Madison council approves borough contribution to unlock $2M-plus state funds for four affordable rentals

Madison Borough Council approved a local contribution intended to make a four-unit affordable rental project eligible for state funding, and adopted several other budget and equipment ordinances at its regular meeting.

Ordinance 22-2025 authorizes $200,337.55 from the borough’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund for construction of four affordable rental units at 24 Belmont Avenue. A council member explained the appropriation is the municipality’s roughly 10% share that “is critical to unlock the over $2,000,000 that the Housing Authority is seeking from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs.” The ordinance passed by roll call vote with all members recorded as yes.

The council also adopted three other ordinances on the consent calendar. Ordinance 20-2025 appropriated $107,707 from the General Capital Improvement Fund for the Madison–Chatham joint meeting. Ordinance 21-2025 authorized $18,204 from the municipal open space, recreation and historic preservation trust fund for construction documents and cost estimates at the Museum of Early Trades and Crafts. Ordinance 23-2025 approved $2,556 from the General Capital Improvement Fund to buy batteries for Madison Police Department portable radios. Each ordinance was moved, seconded and approved by roll call.

Council members discussed the affordable housing item in brief before the vote. The mover noted the borough’s contribution is intended to leverage state grant funding the Madison Housing Authority is pursuing, describing the local share as a small but necessary part of the project’s financing. No dissent was recorded.

Also on the meeting’s consent agenda, the council approved resolutions 172–181. Those items included a grant insertion for the borough’s Clean Communities program, acceptance of gifts from an estate to the police and fire departments, and authorization of a change order and final payment for the Madison Public Library interior renovation project. Council members said they would follow up with a letter thanking volunteers and the Historic Preservation Commission after one resolution involving proposed NJ Transit station signage was withdrawn by NJ Transit.

The meeting record shows the ordinances and consent resolutions were adopted and will be published and filed in accordance with law. The council next scheduled public hearings for first-reading ordinances at the next regular meeting cycle when required.