SECAUCUS AND BEYOND – The New Jersey State Senate today passed S-1, a bill that would overhaul affordable housing policy statewide. A comparable bill, A-2057, is currently pending in the State Assembly.
Under the bill, introduced in January by State Sen. Ray Lesniak and State Sen. Christopher Bateman, the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) would be abolished. Oversight of affordable housing policy would be shifted to the State Planning Commission, and current affordable housing mandates could be eliminated.
The proposed changes are controversial. One provision would allow municipalities to pay other towns to take on their affordable housing requirements. This used to be a common practice, but was largely phased out.
The impact of the bill could be significant for the town of Secaucus. Under COAH requirements, the town is currently required to create about 303 affordable housing units by 2018, a number that town officials have long argued would burden the local school system and municipal services. The bill’s passage might lessen Secaucus’ burden.
Supporters of the bill believe it will foster affordable housing growth in areas that need it most without burdening municipalities and developers.
Housing advocates fear, however, that if passed the bill will exacerbate racial and economic segregation.
In defense of the legislation, Lesniak told the Secaucus Reporter in February: “Under the current affordable housing laws, the cost of compliance is significant. [This bill] can achieve better results without the bureaucratic costs …”
He noted that the present affordable housing mandates are somewhat based on the number of jobs created in the area.
“By de-linking investments in job creation from affordable housing, the legislation removes a significant impediment to job creation and economic recovery,” he said. “COAH has had 25 years of failure, producing an average of 2,000 affordable housing units a year.”
The changes are consistent with proposals Gov. Chris Christie made last year on the campaign trail.
In response to Thursday’s passage of S-1, Christie said: “The legislation passed by the Senate today eliminates COAH and goes a long way toward fundamentally reforming the affordable housing system which New Jerseyans have long demanded and that I have promised to deliver. We will continue to work with
members of both parties in the legislature to bring the COAH nightmare to an end and replace a broken system with a common sense, predictable, and achievable process.” – E. Assata Wright
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