• Pope Francis commented on worldwide housing issues in his 2015 encyclical, “Laudato Si’”: “Lack of housing is a grave problem in many parts of the world, both in rural areas and in large cities, since state budgets usually cover only a small portion of the demand,” the pontiff said. “Not only the poor, but many other members of society as well, find it difficult to own a home. Having a home has much to do with a sense of personal dignity and the growth of families.”
• Homelessness is a pervasive problem throughout the United States. The National Low Income Housing Commission reports that “no state has an adequate supply of affordable rental housing for the lowest income renters.”
• New Jersey, the eighth most expensive state to buy a house, has a typical home value of approximately $484,466, and ranked No. 47 for cost-of-living affordability.
Diocese’s Catholic social service groups strive to assist those in need of affordable housing