SENATE COMMUNITY AND URBAN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
STATEMENT TO
SENATE, No. 771
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
DATED: MAY 9, 2022
The Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee reports
favorably Senate Bill No. 771.
This bill would require the Commissioner of Community Affairs,
in consultation with the Commissioner of Corrections, to promulgate
regulations establishing standards for publicly-supported transitional
housing for former prisoners who are reentering the community. The
standards are based on core features of the Fortune Academy, a model
prisoner reentry transitional housing program in New York City. The
regulations would help former prisoners successfully transition and
reintegrate back into their communities.
The regulations would have to include standards for the following:
(1) ensuring the physical safety of the residents;
(2) providing emergency and longer-term housing;
(3) counseling and support services to assist residents successfully
transition back into the community, including substance abuse
treatment, medical services, independent living skills training,
education, career development, family services, and recreation;
(4) personalized care management, including targeted care for
residents who served long terms of incarceration; and
(5) assisting residents obtain permanent housing.
This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2022-2023 session
pending technical review. As reported, the bill includes the changes
required by technical review, which has been performed.