You Get What You Vote For: Local control over zoning is under direct threat from New Jersey’s affordable housing mandates
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood is at a major crossroads. Following a high-stakes federal ruling and a localized battle over senior living, Mayor Paul Vagianos is sounding the alarm: the Village’s local control over zoning is under direct threat from New Jersey’s affordable housing mandates.
What started as a neighborhood dispute over an assisted living facility on North Maple Avenue has evolved into a legal battle that could fundamentally change the character of the community.
The Kensington Controversy: From Neighbors to Lawsuits
The conflict began when Kensington, an assisted living developer, proposed a new facility between Franklin Avenue and Marshall Street. While the Village Council initially supported residents who opposed the project by voting down necessary zoning changes in August, that decision triggered a legal “nuclear option.”
In response to the denial, Kensington sued the Village, claiming the move violated New Jersey’s state-mandated affordable housing requirements.
“In affordable housing litigation, this outcome is widely regarded as the death penalty,” says Mayor Vagianos.
What is the “Zoning Death Penalty”?
Judge Pauline Sapp-Peterson recently warned Ridgewood that failure to adopt the Kensington ordinances could result in the loss of zoning immunity.
Why losing immunity is a disaster for local towns:
- Builder’s Remedy Lawsuits: If a town loses immunity, any developer can sue to build high-density housing that ignores local rules.
- Invalidated Ordinances: Local limits on height, density, and setbacks essentially become unenforceable.
- Massive Overdevelopment: Instead of a 40-foot building, a developer might be legally allowed to build a 60-foot structure.
- Loss of Control: Decisions move from the hands of the Village Council into the hands of a court-appointed master.
The Federal Ruling: No Help from the Courts
Ridgewood and dozens of other New Jersey towns had pinned their hopes on a federal lawsuit challenging the state’s affordable housing mandates (specifically the new “Round 4” requirements).
However, on January 20, 2026, U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi dismissed the municipalities’ complaint. This ruling leaves New Jersey’s mandates—and the pressure on Ridgewood—fully in place.
The Village Council’s Strategy
Despite the pressure, the Council has delayed a final vote on the Kensington ordinances until February 11, 2026. This delay was a final “leave no stone unturned” effort while waiting for the federal court’s decision. Now that the federal challenge has failed, the Village faces a grim choice:
- Accept the Kensington Settlement: Allow the assisted living facility to move forward with certain local restrictions.
- Risk Immunity: Face the “death penalty” and watch as developers potentially launch massive projects throughout the entire Village.
| Event | Date | Status |
| Federal Suit Dismissed | Jan 20, 2026 | Mandates Stand |
| Village Council Hearing | Jan 14, 2026 | Public Input Heard |
| Final Ordinance Vote | Feb 11, 2026 | Upcoming |
Protecting Ridgewood’s Future
Mayor Vagianos emphasizes that while “everyone left unhappy” from the recent town halls, the priority must be protecting the Village from wide-scale, unchecked development. “The alternative would do far too much damage throughout the Village,” he noted, explaining that Kensington would likely get to build their facility anyway—potentially even larger—if the town loses its legal immunity.
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Spineless cowards. Builders and politicians lining their pockets while destroying the fabric of the community.
“affordable” housing is not affordable when it in Ridgewood.
This is an inaccurate statement:
“Ridgewood and dozens of other New Jersey towns had pinned their hopes”
I specifically asked why ridgewood didn’t joined the coalition to fight against this and they said at the public meeting on Jan 14th that Ridgewood decided to settle with Kensington and Fair Share instead of joining the coalition.
What exactly is it that you people don’t understand?
The NIMBY’s for years have stalled any and all growth when it came to development / housing and now were in dire straights. So now it’s time to remove the obstacles and move forward with desperately needed housing. You had your chance and blew it. Now were taking control.
Yes we need more housing but not in Ridgewood. There is no justification to force Ridgewood to build massive apartment buildings. There are plenty of places in NJ to build
It’s at the behest of a governor who left in the new governor who don’t care about the rights of people to own single-family homes. Secondly, they’ve made it more owners before he left Murphy. That’s what you get when you vote for the wrong politician. And they don’t live the way we do. They’ll make sure their neighborhoods stay the way they are. They don’t never have to live in the areas they destroy.
You don’t get it. They’re trying to destroy single-family homes. You can’t keep putting up massive buildings where they don’t belong. We are not a city. We are a village. We want to keep it that way. Only those who have no respect for the people who lived here all these years like we have would say something so obnoxious. It will destroy the character of Ridgewood. It will make our taxes rise even further, use more services and make Ridgewood real estate go down. Who’s going to wanna live in such a congested area? If I wanted to live in New York City, I would’ve stayed there. You don’t like it move to a town that has that many buildings and see how wonderful it is for the residents. That location is unsustainable and dangerous for such a big building and that’s not affordable housing that’s a joke.