All of New Jersey’s 564 municipalities face a Friday deadline when they must agree to accept their new housing obligation numbers, or present alternative calculations, which must be consistent with a new state law passed last year.
Under the new law, which was passed nearly a year ago but went into effect this month, the process used by municipalities in the state to determine their constitutionally mandated affordable housing obligations, has been completely revamped giving municipalities greater flexibility and input.
For the previous decade, confusion about how much housing needs to be built has led to litigation, wasting taxpayer resources and resulting in significant delays in the ability to build housing.
Under the new law, the defunct Council on Affordable Housing (COAH), has been abolished, and disputes about how much and where new housing is to be built would now be resolved first before a panel of experts.
In New Jersey, the constitutional obligation for each municipality to allow its fair share of affordable homes, known as the Mount Laurel Doctrine, is recalculated every 10 years in cycles known as Rounds.
Municipality’s obligations are calculated by looking at factors in various regions of the state — such as job growth, existing affordability, and the growth of low- and moderate-income households — which determines an individualized requirement for affordable housing.
On Monday, a judge struck down a challenge to the law brought by 26 municipalities in the state, who argued that the formula used by the Community Affairs Department to determine how many units each municipality must build, is flawed.
According to the DCA, Lakewood Township has fulfilled its obligation and will not be required to build further homes.
Jackson however, would need to build another 954 units, while Toms River would need to add another 670.
Jackson was one of the original plaintiffs in the lawsuit.
All towns now face a June 30 deadline to adopt specific plans for how to address their numbers.
i cant believe lakewood doesnt need more houses, i mean, i see so much open land for building houses all over lakewood!
Lakewood and Tomsriver need more housing I see so many homeless people sleeping on the street and at the Board of Social Services building fighting to get help this is a tragic event and I hope the state does more to help these people.
A lot of these people are probably victims of their own issues. Starts with lose of job because they maybe had an issue with their employer. So then you can’t get another job. Then you fall behind on your mortgage or rent and other things. It’s a downward spiral sadly. Then they want a handout and we are suppose to feel sorry for them. Then they have addiction issues. Affordable housing doesn’t mean free housing.
Why do my taxes need to provide housing for the homeless. Let these lazy bums go out and earn a living. Otherwise ship them off to state facilities in Trenton and rehabilitate them!
What goes around comes around. Wait for it. That was unnecessary and nasty.
Isn’t it better for your tax dollars to help the homeless in the US rather than giving foreign aid to the homeless in some third world country. Lets help our own first!
The last thing Lakewood needs is more congestion and also destruction of the environment !!!!