The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Twp. of Washington NJ, a public hearing will take place at the June 18th, 2025, Planning Board Meeting beginning at 7:00pm (hybrid meeting) on the proposed 2025 Housing Element and Fair Share Plan for the Township of Washington.
“We are screwed in NJ due to a few things. The developers know that if they don’t get what they want, the ‘mt laurel’ nonsense is used as a ‘builders remedy’ and they simply toss in the minimum number of affordable housing units and get exponentially more ‘market rate’ units that would have been allowed under the permitted zoning. I have zero respect for our former council members, but depending on whether the developer gives a crap about town, it could be worse. I am not in favor of ANY of these new monstrosities and would have preferred something more within the existing character of the Village.”
May 15,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Trenton NJ, Gov. Phil Murphy’s proposed budget would use nearly $80 million to help fund affordable housing projects to fill gaps in his spending plans. Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi is having none of it.
At the conference of mayors a couple weeks ago in Atlantic City, Schepisi spoke to dozens of mayors who said that affordable housing obligations were crushing their own budgets.
“The affordable housing funds are already far below what towns really need to fulfill court-ordered projects,” said Schepisi (R-Bergen). “Mayors from both sides of the aisle have pleaded for help from the state on this issue and Governor Murphy is callously ignoring their calls by cutting the only funding they have, and that isn’t enough in the first place. The affordable housing issue will continue to crush our communities until the legislature and the governor decide to stop turning the other way and actually address this problem.”
Governor Murphy plans to redirect $59.3 million from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, and another $18.5 million from the Housing and Mortgage Financing Agency. Those two funds are the largest source of relief for municipalities who are forced by courts to provide affordable housing, regardless of demand.
Schepisi introduced a package of bills to address the affordable housing crisis last year, but they have not yet been considered for a vote. Schepisi’s affordable housing package includes:
Ending municipal obligations and requiring COAH to calculate and administer a statewide obligation (A1645/A1647/ACR80).
Requiring COAH to determine if towns can afford new housing and establishing a challenge to the obligation (A1646/A1648).
Eliminating the urban aid exemption from affordable housing obligations and amending the constitution to prohibit exclusionary zoning (A1649/ACR79).
Terminating the builder’s remedy that coerces affordable housing (A1650).
Speaking of the wall, did anyone see the summary of Vagianos’ housing comments as they appeared in the Ridgewood News? I am hoping they were mis-reported, but as I read them, he won’t comment on his view of the multi-family housing debacle in our state because the Courts are dealing with it.
Has he never taken high school civics? Legislators legislate and judges interpret.
If he does not understand his role as a legislator in our tri-partite government, he should drop out of the race now and go back to school for a while.
I would like to hear Vagianous’ view on housing – – as well as the view of all the candidates – – and what legislation they would support or introduce to roll back these court ordered mandates that are threatening to strangle towns like Ridgewood.
We face the prospect of thousands of apartments being forced into our town and surrounding towns. Anyone running for office must have a view – – a firm view – – not a mealy mouthed missive about how they don’t view it as their job to protect the standard of living for which their fellow citizens worked so hard.
This is the single most important issue we face and we need decisive leadership on the issue, not dithering.
https://theridgewoodblog.net/ridgewood-council-candidate-voigt-supports-garage-that-fits-vagianos-demands-loyalty-oath-for-the-garage-mahal/