About the Commissioner
Commissioner Jacquelyn A. Suárez
Jacquelyn A. Suárez was appointed Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) on May 20, 2024 making her the first Hispanic commissioner to lead the DCA. Suárez is committed to the Department’s ongoing mission to provide residents, local governments, businesses, and community development organizations with financial support, administrative guidance, and technical assistance to help improve the quality of life for New Jersey families.
As Commissioner of one of the State's largest departments, Suárez is responsible for a $1.485 billion operational budget and the administration of federal disaster relief grant funding provided through the Community Development Block Grant, COVID American Rescue Plan, and Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. She oversees more than 1000 employees and leads a variety of departmental programs including the divisions of Local Government Services, Housing and Community Resources, Codes and Standards, Fire Safety, Disaster Recovery and Mitigation, and the Offices of Information Privacy and Local Planning Services. Suárez also has oversight of the Department’s affiliate agencies including the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, the New Jersey Redevelopment Authority, the Urban Enterprise Zone Authority, the New Jersey Historic Trust, and the Government Records Council.
Suárez continues to serve as the Director of the Division of Local Government Services, a position she has held since 2021, where she provides local governments with technical and financial assistance in several areas, including shared services, purchasing, and management issues. She also oversees the review and approval of all municipal, county, and fire district budgets, works to uphold the financial integrity of local government units, and guides the conduct of local government officials.
As Director of DLGS, Suárez also serves as Chair of the State’s Local Finance Board, a position she has held since January 2021.
Prior to serving as the Director of DLGS, Suárez provided legal advice to Governor Murphy on matters affecting his Administration as an associate counsel in the Governor’s Office. During her time in the Governor’s Office, Suárez advised on pending legislation, statutory responsibilities, litigation, the development of administrative regulations, and various proposals impacting the Governor’s public policy agenda. With a focus on issues related to the Departments of Community Affairs, Human Services, Children and Families, and the Administrative Office of the Courts, Suárez was integral to advancing the Governor’s agenda in these areas and, in particular, to spearheading many of the State’s COVID response policies such as the eviction moratorium. It was Suárez’s proven aptitude and successful track record that gave Lieutenant Governor Sheila Y. Oliver the confidence to name her as the director of the DLGS.
Before joining the Governor’s Office, Suárez was a legislative liaison at DCA where she acted as the point person for all communication with the State Legislature, drafted bill language, spearheaded the implementation of newly signed legislation, and helped review and advise on various decisions, orders, settlements, and other matters impacting the Department.
Suárez is a New Jersey native who earned her Juris Doctor from Rutgers School of Law in Camden and her bachelor’s degree in communications, legal institutions, economics, and government from American University in Washington D.C. She is a member of both the New Jersey and New York bar associations. She is also a member of the Hispanic Bar Association of New Jersey.
FAQs
The NJDCA provides "administrative guidance, financial support, and technical assistance to local governments, community development organizations, businesses and individuals to improve the quality of life in New Jersey."
What does the Department of Community Affairs do in New Jersey? ›
DCA offers a wide range of programs and services that respond to issues of public concern including fire and building safety, housing production, community planning and development, and local government management and finance.
How do I contact the DCA in New Jersey? ›
Phone. For all other calls, please dial 609-376-0802. For press inquiries, please contact the Office of Communications and Policy at 609-292-6055.
What is the DCA disaster recovery and mitigation in New Jersey? ›
The Division of Disaster Recovery and Mitigation promotes the long-term resilience of New Jersey's communities by supporting initiatives to fortify housing, businesses, and infrastructure against severe weather events and flooding damage.
What does DCA stand for in government? ›
The Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) is one of 12 entities overseen by the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency.
Who is in charge of DCA NJ? ›
Commissioner Jacquelyn A.
Suárez is committed to the Department's ongoing mission to provide residents, local governments, businesses, and community development organizations with financial support, administrative guidance, and technical assistance to help improve the quality of life for New Jersey families.
What is the responsibility of community affairs? ›
The community affairs function is responsible for ensuring that the community's perception of the corporation is in line with how the corporation wants itself to be perceived.
What is the function of the community Affairs Office? ›
It also coordinates, integrates and promotes all programs and services of the national and local government agencies in the locality, NGOs, POs, and private sector; conducts training activities, monitoring and evaluation; provide secretariat services; formulates and implements measures to enhance social, political, ...
What does a community affairs specialist do? ›
Duties/Responsibilities:
Plans, develops, implements, and organizes events and volunteers to advance the mission and goals of the company. Organizes community outreach programs and coordinates special events that will influence public opinion or promote products, services, or ideas of the company.
Does NJ DCA have funds? ›
The DCA will continue to receive funding from various federal programs aimed at supporting affordable housing and community development initiatives. This includes funding from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) for programs such as the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program budgeted at $140 million.
Office of the Commissioner
- Jacquelyn A. Suárez. Commissioner.
- Kia King. Chief of Staff.
- Kate McDonnell. Deputy Commissioner.
- Samuel Viavattine. Deputy Commissioner.
- Janel Winter. Assistant Commissioner.
- Stacy Spera. Deputy Chief of Staff.
Consumer Assistance Our toll-free telephone line, (800) 952-5210, is staffed Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Automated services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
What is a DCA inspection in NJ? ›
The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, State Inspections Program bureau is responsible for cyclical inspections and compliance inspections of hotels, motels, and multiple dwellings in 487 municipalities within the State of New Jersey. • Bed Bugs, insects and vermin complaints.
What does DCA stand for in NJ? ›
New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA)
What does disaster recovery cover? ›
IT disaster recovery is a portfolio of policies, tools, and processes used to recover or continue operations of critical IT infrastructure, software, and systems after a natural or human-made disaster. The first and foremost aspect of a disaster recovery plan is cloud.
What does the NJ division of consumer affairs do? ›
Holding financial institutions accountable.
To help build a fairer New Jersey, DCA protects New Jersey residents from consumer fraud and abuses committed by the biggest financial institutions in the world as well as smaller companies offering novel and fringe financial products.
What does the NJ DEP do? ›
The DEP was established on April 22, 1970 – America's first official Earth Day. Today, DEP employees in dozens of programs continue to advance innovative strategies to safeguard and enhance New Jersey's air, water and land, and the health of its residents.
What does the NJ Civil Service Commission do? ›
The NJ Civil Service Commission provides information for job seekers, as well as resources for Civil Service employees and Employers. Use their database of information to search by job title to view descriptions and requirements of a specific job title.
What does the NJ Department of Education do? ›
The New Jersey Department of Education supports schools, educators and districts to ensure all of New Jersey's 1.4 million students have equitable access to high quality education and achieve academic excellence.
