Sponsored by:
Assemblyman PARKER SPACE
District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)
Assemblyman HAROLD "HAL" J. WIRTHS
District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)
SYNOPSIS
Authorizes municipalities that petition for or receive substantive certification pursuant to the “Fair Housing Act” to make certain affordable housing units available on a preferential basis to certain eligible persons.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act authorizing municipalities to make affordable housing units sponsored by corporate employers, owners of accessory units of housing, and farm owners, available to persons of low and moderate income on a preferential basis and supplementing P.L.1985, c.222.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Notwithstanding the provisions of any law, rule or regulation to the contrary, a municipality which has petitioned for or received substantive certification of its affordable housing plan from the Council on Affordable Housing pursuant to the “Fair Housing Act,” P.L.1985, c.222 (C.52:27D-301 et al.) may reserve, or may make available on a priority basis, units of affordable housing as follows:
(1) in the case of any unit of affordable housing sponsored by a corporate employer, any employee of that corporate sponsor who meets the income qualifications for a low or moderate income unit of housing shall have priority to purchase or rent, as appropriate, that unit of affordable housing;
(2) in the case of any unit of affordable housing sponsored by the owner of any farm that employs migrant workers, any migrant worker who meets the income qualifications for a low or moderate income unit of housing shall have priority to purchase or rent, as appropriate, that unit of affordable housing; and
(3) in the case of any unit of affordable housing created as an accessory unit of, and sponsored by, the owner of any unit of housing, any family member who meets the income qualifications for a low or moderate income unit of housing shall have priority to purchase or rent, as appropriate, that accessory unit of affordable housing.
b. affirmative regional marketing of any unit of affordable housing which meets the criteria of this section shall not be required in order for the unit to be credited toward the fair share obligation of a municipality pursuant to P.L.1985, c.222 (C.52:27D-301 et al.).
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would authorize any municipality which has petitioned for or received substantive certification of its affordable housing plan from the Council on Affordable Housing pursuant to the “Fair Housing Act,” P.L.1985, c.222 (C.52:27D-301 et al.) to reserve or make available on a priority basis certain units of affordable housing.
In the case of any unit of affordable housing sponsored by a corporate employer, the bill would authorize any employee of that corporate sponsor who meets the income qualifications for a low or moderate income unit of housing to have priority to purchase or rent, as appropriate, that unit of affordable housing.
In the case of any unit of affordable housing sponsored by the owner of any farm that employs migrant workers, the bill would authorize any migrant worker who meets the income qualifications for a low or moderate income unit of housing to have priority to purchase or rent, as appropriate, that unit of affordable housing.
In the case of any unit of affordable housing created as an accessory unit of, and sponsored by, the owner of any unit of housing, the bill would authorize any family member who meets the income qualifications for a low or moderate income unit of housing to have priority to purchase or rent, as appropriate, that accessory unit of affordable housing.
The bill also exempts from the requirement of affirmative regional marketing any unit of affordable housing meeting the criteria set forth in the bill, allowing such units to be credited against the fair share housing obligation of the municipality.