For 43 years, New Jersey Citizen Action (NJCA) has been a cornerstone for economic justice in the Garden State, serving more than 15,000 families annually through programs ranging from free tax preparation to foreclosure prevention.
NJCA emerged from broader citizen action movements in response to the Reagan Administration’s cuts to social programs and deregulation efforts. Founded in 1982 as the Citizen Labor Energy Collective, NJCA’s core mission is to fight for social, racial and economic justice for all New Jerseyans.
“What’s core to our mission is the community-based, coalition-based approach that we take to our work,” said Leila Amirhamzeh, NJCA’s executive director. Success is measured through direct impact. Their free tax preparation, for example, began in 2007 and has helped 53,000 low-income workers receive returns totaling more than $90.8 million.
NJCA’s HUD-certified housing counseling service has provided first-time homebuyer counseling and foreclosure prevention services for more than 40,000 local residents, leading to more than 16,000 purchased homes. NJCA also provides help with establishing savings plans, credit repair services and debt reduction strategies.
Despite their successes, the organization currently faces challenges, including reductions in federal funding for their fair housing services and the rescinding of protections from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
The latter provides educational tools on issues like auto and student loan financing, credit cards, debt, home purchases and foreclosure prevention. These topics intersect with NJCA’s work. Without these vital protections, consumers will face additional hardships.
“By defunding those organizations, they’re making it more difficult for people to understand their rights and report abuse,” said Amirhamzeh.
That’s why NJCA’s partnership with the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) is so vital. As an NCRC member, NJCA receives regional and national research resources on issues like housing affordability and minority entrepreneurship.
They also leverage insights from monthly NCRC convenings on topics like fair housing, small business lending and legislative or regulatory changes.
As a national organization, NCRC often takes the lead in negotiating national community benefits agreements – in which a bank makes lending, philanthropic or programmatic commitments to marginalized communities – while giving state partners like NJCA the opportunity to sit at the table and give voice to their community’s specific needs.
“This type of collaboration and the leadership that NCRC provides really helps us to weather some of this,” said Amirhamzeh.
Looking to the future, NJCA will remain focused on policy achievements helping all New Jerseyans while providing services and economic opportunities. With more anticipated cuts, NJCA and NCRC are more critical than ever.
“Everything that we do,” adds Amirhamzeh, “is designed to lift New Jerseyans out of poverty, to increase economic opportunities and to make sure that we have a fair and equitable New Jersey where everyone can thrive.”
Britt Julious is a Contributing Writer.
Photo courtesy of New Jersey Citizen Action.
