CHERRY HILL, NJ - Fair Share Housing Center, a non-profit affordable housing advocacy organization, filed two court appeals today claiming state agencies responsible for adopting the master plans for the seven-county Highlands Region and Fort Monmouth in Monmouth County have adopted invalid, unconstitutional plans that do not provide sufficient opportunities for affordable housing.
Cherry Hill-based Fair Share also challenged Gov. Jon Corzine's Sept. 5 executive order on the Highlands, which the group argues goes farther than the master plan in reducing affordable housing obligations in the seven-county Highlands region.
At issue in the two appeals is whether the Highlands Council and the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Planning Authority must provide affordable housing, an issue that was already decided in a May 2007 state appellate court decision involving the Meadowlands Commission. The Highlands Council and Fort Monmouth authority have refused to comply with the ruling, according to Kevin Walsh, Fair Share associate director.
Walsh charges the two agencies have proposed large scale master plans without attempting to provide opportunities for the required affordable housing. The Highlands master plan covers 88 municipalities. Walsh contends Corzine also signed an executive order which reduced the size of the Highlands' Council's affordable housing obligations without directing that those units be provided in a different location. A consultant to the state Council on Affordable Housing told the agency the Highlands towns could use 12,000 new and refurbished affordable houses and apartments.
The master plan for Fort Monmouth, an 1,125-acre site that spans Oceanport, Tinton Falls, and Eatontown, was adopted on Sept. 3. The plan does not attempt to calculate the obligation for affordable housing resulting from development at Fort Monmouth or say how many affordable housing units should be provided. The plan indicates only 13 percent of the fort should be used for homes.
Walsh said the Fort Monmouth planning authority has argued growth that what occurs at Fort Monmouth should not result in affordable housing obligations, thus seeking special treatment as a state agency. Local residents have called for up to 1,500 units of affordable housing on the soon-to-close military base, but the planning authority has rejected their request.
State Community Affairs Commissioner Joseph Doria said the number of affordable housing units for the Highlands and Fort Monmouth has not been finalized. He said, based on growth projections, at least 3,000 units are planned for the Highlands and more could be expected as market-rate housing is created.
Source: NJ.com