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Rep. Nellie Poe urges urgent housing supply and flood-insurance reforms for New Jersey
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Summary
Representative Nellie Poe told the Financial Services Committee that New Jersey faces acute housing shortages, lead-paint safety issues and flood risks; she urged the committee to prioritize building near transit, lead remediation, affordability measures and reforms to the National Flood Insurance Program.
Representative Nellie Poe told the House Financial Services Committee that housing affordability and safety are pressing concerns in her district and across New Jersey, and urged lawmakers to prioritize supply-side solutions, lead remediation and reforms to the National Flood Insurance Program.
Poe said New Jersey is highly populated and that the need for affordable housing substantially exceeds supply, noting that “more than 2,200,000 affordable homes are needed for low income people in our state” as she described it in testimony. She said rapid price increases over the prior five years, high property taxes and rental costs have made it difficult for workers and families to save for down payments and maintain housing stability.
Poe raised public-health risks tied to older housing stock, saying almost two-thirds of housing in her state was built before lead-based paint was banned and that her hometown, Paterson, has among the state’s highest levels of children with elevated blood lead levels. “Ensuring that every child grow up in a lead free home is a smart investment in the future and the right thing to do,” she said.
On flood insurance, Poe urged the committee to “renew and reform the National Flood Insurance Program,” asking for measures that make the program more affordable, protect homeowners from unaffordable premium hikes, improve flood mapping and strengthen the claims process for survivors of events such as Hurricanes Irene and Sandy.
Poe recommended prioritizing construction near public transportation, funding lead remediation, supporting down-payment assistance for low- and middle-income households, and protecting seniors and families with children. She closed by asking the committee to advance legislation that makes flood insurance “more affordable and fairer” and to consider the needs of disaster survivors.
Ending note: Poe said she looks forward to working with the committee on housing and flood-insurance reforms that she said New Jersey residents urgently need.
