Here’s a copy of the email I sent to Assemblyman Benjie E. Wimberly this morning regarding today’s hearing about high density housing.
July 25, 2018
Assemblyman Benjie E. Wimberly
Chair Housing and Community Development
Via asmwimberly@njleg.org,
RE: Committee Hearing on High Density Housing July 25th
Honorable committee members, invitees, public and Chair Wimberly;
I unfortunately cannot attend the July 25th, 2018 Committee Hearing on High-Density Housing and would appreciate it if you could please read this into the record.
I am a resident of 50 years in West Windsor, NJ, in Mercer County.
The NJ courts have ruled that towns must meet fair housing needs totaling more than 150,000 units, statewide. Specifically, West Windsor must build 1,500 affordable housing units by 2025.
West Windsor has acted in good faith in providing affordable housing over the years, and so we have credit for about 1,000 affordable units, which means we must build an additional 500 units. However, since developers build 4 market rate units for every 1 affordable unit (if we’re lucky), we’re actually looking at 2,500 units, or an increase of 25 percent to the township’s current inventory of some 10,000 units.
This is a huge increase that will pose a hardship to our residents. In addition to increasing existing residents’ property taxes (to subsidize the lower property taxes that will be paid by these high-density housing units), West Windsor Township will also be burdened with:
· Increased traffic on roads and railways
· Increased stress on aging infrastructure such as water supply, sewers, electrical grids, telecommunications (including internet connectivity and broadband speeds)
· General overpopulation and overcrowding, including overcrowding of schools and/or the need to build additional schools
We need to address the unrealistic process the court is using to micromanage how many units a community needs to build. We need to stop court-mandated high-density housing. Obligations should be determined by the State Council on Affordable Housing, which needs to set uniform rules and create predictability. Municipalities should have the right to reject any development that increases housing by more than 5% in 10 years.
It’s important to note, West Windsor has already started making an effort to satisfy their obligation, by recently agreeing to build 800 new homes (including 132 affordable units) next to the Princeton Junction Train Station.
High density housing is not good planning and will lead to rampant over-development, lower quality of life, and higher costs. The only people that benefit from these affordable housing mandates are the developers. The existing residents are the biggest losers and the affordable housing isn’t even that affordable!
As a resident of West Windsor Township, I thank you for your time and attention.
Sincerely,
Tracy Sinatra
Republican Candidate for New Jersey General Assembly District 15, Election November 6, 2018
Yes yes yes so very important to you as you run for public office yet you don’t have the time to attend the meeting? Really?
Here’s what we did with your e mail and how we’ll vote come November:
D E L E T E
I wonder who will be the rental agent for all the housing in the CBD? That should tell us something.
What tells us something is the two of the builders are Ridgewood residents, at least one is, one may be a former resident, maybe son still is. There is no loyalty to community when it comes to dinero. Does the third have a connection to Ridgewood.
7:29 Decaf…the content of the letter was factual …these harmful edicts will cause long term residents to leave NJ IN DROVES They will take their investments and sell homes to any takers ..Leaving behind hollowed out communities ….what’ever the politics involved.,,Boomers kids are all done and dusted..equals mobility..usa job picture has improved..technology means you don’t have to be in NJ and suffer high taxes and roads are beyond bombed out,,
As much as I miss the area, I am glad we made (actually forced out due to job loss) the decision to leave. The new developments will change what we loved so much about Ridgewood and that parking garage – yuck. None of it is good for the town. It all makes the town less desirable to people looking to purchase homes in the area when they could live in other nearby towns with good schools and train service – Glen Rock, HoHoKus Allendale, Ramsey – all great towns.
Get rid of this coah/affordable housing law once and for all . Vote these morons out.Other towns will be going in the same direction if they have not already.
10:33 shares the truth of one who contributed to the town but shares fact that Ridgewood has changes for worse. Roads are Dog Food A crime in fact. Someone needs to loose their job over this complete mismanagent of Our Roads for Gods Sakes. This is not health barn level mismanagement Much bigger issue here
Dear Anonymous,
It’s not that I didn’t have the time to attend, nor did I think it wasn’t important. My employer requires me to give at least 2 weeks notice before I take a vacation day. This would have been required for me to attend. I would have gladly requested time off to attend, however I was only notified of this meeting days beforehand.
I appreciate your concern. I did make sure our local council members were present and they did a fantastic job representing our district. Thank you for your concern and feedback.
Tracy Sinatra