New Jersey recently announced that it would kick off a pilot program to boost food distribution in parts of the state that have been designated as food deserts.
Two New Jersey Economic Development Authority announcements during the Thanksgiving/Christmas holiday season said 73 food access projects would get a total of nearly $30 million, which comes from the state's auction of tax credits.
Grants to nonprofits range from $50,000 to $500,000. The full list of grant recipients and their projects under the Food Equity and Economic Development in New Jersey (FEED NJ) pilot program is here.
"Building on the success of the NJEDA’s Atlantic City Food Security Grants Pilot Program, FEED NJ aims to catalyze innovative, sustainable, and scalable food-security and food-access initiatives with high potential to maximize community-level impact," according to the EDA.
Under the pilot program, the primary focus food deserts are in sections of Bridgeton, Camden, Fairfield Township, Lawrence Township, Newark, New Brunswick, Passaic City, Paterson, Pennsauken, Salem City, Trenton and Woodlynne.
"A survey of Americans revealed that nearly 70% of people are struggling to afford groceries for their household. That is staggering," said Department of Human Services Commissioner Sarah Adelman in the announcement last week.
"These grants will help community feeding organizations expand their programs and more effectively address hunger needs in neighborhoods that lack consistent, reliable and affordable access to nutritious food," she said in the statement.
An application to build a 13-house development off Elbo Lane in Mount Laurel by JP Orleans builders faces deep scrutiny from a homeowner next door who has hired a lawyer to be a part of the hearing before the Planning Board.
Two other neighbors told the board at the initial hearing on December 11 that they, too, will be represented by a lawyer who will take part when the hearing is expected to conclude before a board decision at the January 15 meeting.
Orleans Conservatory Group Partners LP of Conshohocken, Pennsylvania applied to build the houses on a new cul-de-sac on vacant land. The first step in the Township process is to get preliminary-only major subdivision approval.
Edward Kelbon and Regina Kelbon, who live on Godfrey Court next to the planned development showed up at the December meeting with their lawyer.
Residents usually testify against proposed developments or zoning variances during the public comment part of board hearings. However, in some cases when residents want to cross-examine the developer's engineers or planners, they will hire a lawyer to be a formal part of the process. The lawyer also can present testimony from other professionals hired by the opposing neighbors.
"The whole side of my property runs alongside the development. And I have a few specific issues that I've tried to discuss with Orleans before we got here today," Kelbon told the board.
The 330 Elbo Lane property is owned by Legal Acres Nursery & Farm LLC, according to the developer's application.
Previous 70and73.com coverage: Approval process for 13-house development in Mount Laurel begins with Planning Board.