The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) recently launched a new podcast, Community at the Core. As evictions have become more prevalent in our state and in the work that we at Family Promise of Sussex County do, the DCA’s first episode, Eviction Prevention in Action, had Dean Dafis, Director of the Office of Eviction Prevention as the guest speaker.

Here are some key points brought up in this podcast:

· New Jersey has seen a 24% increase in homelessness and for the second year in a row (2024 and now 2025), the state will surpass 100,000 evictions.

· If you count hard evictions (formal eviction notice) and soft evictions (person(s) asked to leave a shared residence), evictions are the largest driver of homelessness in the state.

· Evictions are affecting more middle income residents, many being single parent head of household.

· New Jersey has a higher percentage of rentals than many other states and it is one of the most densely populated and expensive which contributes to the rise in evictions.

Mr. Dafis also pointed out how evictions are invisible, only becoming visible when the households are unable to stabilize and become unsheltered. We at Family Promise of Sussex County work tirelessly in conjunction with the DCA and other community partners to help individuals navigate this oftentimes scary and intimidating process of evictions. To aid in this endeavor, the DCA recently developed an Eviction Guide (please see below). This guide is available in English and Spanish and is a very easy tool for individuals to use if ever faced with the possibility of an eviction. For those facing hard evictions, please know that you are not alone, there is help out there and while it can be difficult or even unpleasant, if possible do not self-evict (move out of your home) before the process plays out. https://www.nj.gov/dca/dhcr/offices/evictionguide.shtml