Affordable housing rules change

[news]

Affordable housing rules change

Friday, December 21, 2007 12:09 PM EST
By Maria Prato-Gaines, Staff Writer

New affordable-housing rules issued by the state on Monday could increase the cost of the program and require more units to be built in Cranbury and Monroe.

Officials in Monroe are concerned that the new regulations could affect the township’s ability to preserve open space, because vacant land may have to be designated for affordable units. Cranbury officials are reviewing the new rules and are reserving comment.

The new rules were issued last week, nearly a year after a state Superior Court invalidated the state Council on Affordable Housing’s previous calculation.

A state appellate panel ruled in January that some of the new COAH rules, including those that allow municipalities to determine their own housing obligation and allow half their units to be age-restricted, were insufficient.

The new rules, which would increase the total number of affordable units required statewide from 52,000 to 115,000, will continue with what COAH calls a “growth share approach,” which measures the need for affordable housing in municipalities based on the amount of residential and commercial development expected to take place between 2004 and 2014. Growth-share ratios would be set at one affordable-housing unit for every 16 jobs or five residential units created. The original third-round rules called for one unit per 25 jobs or nine housing units.

In addition, COAH increased the amount that towns will be required to pay for participating in regional contribution agreements from $35,0000 per unit to between $67,000 and $80,000, depending on the region. Under a regional contribution agreement, a municipality pays a “distressed” municipality to build up to half of its required units.
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http://www.packetonline.com/articles/2007/12/21/cranbury_press/news/doc476bf35a26550288794542.prt