On affordable housing: Delay, do not destroy

by: Hank Kalet

Tue Dec 09, 2008 at 05:41:03 PM EST

Crossposted from Channel Surfing:

A delay like this, given the confusion and the difficulty of accommodating changes in state affordable housing law, seems appropriate -- especially with Republicans looking to overturn some of the changes imposed by Democrats' reform of the Fair Housing Act.

Hank Kalet :: On affordable housing: Delay, do not destroy

The key element of the reforms, which won approval earlier this year, was the end of regional contribution agreements. Such agreements had been created when affordable housing rules were established after the Mount Laurel decisions in the 1980s. RCAs allowed towns to transfer up to half of their state-mandated obligation to urban communities in the same region at a cost. Towns like Cranbury and Monroe have taken advantage of them over the years.

RCAs, however, also allowed towns to skirt the intent of the Mount Laurel rulings, which were not about providing housing but instead about ensuring that all communities in the state provided their fair share. RCAs continued the practice of concentrating low-income housing in the cities, perpetuatinga a pattern of economically induced segregation that has plagued New Jersey and fuels much of its unequal distribution of publice resources.

That said, the confusion surrounding the rules is real. Which is why Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts, D-Camden, and Speaker Pro Tem Jerry Green, D-Union, are seeking a delay. According to a letter they wrote to the Council on Affordable Housing, there are "many communities struggling to adapt to COAH?s third-round housing rules," which means that "the state must provide more flexibility to help towns adjust." Plus, the Assembly members said, economic and environmental concerns ahve been raised and "municipalities should be given the chance to apply for additional time so they can submit thoughtful and realistic housing plans that reflect the latest changes and the economic and wastewater management concerns."

A delay, as I said, seems wholly appropriate -- and a far better option than the RCA provision being pushed by Senate Republicans. An October bill "would reestablish the regional contribution agreement as a viable method for a municipality to assist in affordable housing construction" as part of a larger group of changes being pushed by the GOP. The changes, which would make suburban communities happy, would do little more than eviscerate the state's affordable housing goals, even if some of its provisions are worth considering (meeting obligations through rental vouchers, for instance).

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The state should

allow regional contribution agreements
delay implementation of new COAH rules
ban regional contribution agreements immediately

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On affordable housing: Delay, do not destroy | 1 comments

The fact is...... (0.00 / 0)

that it was bound to happen. I believe we will see stonewalling reach new heights.

The communities that don't want affordable housing in their backyards used to be able to pay to have another community build affordable housing. Not the best situation but at least the housing was getting built.

Now we will see requests for extensions, creation of senior housing to meet quotas and lipservice to affordable housing.

I think doing away with RCA's will not lead to more affordable housing.

by: sandy23 @ Tue Dec 09, 2008 at 20:10:05 PM CST