Broad Coalition Urges Support of A4 Ahead of Assembly Vote on Legislation to Increase Housing Construction

Package Scheduled to be Considered by Full Assembly

Legislation to overhaul the process for construction of affordable housing in New Jersey continues to gain support heading into a vote in front of the full Assembly today, Monday, February 12.

The legislation is supported by mayors, the League of Municipalities, builders, and advocates ranging from domestic violence support organizations, the AARP, the NAACP, the Latino Action network, and affordable housing advocacy organizations.

For the previous decade, confusion about how much housing needs to be built has led to endless litigation, wasting taxpayer resources and significant delays in the ability to build housing. As part of a continued commitment to affordability, the legislation seeks to streamline the process of arriving at the amount of housing needed and then empowers municipalities to engage in the process necessary to allow housing to be built. Under A4, the defunct Council on Affordable Housing (COAH), will be abolished, and disputes about how much and where new housing is to be built will be resolved first before a panel of experts.

Here is what advocates are saying:

“The League of Municipalities has long advocated and testified many times over the years for the state legislature to act, to actually step up and act, to implement a rationale and achievable statewide housing policy,” said Mayor Janice Mironov of East Windsor. “We hope this is really the start of an important partnership on providing and generating affordable housing.”

“We’ve made some great progress,” said Mike Cerra, Executive Director of the New Jersey League of Municipalities. “I look forward to continuing our engagement with sponsors in both houses and the administration to make sure that the fourth round doesn’t look anything like the third round.”

“The issues surrounding achieving our Court-mandated affordable housing obligations have been very complex and challenging,” said Mayor Colleen Mahr of Fanwood. “We have worked hard to meet those obligations and with the current third round coming to a close, it is critical that we prepare for the start of the 4th round as of July 2025. A4 sets forth a new structure and an overhaul of a system that will help move us out of a judicial process where we do not belong, and which has proven expensive and arduous.

As amended, A4 addresses many issues raised by local officials, including giving towns that comply with the provisions of the revised bill the critical level of legal protection that we had under COAH and the courts, as well as tools that provide flexibility in formulating our next round plan.”

“The failure of the current state system has led to decades of court battles that have both delayed the establishment of affordable housing and resulted in too many scenarios in which municipal leaders have found themselves with very little ability to help craft the future development of their boroughs, their towns, their cities.” said Mayor Jonathan Busch of Metuchen. “A4 creates a system that does more to ensure affordable housing is established for those in need and will also help municipal leaders like myself regain the ability to truly drive and craft what our towns and boroughs need for the future.”

“We have a fairly sizable community that needs a lot of help and needs housing, and we are trying to help find a way for that,” said Mayor Mark Freda of Princeton. “And hopefully whatever statutes and bills come out of the state, allow towns like Princeton to be flexible enough to provide the affordable housing that is needed.”

“The inability to access or afford housing is one of the greater barriers for domestic violence victims in our state,” said Calandria Ortiz-Resende, Policy Manager at the New Jersey Coalition to End Domestic Violence. “This often means that victims find themselves turning back to their abusive partners or homeless because they cannot access affordable housing.  This bill is a step in the right direction.”

“Now we are more stabilized and we have a sense of security, in our community, in our home,” said Jessica Esteves, a Highland Park resident who helped construct her home through a program established by Habitat for Humanity.

“This bill is very important to our members.  We believe that everybody in the state should have the opportunity to live in communities that are close to their jobs, said Christian Estevez, Legislative and Political Director of the CWA and Co-founder of the Latino Action Network. “They should be able to have access to affordable housing that doesn’t eat up a disproportionate amount of their income.”

“This legislation offers a lifeline to thousands of New Jersey families who are struggling to keep up with soaring housing costs,” said Adam Gordon, Executive Director of Fair Share Housing Center. “It streamlines the affordable housing process for everyone involved, putting New Jersey on a clear path toward building more affordable homes. We applaud the Assembly for moving forward this legislation today, and hope the bill advances to the Governor’s desk quickly with as strong protections as possible for keeping housing affordable into the future.”

And Friday, New Jersey’s chapter of the AARP joined by sending a letter to all Assembly members urging members to vote yes.

A4 is accompanied by several companion bills that will ensure New Jersey is able to meet the growing need for housing for the next decade:

• A1495 exempts receipts from sales of materials, supplies, and services for certain affordable housing projects from sales and use tax.
• A2296 permits municipality to authorize municipal clerk to submit certain written statements concerning affordable housing.
• A2390 requires municipalities in compliance with affordable housing obligations be provided priority considering for certain State grants and assistance.

1. A3128 authorizes the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency to issue tax credits for certain purposes.

• A3337 allows projects supported by State or municipal affordable housing trust fund to be exempt from property tax and to instead contribute to municipal services by making payments in lieu of taxation.

The measures are expected to be voted on by the Assembly later today, Monday, February 12.