Origin
New Jersey Community Capital was founded in December 1987 as the Community Loan Fund of New Jersey by a group of community leaders in Trenton on the heels of the Community Reinvestment Act to determine how to develop new tools to drive financial resources to New Jersey’s marginalized families and communities. In 1996, the organization was certified as a Community Development Finance Institution by the U.S. Treasury Department, allowing us to expand our capital base and our sources of funds. We incorporated Community Lending Partners of New Jersey Inc. in 2003 as a lower-risk lending affiliate to meet the diverse needs of our investors. To establish greater clarity to our brand, we established “New Jersey Community Capital” as our trade name.
Mission
To create thriving communities through strategic investments and knowledge.
We foster economic and social opportunity in underserved communities in New Jersey through assistance and lending to financially sound, socially-motivated projects that are often unable to access capital from conventional sources, while providing financial return to our investors.
Goals
We hope to continue our work with Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration on key policies and programs in affordable housing and community development to help the state’s ongoing recovery; Keep collaborating around community revitalization solutions as we diversify and grow our lending programs to meet the needs of borrowers; We aim to complete over $100 million in loans and investments to improve the social and economic infrastructure of our state’s most vulnerable communities and provide safe and affordable homes to at least 7,500 New Jersey residents over the next three years.
Programs
Our programs take a comprehensive approach to transforming New Jersey’s most vulnerable communities through our following core lines of business:
- ReStart: a signature initiative, purchases distressed mortgages and works to keep families facing foreclosure in their homes, or to return abandoned homes to reuse.
- Address Yourself: an affordable housing mortgage platform to meet the needs to low-to-moderate income families.
- Community Strategies: provides tools, research and expertise to help local governments and communities revitalize distressed neighborhoods.
- Community Lending: investing millions to support and advance locally-established goals related to housing, small businesses, education and early care, arts and culture, community facilities and economic development.
Achievements
Since 1987, we’ve deployed $524 million in 932 loans. These dollars represent 9,950 affordable housing units, 9,000 jobs, 6,813 early child care seats, 18,942 education seats and 5.6 million in commercial square feet throughout New Jersey that have brought economic and social value to community and population health. Recently, we exceeded $200 million on our balance sheet and over $500 million in capital under our management, and our Aeris Rating — the gold standard for CDFIs — continues to increase.
Fundraising
Our track record of successful projects and ability to provide reliable returns attracts individuals and corporations. We proactively seek grants that align with our mission from the federal government, private foundations and corporations.
With a collective pool of over 120 investors and grantors and over $200 million in assets, NJCC recruits and retains an estimated $25 million in investment and grant capital each year.
Benefactors
NJCC is supported by a diverse group of investors and grantors, including large and small banks, financial institutions and family foundations, federal, state and local governments and other diverse entities.
Finally
We’ll be celebrating all that our investors and borrowers have achieved at our 30th anniversary event on Nov. 15, beginning at 6 p.m. at the Mill One Building in Trenton. Please contact Elijah Dixon at edixon@njclf.com to put your name on the invite list.
Conversation Starter
You can reach Jorge Cruz, chief external affairs officer, at: jcruz@njclf.com or visit: newjerseycommunitycapital.org.
In Brief
Where: Headquarters: New Brunswick; Community Asset Preservation Corp., the real estate arm: Newark; THRIVE, South Jersey initiative: Turnersville.
Serving: Our lending programs serve New Jersey’s 21 counties, while our home acquisition and preservation programs have expanded into New York and Florida.
Key member: Wayne T. Meyer, president.
