Committee approves one‑year mortgage forbearance program for Hurricane Ida survivors

The Assembly Housing Committee favorably released Assembly Bill A4871, which establishes a Department of Community Affairs certification process to permit one‑year mortgage forbearance for homeowners whose primary residences were damaged by Hurricane Ida and who meet specified program criteria.

Committee staff explained the bill authorizes the department to accept online applications and certify eligible storm‑impacted homeowners; certified applicants would receive a one‑year forbearance from their mortgage servicers. The bill allows homeowners denied certification to appeal and permits complaints to the Department of Banking and Insurance if a servicer denies a forbearance despite a certification.

Liana Jones, a storm survivor and organizer with the New Jersey Organizing Project, described steep financial strain since Ida and told the committee mortgage relief would provide needed breathing room to complete repairs. "If I could get a mortgage forbearance, I could maybe get a good night sleep for once," she said.

The bill includes procedural safeguards and a temporary stay in foreclosure proceedings for approved homeowners; the committee amended some timing and review provisions and the Department of Community Affairs was given additional administrative discretion. The motion to release A4871 passed on a recorded roll call with the members present voting to favorably release the bill.