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Monroe officials respond to two filings contesting state affordable-housing numbers; mediation pending
Summary
Township attorney and mayor said two filings were made at month's end — one by the New Jersey Builders Association challenging the statewide program and one by Fair Share Housing — and that Monroe will participate in the new state mediation process; the mayor called the Builders Association action “disingenuous.”
Monroe Township officials reported at the March 3 meeting that two legal filings have been submitted related to the state’s new affordable-housing program and the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) numbers adopted by municipalities.
Township legal counsel said the New Jersey Builders Association filed a broad challenge that mirrors similar filings in many municipalities, and Fair Share Housing filed a separate challenge in Monroe. Counsel told the council the builders’ filing appears to be a generalized attack on the new program and that the township does not view it as a site-specific threat. The township has supplied information to Fair Share Housing and is participating in the new mediation process created under the Fair Housing Act implementation, with mediation notices expected to be sent this month.
Mayor Bridal sharply criticized the Builders Association filing and said the township will defend its locally derived fair-share calculation. “Monroe Township takes its fair share obligation very, very serious,” the mayor said, adding that the township would issue a public statement and coordinate with other mayors as needed.
Why it matters: the filings may affect how the municipal affordable-housing obligation is calculated or finalized under the new state process; mediation and possible legal proceedings will determine whether the township’s locally determined numbers are accepted.
What officials said: the township attorney said DCA’s preliminary numbers were based on broad datasets at the state level and that Monroe used site-level knowledge to adjust what land is developable. The attorney described the process as new and noted that timelines and outcomes will follow the mediation and administrative steps established under state law.
Next steps: the township will participate in mediation; the mayor said he planned a public release and outreach to other municipalities. Counsel said more information will be available as the mediation schedule is set.
