Princeton Council introduces three affordable-housing districts, approves multiple contracts and sets Feb. 9 public hearings
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Summary
The Princeton Mayor and Council on Jan. 27 introduced three ordinances to establish Affordable Housing Districts AH‑10, AH‑14 and AH‑15, set public hearings for Feb. 9, 2026, and approved a slate of professional services and vendor contracts including a solid-waste contract and funding for a stormwater feasibility study.
The Princeton Mayor and Council on Jan. 27 introduced three ordinances to amend the municipality’s land-use code and create Affordable Housing Districts AH‑10, AH‑14 and AH‑15, setting public hearings for Feb. 9, 2026.
Council members said the ordinance introductions are in furtherance of the Fair Housing Act and followed the formal introduction with roll-call confirmation. The council did not discuss the ordinances in detail at introduction, consistent with the procedure that a public hearing will follow on Feb. 9.
In the same meeting the council approved a series of resolutions authorizing professional services and contracts. Key approvals included a professional-services agreement with Skorinsky Hollenbeck LLC for environmental legal and litigation services (not to exceed $150,000), a fourth‑year waste collection contract with Interstate Waste Services of New Jersey, Inc. (not to exceed $1,525,645 for the year), an agreement with KG Law Group LLC to serve as municipal prosecutor for 2026 (not to exceed $78,000), the Law Office of Douglas Herring to serve as public defender for 2026 (not to exceed $57,500), and authorization of Princeton Hydro LLC to proceed with Phase 3 of a stormwater utility feasibility study (not to exceed $256,100).
On litigation spending, municipal counsel reported $402,013.20 in payments to date related to ongoing litigation and cleanup work and said council is monitoring expenditures while pursuing recoveries from insurance carriers. Council members noted the litigation work aims to secure up to $1,000,000 from an insurer, and emphasized oversight to avoid outspending potential recoveries.
Council also approved procurement through state cooperative contracts for 2026 and an encroachment agreement with the Rotary Club of the Princeton Corridor for freestanding signage on Mercer Street and Great Road; staff clarified the Rotary signs will not be mounted on municipal "Welcome to Princeton" signs and will be on separate posts.
The Arts Council of Princeton was authorized to hold an outdoor art market/street fair on May 2, 2026; council members discussed and confirmed that Palmer Square management was consulted to provide notice to affected residents.
What happens next: public hearings for the three affordable‑housing district ordinances are scheduled for Feb. 9, 2026; the professional services and vendor contracts approved at the Jan. 27 meeting will move forward under the dollar limits stated in the resolutions.
