Senators to Delay Affordable Housing Plans

SONERSET, NJ - Two state senators, the lobbying arm for local government and a coalition of environmental groups have separately asked Gov. Jon Corzine to delay by at least six months the Dec. 31 deadline for towns to file their plans to provide affordable housing. In a letter delivered to the governor today, Sens. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union) and Christopher "Kip" Bateman (R-Somerset) said current state Council on Affordable Housing regulations are actually hindering construction of affordable houses and apartments. They said a six-month delay would enable them to develop bipartisan legislation to develop a funding system to jump start financing for affordable housing.

Lesniak and Bateman said they are also preparing a legal brief in support of a New Jersey State League of Municipalities lawsuit in state appeals court that calls for the COAH regulations developed over the past year to be tossed out as unconstitutional.

"The court's and COAH approach to affordable housing was a failure during robust economic times and a booming housing market," Lesniak and Bateman wrote. "Continuing along the same path during an economic recession will not only fail to produce affordable housing, it will also doom any chance of economic recovery in New Jersey."

Corzine wants to provide at least 100,000 new or refurbished affordable houses and apartments over the next 10 years. Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts (D-Camden), who co-sponsored legislation approved by Corzine in July to bolster the affordable housing effort, said he has been working with the governor, COAH and local officials "toward reforms that would responsibly address a number of the issues raised in the senators' letter."

William Dressel, director of the League of Municipalities, said the appeals court case, which involves 247 municipalities, may not be settled until late next year. Dressel welcomed Lesniak's and Bateman's support for the lawsuit.

Jeff Tittel, director of the Sierra Club of New Jersey, said environmentalists want the filing deadline extended because they fear towns will rush to file their plans without fully considering the long-range planning and environmental implications. "It will give towns extra time to do proper planning and protect the environment," Tittel said. "What happens will shape land use and development for the next twenty years."