COAH cites Lawrence as a good example of a Fair Share Plan.  Mercer Alliance offers its congratulations to Lawrence
The Trentonian (trentonian.com), Serving Trenton, NJ

News

Lawrence praised for its fairness in affordable housing
Friday, April 10, 2009

By JOAN GALLER
Staff Writer

LAWRENCE — Lawrence Township’s plan to provide its fair share of affordable housing has earned the first substantive certification under revised third-round rules of the Council on Affordable Housing.

Lawrence shares this distinction with just one other municipality in New Jersey, Pine Hill, a borough in Camden County.

Substantive certification is COAH’s determination that a municipality’s fair share plan presents a realistic opportunity for the production of affordable housing to address the town’s portion of the affordable housing need.

The substantive certification granted to Lawrence Township and Pine Hill is valid until Dec. 30, 2018.

“Over 350 municipalities, a record number, have signaled their intent to participate in the COAH process,” said Joseph Doria, commissioner of the state Department of Community Affairs and COAH board chairman.

“Lawrence and Pine Hill are the first of what will be many municipalities that receive certification,” he said in a statement.

“I want to commend them both for taking this great step forward in providing their fair share of affordable housing for their constituents.”

The certification announcement came earlier this week after the action was taken during COAH’s board meeting.

Lawrence Township Mayor Pamela H. Mount afterwards expressed delight that the township had met all requirements for third-round rules.

“Most towns never fulfilled their second round” of affordable housing rules, the mayor said. “I don’t get it when they say affordable housing is going to ‘ruin’ of their town and they spend all kinds of money to fight it in court.”

Lawrence Township “has always chosen to go ahead and do what we have to do, and get it done,” Mount continued.

“We are a progressive and diverse town with coordinated housing, retail big and small, and a mall, where everything happens,” the mayor said. “It’s a mosaic that works.”

The COAH board also adopted new income limits for New Jersey’s six housing regions based on U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 8 income limits for the state’s six housing regions defined by COAH.

COAH, an affiliate of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, facilitates the production of sound, affordable housing for low and moderate income households by providing the most effective process to municipalities, housing providers, nonprofit and for-profit developers to address a constitutional obligation within the framework of sound, comprehensive planning.

For housing income limits, visit online at www.nj.gov/dca/affiliates/coah/reports/incomelimits.pdf.

URL: http://www.trentonian.com/articles/2009/04/10/news/doc49deb9f68cdf4862289923.prt

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