The Village of Ridgewood is reportedly in settlement talks with Kensington Senior Development and the Fair Share Housing Center
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The battle over development and state housing mandates has reached a boiling point in Ridgewood. The Village Council’s decision to reject a key zoning change has triggered a major lawsuit, putting the borough’s entire affordable housing compliance plan in jeopardy.
In September 2025, the Village of Ridgewood was hit with a civil lawsuit filed by Kensington Senior Development and the Fair Share Housing Center (FSHC) after the Council voted down a zoning overlay needed for a proposed 125-bed assisted living facility on North Maple Avenue.
The Stakes Are High: Why This Site Was Critical
The 1.3-acre parcel on North Maple Avenue was not just any site—it was explicitly identified in Ridgewood’s Housing Element and Fair Share Plan as essential for meeting the borough’s state-mandated fourth-round affordable housing obligations.
The Council’s vote against the zoning overlay has left the borough exposed to legal challenges and increased oversight, creating immense pressure as a critical December 31 deadline approaches. Failure to resolve these disputes could lead to punitive builder’s remedy lawsuits, stripping the Village of local control over development density.
Benefits of the Kensington Senior Living Proposal
Kensington Senior Development has consistently argued that their project offered substantial benefits to Ridgewood, directly addressing several community needs:
| Key Benefit | Kensington’s Promise |
| Senior Housing | Providing a First-Class Housing Option allowing Ridgewood seniors to age in place within the community. |
| Local Economy | Tens of millions in investment, significant local spending (pharmacy, dining, arts, etc.), and 170+ new full/part-time jobs (nurses, chefs, care managers). |
| Tax Revenue | Generating significantly more taxes than the current property. |
| PILOT Advantage | Eligibility for a PILOT (Payment In Lieu of Taxes), potentially directing 95% of the payment to the Village (vs. 22% under current tax rates). |
| School Impact | Guaranteed zero additional school children, making the PILOT option financially attractive. |
| Traffic | Assisted living is a low traffic generator, with shift changes scheduled during off-peak hours. |
Settlement Talks Begin: What’s Next for Ridgewood?
With the lawsuit filed by Kensington and the powerful Fair Share Housing Center, the focus has immediately shifted to resolution. The Village of Ridgewood is reportedly in settlement talks to find a path forward that satisfies the state’s mandates without completely overriding local governance.
This case epitomizes the ongoing statewide struggle for New Jersey municipalities to balance local opposition with the legal requirement to provide diverse and affordable housing options.
The coming months will be crucial as officials race against the looming deadline to protect the village from the costly, high-density developments associated with builder’s remedy suits.
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in previous meetings the deputy mayor and also the mayor said this was a done deal. This shifts the burden of approval from the council being the bad guys to the courts.
Check your bed count – sounds a little light…
Court is being used as a workaround by Keith Kazmark and Paul Vagianos to convince the residents that it was not their decision.
A legal battle is as good as the arguments they are willing to present.
Liars and more smoke and mirrors. They think the tax payers are stupid. Some are!
We also didn’t land on the moon.
PILOT screws the school system.
Not having children in the school is no reason to subvert the normal process.
Plenty of commercial properties don’t have kids in schools.
“Assisted living is a low traffic generator, with shift changes scheduled during off-peak hours.”
LOL
With no traffic or pedestrian study to back that up. 20k visitors a year plus staffing, ambulances, therapists, deliveries. Low traffic – ha ha ha ha ha!
It’s not the buildings, it’s the location–which will only become a worse idea and never a better one.
Please note: this is not about affordable housing. Of the 120 units, only 4 are affordable housing units! This is a scam that developers (Kensington in this case) use to get zoning laws changed, build inappropriately large buildings and drive their profit.
No need to worry for a few months …….. Whatever happens will be pushed through this summer when no one is looking!
Or after midnight when the talking has caused everybody to head home……………………..
We know this is going to pass with some modifications to size location and structure. Support the process and the people looking to the future.
Ridgewood will have to accept that this project will be built, so NIMBY will not stave off the courts with judgements that go past local decisions (to manage the design, etc.)
now is time to pivot to negotiations to address key design size etc. issues
12 not 4 low income, and 20k visitors is almost one visitor every other day. Lets not make stuff up!
You sure about that math Clark?
20k / 365 is 55+ per day….