DCA Introduces No-Cost Tool to Help Municipalities Map Vacant Land and Meet New Federal Requirement
Mayors & Legislators Resource Series Session Previews NJHOMES Atlas Tool Ahead of October 1 Deadline
TRENTON, NJ – The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) recently hosted its latest session of its Mayors & Legislators Resource Series. The session introduced NJHOMES Atlas, a new mapping tool that helps municipalities identify and review the vacant land they own. DCA built the tool in-house, and it is available to all New Jersey municipalities at no cost. Currently, DCA is seeking municipalities to participate in a pilot program of the Atlas tool to ensure that it effectively meets the needs of local communities in addressing housing needs.
Gavin Rozzi, Director of Data Center Administration, and Lucas Doell, Software Engineering Team Lead, both of DCA's Division of Housing and Community Resources Data Center, led the session and gave a live demonstration.
"Local governments should not have to pay a vendor to meet a new federal rule using public records the State already holds," said DCA Commissioner Jacquelyn A. Suárez. "NJHOMES Atlas gives towns a head start at no cost, and it gives them a clearer picture of the land they own for planning and reuse."
A New Federal Requirement
The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act requires Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) grantees to maintain, on a publicly accessible website, a searchable database of all undeveloped parcels they own.
How the Tool Works
NJHOMES Atlas uses statewide property tax records and official parcel data to build a searchable, map-based inventory of municipally owned parcels recorded as vacant. DCA applied the same criteria to all 564 municipalities. The provisional statewide inventory includes about 42,000 parcels covering roughly 110,000 acres.
Municipal staff can review their town's list, flag parcels that should be updated or removed based on local knowledge, and log the reason for each change. The corrected list can be published on the DCA website and embedded on the town's own website. DCA hosts and maintains the tool.
Beyond compliance, the tool helps towns see what they own, group adjacent parcels into larger sites, and compare results across municipalities and legislative districts.
"The Department developed this tool to help municipalities across New Jersey comply with the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act efficiently and consistently, at no cost to local government," said Rozzi. "It reflects DCA's broader commitment to pairing solutions-focused resources with hands-on technical assistance, so that local officials have the support they need while retaining full authority over their own data."
“The Township of Stafford has worked with the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs on a number of programs, including NJHOMES, a redevelopment data study in the Township, and now looks forward to participating in the NJHOMES Atlas initiative,” said Matt von der Hayden, Township Administrator and Director of Water & Sewer for the Township of Stafford. “These types of opportunities and partnerships have allowed the Township to do more by utilizing the technical and professional expertise that the DCA’s staff can support. I appreciate the opportunity to continue this partnership and work with the great staff at the DCA.”
Access the tool: https://njhomes.dca.nj.gov/vacant-land
To review a recording of this session and previous topics, visit: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLR0Yoee0aU9A.
The next session with the Division of Codes and Standards will be held on Thursday, October 22, 2026, at 11 a.m. During the webinar, Division staff will provide an overview of its bureaus and programs. The session will also highlight the Uniform Construction Code Assistance Unit and recent changes in the 2024 national model codes, which set construction standards across New Jersey. Register here.
The Mayors & Legislators Resource Series will continue monthly, with each session covering a different DCA program area. Information on upcoming sessions will be shared through DCA’s communications channels.
DCA offers a wide range of programs and services, including local government management and finance, affordable housing production, eviction and homelessness prevention, building and fire safety, community planning and development, historic preservation, disaster recovery and mitigation, and information privacy.
For more information about DCA, visit https://nj.gov/dca/ or follow the Department on social media:
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