N.J. Senate to vote whether East Windsor developers can sell unbuilt senior hous

[wcody]

Interesting article on a potential new law for affordable housing that would allow developers to build market and affordable housing on previously zoned unbuilt senior housing. While I don't think this will directly impact Cranbury now since our senior housing is already built, it shows a dangerous precedent allowing Trenton to change municipal zoning laws.

Win

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/06/nj_senate_to_vote_whether_east.html

N.J. Senate to vote whether East Windsor developers can sell unbuilt senior housing to any buyer

Posted by ksantiag June 17, 2009 20:36PM

Faced with an oversupply of senior, or age-restricted, housing, the Senate is expected to vote Thursday on a bill that would allow a court ultimately to overturn a town's decision and allow developers of unbuilt, unsold housing to open sales to all buyers, regardless of their age.

East Windsor Mayor Janice Mironov remembers all the charts and presentations home developers flashed to persuade the township to approve three senior housing developments that would add about 400 homes to the township of 30,000.

Builders explained: People are living longer. They're moving to this area. Seniors need these options, which are a wild success in other areas. Plus, the retirees won't burden the schools with children that need to be educated.

"It would be really a slap in the face of local citizens to now come and say, 'Well, you know what, we can do whatever we want to do now,'" Mironov said.

Supporters say the bill (S-2577) should be seen as a type of stimulus, helping the economy by jump-starting stalled projects.
"It really is in recognition of the extraordinary times we are in," said Steve Shaw, past president of the New Jersey Builders Association.

But unhappy municipalities say the bill sets a bad precedent by taking control of local development out of the hands of the people who know towns best and leaving it up to a judge.

"This is a sea change," said Bill Dressel, executive director of the New Jersey State League of Municipalities. "It's age-restricted housing today. It could be a whole host of other kinds of development approvals that run contrary to the public good tomorrow. It's bad public policy."

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see full article here http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/06/nj_senate_to_vote_whether_east.html