West Windsor planning board adopts revised housing element tied to Fair Share settlement

The West Windsor Planning Board voted unanimously on Feb. 4 to adopt a revised Housing Element and Fair Share Plan aimed at satisfying the township's affordable‑housing obligations under recent state law and a settlement with Fair Share Housing Center.

David Novak, a professional planner with Burgess Associates, presented the plan (dated Jan. 9, 2026) and said it replaces the town's June 2025 housing plan. Novak told the board the state adopted new affordable‑housing legislation on March 20, 2024, that reassigned functions previously handled by the Council on Affordable Housing to the Department of Community Affairs (DCA) and the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC). He said the revised plan implements a settlement requiring adoption and implementing ordinances by March 15, 2026.

"This housing plan is essentially designed to effectuate that settlement agreement," Novak said, summarizing why the board was voting on the revised document.

Under Novak's presentation, the township's prior‑round obligation (1987–1999) of 899 credits is satisfied by earlier components; the township's third‑round obligation (1999–2025) of 1,500 credits also remains satisfied by existing…