Jan. 20, 2026

Gov. Sherrill Begins Tenure Amid Urgent Need for Action on Housing Affordability

Today, Mikie Sherrill was sworn in as governor of New Jersey at her official inauguration, marking the beginning of a new administration centered on addressing affordability challenges — a key theme of her inaugural address.

In her campaign, Gov. Sherrill made addressing housing costs a cornerstone of her broader affordability agenda — recognizing that high rents, limited supply, and barriers to homeownership are limiting economic opportunity for families across the state.

Sherrill’s housing platform included:

·    Ending diversions from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, instead of using it to fund unrelated budget priorities.

·    Reforming outdated zoning laws so that a greater variety of housing options can be developed statewide.

·    Streamlining permitting and regulatory processes to cut red tape, lower housing production costs, and boost supply.

·    Strengthening support for first-time and first-generation homebuyers so that homeownership and generational wealth building are within reach for more New Jersey residents.

·    Expanding tenant protections to hold negligent or discriminatory landlords accountable.

·    Cracking down on predatory rental practices and enforcement gaps that drive up costs and undermine housing stability.

Thanks to New Jersey’s landmark 2024 law strengthening the Mount Laurel Doctrine, far more municipalities than ever before are creating affordable homes.

But with housing costs at record highs, advocates say now is the time for bold action to protect and build on this progress — especially amid looming federal funding threats.

In November, following Gov. Sherrill’s election victory, advocates representing over 150 housing, civil rights, economic policy, and faith-based organizations sent a letter outlining key policy recommendations and encouraging her incoming administration to make housing a top priority.

“New Jersey voters gave Governor Sherrill a mandate to address a housing crisis that has been decades in the making,” said Adam Gordon, executive director of Fair Share Housing Center. “Her campaign recognized that housing affordability and economic opportunity are deeply connected, and we look forward to working with her administration to translate those commitments into action.”

Recent polling shows that overwhelming majorities of New Jersey voters want state policymakers to take action on housing costs. By wide margins, respondents favor building more homes over preserving local control (60%–26%) and support creating diverse housing options for people of different incomes over maintaining the preferences of current residents (62%–31%).

“New Jersey has made real progress in recent years, but for too many New Jerseyans the rent is too high and homeownership is out of reach,” added Gordon.

“Governor Sherrill enters office with a clear understanding that strong enforcement of fair housing laws, sustained funding, and zoning reform are essential to addressing the affordability crisis so many families face — and we’re ready to help move that work forward.”