FSHC Press Releases

Marlboro Township’s Bad Faith Exposes Town to Housing Litigation in Courts

2010-09-08T16:56:00+00:00

In a decision issued this morning, Marlboro Township (Monmouth County), was removed from the protections of the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) because the Council found that the municipality “consistently failed to demonstrate good faith” in meeting its housing obligations. This decision permits developers and non-profit organizations, such as Fair Share Housing Center, to obtain compliance with the Mount Laurel doctrine through the courts.

COAH Should Be Replaced With An Efffective System that Produces Homes Near Jobs and Transit

2010-06-15T21:22:27+00:00

A wide range of civil rights, environmental, housing, religious, and supportive housing and special needs groups called on the Legislature to replace COAH with a strategy that will actually produce more homes near jobs and transit, instead of adopting the deeply flawed S-1.

Caldwell, Roseland, and Verona Get a Pass while Legislation Demands More from Maplewood and S Orange

2010-06-08T19:39:36+00:00

Legislation that cleared a Senate committee last week and is scheduled for a vote of the full Senate this Thursday says that many less racially and economically diverse municipalities, such as Caldwell, Roseland, and Verona, have provided sufficient affordable housing while many other more diverse municipalities have not. Senate Bill S-1 exempts many wealthier municipalities in New Jersey while requiring Maplewood and South Orange to provide more affordable housing and permitting developers to sue those municipalities if their development proposals are rejected.

$20 Million in Union County Taxpayer Funds at Stake Due to Risky Development Deal

2010-06-07T22:36:51+00:00

Due to a risky development deal, Union County and Elizabeth taxpayers could be on the hook for up to $20 million to redevelop an apartment complex down the street from Sen. Raymond Lesniak’s Elizabeth home. While Sen. Lesniak is attempting to bail out the development through legislation redirecting $20million in state funds, that legislation has been criticized as inappropriate in a time of fiscal austerity.

Voorhees, Evesham, and Lumberton Get a Pass while Legislation Demands More from Woodlynne, Somerdale

2010-06-07T19:33:23+00:00

Legislation that cleared a Senate committee last week and is scheduled for a vote of the full Senate this Thursday says that many growing, newer municipalities, such as Voorhees, Evesham, and Lumberton, have provided sufficient affordable housing while many older suburban municipalities have not. Senate Bill S-1 exempts many wealthier municipalities in South Jersey while requiring Woodlynne, Somerdale, Gloucester City, and Pennsauken to provide more affordable housing and permitting developers to sue those municipalities if their development proposals are rejected.

Proposed Legislation Target Gloucester, Cumberland, And Salem Counties For Increased Housing Develop

2010-06-07T19:22:18+00:00

A housing bill that passed out of the Senate Economic Growth committee last Thursday relieves numerous North Jersey towns of obligations while requiring three-quarters of all municipalities in Gloucester, Cumberland and Salem Counties to provide additional housing, according to a new analysis of the bill. The information is only available now because the text of the legislation was not available to the public or at the legislative hearing and was not available online until today.

Princeton Borough and Princeton Township Get a Pass while Legislation Demands More from Ewing

2010-06-07T19:15:25+00:00

Legislation that cleared a Senate committee last week and is scheduled for a vote of the full Senate this Thursday says that many growing, newer municipalities have provided sufficient affordable housing while many older suburban municipalities have not. Senate Bill S-1 exempts Princeton Borough and Princetown Township but requires Ewing to provide more affordable housing and permits developers to sue Ewing if their development proposals are rejected.

Lesniak Seeking $20 Million Bailout for Housing Development While Attempting to Gut State’s Ho

2010-06-03T14:21:02+00:00

Housing advocates today announced that, at the same time Sen. Raymond Lesniak proposes stopping starter homes from being built around the state through his S-1 bill, he is also attempting to redirect $20 million from the state’s housing trust fund. The state funds would bail out a risky deal by a private developer involving the renovation of apartments down the street from the Senator’s home in Elizabeth.

Latest Version of Lesniak Bill will Produce Zero New Homes

2010-05-20T17:37:42+00:00

Latest Version of Lesniak Bill will Produce Zero New Homes

Gov. Christie Proposes New Red Tape for Homes in NJ

2010-05-13T17:27:21+00:00

Gov. Christie today announced his double standard for red tape. The Governor proposed a new policy that would allow towns to stop a wide range of new homes from being built, including redevelopment near mass transit, starter homes, and homes for people with special needs. The Governor’s proposed approach mirrors a proposed regulation by Gov. McGreevey that the courts struck down in 2007 because it allowed for more restrictive zoning regulations than permitted by the State Constitution.