CWA APPLAUDS THE SIGNING OF NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING LEGISLATION

Everyone in New Jersey Deserves A Chance To Live In Safe, Affordable Housing Close To Where They Work

(TRENTON, NEW JERSEY) – Today, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) enthusiastically applauds Governor Phil Murphy for signing A4/S50 – affordable housing legislation that will reform municipal responsibilities and overhaul the process for affordable housing construction.

CWA also thanks both Senate President Nicholas Scutari and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin for their leadership, and the New Jersey State Legislature for passing this important bill – which replaces the defunct Council on Affordable Housing and creates a predictable system for determining affordable housing obligations. Ultimately, this new law will streamline the structure for towns and everyone involved. It will make it easier to build homes in areas close to jobs, businesses and transit hubs.

“Affordable housing is extremely important to our members,” said Dennis Trainor, Vice President for CWA District 1. “We believe that every single New Jerseyan should have the opportunity to live in communities close to where they work. This new legislation will make good on that promise, by creating a more fair and equitable system. In turn, this will help all of New Jersey’s communities and working families thrive.”

“Everyone deserves the opportunity to live in safe, affordable housing that is also near to their jobs,” said Fran Ehret, CWA NJ State Director.  “Unfortunately, the old Council on Affordable Housing failed to live up to its name, by hindering the ability to actually build affordable homes here in the Garden State. We believe everyone should have access to affordable housing that doesn’t eat up a disproportionate amount of their income. Simply put, New Jersey needs more affordable housing, and this bill will make it easier to make this a reality.”

The Communications Workers of America (AFL-CIO) represents both private sector and public workers. CWA District 1 represents more than 70,000 working families in New Jersey, including over 40,000 state workers, 15,000 county and municipal workers, and thousands of workers in the telecommunications, airlines, healthcare, and direct care industries.