With his conditional veto, Gov. Christie ok's cities and towns excluding lower-income households

by: Damika Webb at Fair Share Housing Center

Tue Jan 25, 2011 at 01:00:45 PM EST

Yesterday, Governor Christie conditionally vetoed the housing legislation that was passed by the Legislature earlier this month.  In doing so, he called on the Legislature to adopt revised legislation that would allow municipalities to completely exclude lower-income households.  

His proposed amendments would allow municipalities to determine their housing obligations and would reimpose growth share, a failed system that has been rejected twice by the courts as unconstitutional because it allowed municipalities to avoid their regional low- and moderate-income housing obligations.

Should the proposed amendments become law, New Jersey's housing policy will be set back four decades as New Jersey's most wealthy, job-rich towns can keep out regular working people who are bus drivers, waitresses, and public employees.  We are very disappointed that the governor has sided with wealthy towns that have a history of unreasonably preventing starter homes and apartments from being built.  

The decision also puts the Governor at odds with the business community, who called on him to sign the legislations he conditionally vetoed. The business community believed the legislation would be successful in helping the economy rebound. Unfortunately Governor Christie has chosen to side with the discriminatory towns, and rejected the demands of the business community.

The governor's press statement is available  here.  The conditional veto he signed is available here.