New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP) released a report on Apr. 23 stating that the state’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program has seen significant decline in its reach and effectiveness over the past three decades. The report, titled “A Safety Net in Retreat: An Obstacle Course Known as TANF,” was authored by Policy Analyst & State Policy Fellow Tonanziht Aguas and calls for reforms to increase benefits, update eligibility rules, and direct more funding to families in need.
The issue is important because TANF serves as a primary safety net for low-income families in New Jersey. According to NJPP, the maximum monthly grant for a family of three is $559, which amounts to about $6.20 per person per day and represents a loss of more than one-third of its purchasing power since 1998. The number of families reached by TANF has also dropped sharply; currently only 11 out of every 100 families living in poverty receive assistance compared to 72 out of every 100 before the program replaced its predecessor.
The contraction has most affected Black and Hispanic/Latinx communities, who face higher economic barriers and make up most TANF recipients. The report urges lawmakers to raise benefits to at least half the federal poverty level, adjust them with inflation, modernize eligibility criteria and time limits, and align work requirements with federal standards.
Aguas said: “New Jersey has made deliberate policy choices for nearly 30 years that have made TANF harder to access and less adequate for the families who need it. The result is a program that reaches fewer people each year and provides less real support than in 1998. The Sherrill administration and the legislature have a clear opportunity to fix this. And given what’s happening at the federal level, they should not wait.”
Nicole Rodriguez, President of NJPP, said: “When families are in crisis, they need a floor to stand on. Right now, New Jersey’s cash assistance program is not providing that. Raising benefits, updating eligibility rules, and directing more TANF dollars toward families are not radical asks. They are the minimum the state owes to the people this program was built to serve.”
NJPP advocates for equitable policies addressing racial, social, and economic disparities according to its official website. It focuses on advancing economic justice through policy research while providing data-driven analysis on issues such as budgetary decisions affecting residents statewide according to NJPP. NJPP also engages policymakers through events and community outreach across New Jersey as reported by NJPP.
