News
Senate Bill A "First Step" Toward Abolition Of COAH
By Ryan Fennell
MIDDLETOWN - Senator Raymond Lesniak (D-20) recently introduced Senate Bill 1, which calls for the abolition of the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) with all of its powers, functions and duties transferred to the State Planning Commission.
"This is a good first step towards making the kind of changes that New Jersey's affordable housing law and regulations so desperately need," said State Senator Jennifer Beck (R-12).
"Senator Lesniak has struck the right chord with this bill by listening to all of the stakeholders and working to craft the kind of bill that different interest groups can support. I am hopeful with this piece of legislation, New Jersey will be able to offer the kind of affordable housing that is needed without adding to the financial burden that is already pushing people out of the State."
In addition to abolishing COAH, the bill also allows municipalities to administer their own affordable housing obligations and to control planning opportunities for affordable housing. The Middletown Township Committee, which has consistently opposed COAH and the significant affordable housing obligation imposed on it by frequently changing rules, adopted a resolution in support of Lesniak's bill.
"I would like to express my support for Senator Lesniak's proposed legislation," said Committeeman Sean Byrnes. "I think we need to begin to plan under the assumption that this bill is successful and it does have an impact on our current affordable housing obligations. We need to be poised to seize upon those changes including potentially an ordinance to rezone properties that have been rezoned as a result of our need to because of our obligation under existing COAH laws."
Deputy Mayor Anthony Fiore said that he emphatically supports the resolution to support Lesniak's bill.
"My hopes is that this does go through, that we will be able to recalculate to prevent further development that we had to propose," Fiore said. "Hopefully it will stop the development we were forced to put in place in our Fair Share Housing Plan last year. I commend Senator Lesniak for crossing the aisle. This is an issue that affects all municipalities. It affects us very negatively. It is my sincere hope that the pass (the bill)."
Mayor Gerard Scharfenberger echoed his fellow committeemen's sentiments and asked for the public to also engage their respective senators and assemblypersons to voice support for the bill.
"I think we are united in wanting to rezone the properties that we were forced to rezone initially," Scharfenberger said. "We can enlist your help by contacting your senator or assemblyperson and let them know you support this bill. This is something we're all in together. This is really the first glimmer of daylight we've had as far as trying to reverse some of these onerous rules."
Lesniak is hopeful the bill will be ready for a vote in front of the Senate Economic Growth Committee at its March 8 meeting. If the bill passes the committee it would then go before the Senate for a full vote.
