by Commissioner Richard E. Constable, III.
Function
The NJDCA provides "administrative guidance, financial support, and technical assistance to local governments, community development organizations, businesses and individuals to improve the quality of life in New Jersey."
Divisions, programs, and services
Center for Hispanic Policy, Research and Development
The CHPRD is designed to empower the Hispanic community of New Jersey by administering grant dollars and providing other assistance to Hispanic community-based organizations, creating training and employment opportunities for Hispanic college interns, conducting and supporting research on New Jersey's Hispanic community, and ensuring Hispanic access to services and programs.[1]
Division of Codes and Standards
The DCS establishes and enforces building codes, licensing code officials and training to protect the health and safety of New Jerseyans, in partnership with the state's municipalities. It includes the Bureau of Housing Inspection. It also oversees the implementation of construction codes, amusement ride inspections, gas installations, boarding house licenses, and the New Home Warranty Program.
Edward Smith is the director of the DCS.
Division of Housing and Community Resources
The DCR provides financial and technical assistance to municipalities, community action agencies, and other non-profit organizations in order to promote community development and economic development within the community. Also, it aids local government agencies and non-profit organizations seeking to improve the quality of life for low-income residents. Specific programs include energy assistance, community services, and neighborhood programs. [2] The DH works with municipalities, non-profit organizations, private developers, and the New Jersey Housing Mortgage Financing Agency to promote community development by facilitating homeownership and housing. The DH oversees Section 8 housing assistance programs, which are funded by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. Other programs seek to create housing opportunities in viable neighborhoods for low-income households, to fund the development of affordable housing throughout the state, and to expand the capacity of non-profit organizations to develop affordable housing. The DH works together with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Council on Affordable Housing.[3]
Paul G. Stridick is the director of the DHCR.
Division of Fire Safety
The DFS is New Jersey's central fire agency, responsible for training firefighters and developing and enforcing the state fire code.
Lawrence Petrillo is the director of the DFS.
Division of Local Government Services
The DLGS works with local governments to ensure their financial integrity and solvency and to ensure that they comply with state regulations.
Thomas H. Neff is the acting director of the DLGS.
Office of Smart Growth
The OSG is designed to coordinate planning across the state to protect the environment and to guide future growth into compact, mixed-use development and redevelopment. It regulates land use decisions by all levels of government and by the private sector.
Gerard Scharfenberger is the acting executive director of the OSG.
Division on Women
The DoW was created to promote and expand women's rights and opportunities in New Jersey in the areas of poverty and welfare, employment and wages, work and family, the economic and social aspects of healthcare, violence against women, and women’s civic and political participation in their communities. It also conducts and support research leading to public policy to these ends.
Carol A. Vasile is the acting director of the DoW.