New Jersey Assembly Bill A2522

New Jersey 2024-2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/9/24
• Refer: 1/9/24

Caption

Requires calculation of need for low and moderate income housing units to be based current percentage of units occupied by low and moderate income individuals or families; revises "Local Redevelopment and Housing Law" to allow for senior citizen housing and community development.

Impact

The bill proposes amendments to existing laws concerning housing development, particularly emphasizing the role of municipal governments to provide a reasonable opportunity for developing additional low and moderate income housing stock when under 20% of housing is occupied by these populations. Moreover, the legislation allows for up to 60% of the low and moderate income housing stock to be accounted for by senior citizen households, thereby encouraging the creation and preservation of suitable housing for older residents. This can be significantly impactful in revitalizing communities while meeting critical housing demands.

Summary

Assembly Bill A2522 aims to establish a clear and understandable formula for calculating a municipality's obligation concerning low and moderate income housing. Under the proposed law, a municipality is deemed to have satisfied its fair share housing obligation if at least 20% of its housing stock is occupied by low and moderate income residents or designated disabled housing. This shift is designed to simplify the administrative processes associated with determining housing needs across New Jersey municipalities. The bill's requirements underscore the importance of data from the federal decennial census to ensure accurate assessments of local housing circumstances.

Contention

There may be contention around this bill due to its reallocation of housing obligations, particularly the 20% threshold, which some municipalities might find challenging to meet. Critics could argue that the bill imposes undue pressure on local governments to rapidly expand low and moderate income housing without adequate support or resources. Additionally, the reliance on census data for establishing housing needs may not wholly reflect real-time demographics and could lead to neglecting smaller communities that may struggle with unique housing challenges. Overall, this bill presupposes that a uniform standard can embrace the varying contexts across diverse municipalities.