Thursday 2pm: FSHC Webinar To Detail Impact of NJ’s Landmark New Affordable Housing Law
In a historic milestone, 401 municipalities have now adopted final implementing ordinances for their Housing Element and Fair Share Plans — marking the most widespread compliance since the inception of New Jersey’s groundbreaking Mount Laurel Doctrine.
Last year, a record 423 municipalities adopted and filed housing plans — far more than ever before. In the months since, the new Affordable Housing Dispute Resolution Program, created by New Jersey’s new affordable housing law (A4/S50), has successfully guided towns and advocates through a structured mediation process, resolving the vast majority of disputes without years of costly litigation. This unprecedented level of participation reflects a dramatic shift from past decades, when the process was often stalled by litigation and delay.
New Jersey’s landmark 2024 affordable housing law strengthened the Mount Laurel Doctrine by streamlining the development process, codifying a transparent methodology for determining municipal obligations, and creating new tools and incentives to encourage compliance.
“This is a historic turning point,” said Adam Gordon, executive director of Fair Share Housing Center. “These housing plans will help ensure that the people who keep our communities running — from teachers to retail workers — can actually afford to live nearby. That’s good for local businesses, good for local economies, and essential to New Jersey’s long-term stability.”
Gordon will be joined this Thursday, May 28 at 2pm for a Webinar featuring DCA Commissioner Jacquelyn Suárez, Princeton Councilwoman Mia Sacks, and Evesham Deputy Mayor Heather Cooper, moderated by Rev. Eric Dobson.
Many of New Jersey’s largest communities have now finalized plans that will create and preserve affordable homes through smart growth strategies — including redeveloping outdated malls, office parks, and other underutilized sites. Across the state, municipalities are advancing new housing near transit, partnering with nonprofits, and expanding opportunities for seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities.
Prior to the passage of A4/S50, many of these same municipalities spent years — and in some cases decades — locked in litigation over their affordable housing requirements. Under the new law, towns were given clear obligations, predictable rules, and a fair opportunity to resolve disputes through mediation rather than protracted court battles. The result is a process that is faster, more transparent, and far more productive.
Under NJ’s new affordable housing law, towns were required to adopt their final implementing ordinances by March 15, though several towns were granted extensions to May 15. For towns that have not yet adopted their final housing plan ordinances, some are continuing to work toward settlement agreements through mediation, while others will be heard before a judge this spring or summer.
In New Jersey, the constitutional obligation for each municipality to allow its fair share of affordable homes, known as the Mount Laurel Doctrine, is recalculated every 10 years in cycles known as Rounds. Each municipality’s obligations are calculated by looking at factors in various regions of the state — such as job growth, existing affordability, and the growth of low- and moderate-income households — which determines an individualized requirement for affordable housing.
New Jersey’s new law, which strengthened the Mount Laurel framework, gives towns a wide variety of tools to create affordable homes in the way they prefer. Municipalities can choose from a range of options — such as 100% affordable housing, mixed-income housing, supportive housing for seniors or people with disabilities, or repurposing abandoned malls or offices.
Towns must follow strict requirements for affordable units: at least 50% of homes must be reserved for low-income households (below 50% of area median income), including at least 13% reserved for very low-income households (below 30% of AMI), with the remainder for moderate-income households (50–80% of AMI).
Examples of municipalities filing strong plans to create and preserve affordable housing under New Jersey’s new affordable housing law (A4/S50) include:
- East Brunswick Township will redevelop the Brunswick Square Mall into a mixed-income, mixed-use development and use town-owned land for a 100% affordable housing development for 25 families;
- Evesham Township will redevelop an outdated office park into mixed-income housing that also includes supportive housing for people with disabilities and partner with Habitat for Humanity to create new affordable homeownership opportunities for families;
- Galloway Township will redevelop multiple sites along the Route 9 and White Horse Pike corridors into mixed-income housing;
- Hamilton Township will create new affordable homes near the Hamilton Train Station and partner with local non-profit HomeFront and a local Catholic Church to create new homes for families and seniors;
- Neptune Township is creating a broad mix of of affordable housing — group homes that provide supportive housing for residents with disabilities, Medicaid-funded housing for vulnerable residents, age-restricted affordable housing for seniors, and multiple inclusionary rental developments for working families;
- Paramus Borough will continue the recent success in redeveloping major shopping malls into mixed-income housing by allowing for more such conversions along the Route 17 corridor;
- Princeton will partner with local non-profit Princeton Community Housing to create new affordable housing and create new opportunities for mixed-use, mixed-income downtown redevelopment.
“What we’re seeing is a lot of smart, strategic growth that benefits entire communities,” said Gordon. “Redeveloping empty offices and abandoned malls into housing helps towns grow in a way that’s both sustainable and inclusive.”
For additional background:
FSHC Webinar on Thursday, May 28 at 2pm: How New Jersey’s Affordable Housing Law Is Strengthening Communities
State Court Report: Mount Laurel at 50: New Jersey’s Blueprint for Dismantling Residential Segregation
FSHC-HCDNNJ Report: Developing Effective Housing Plans in the Fourth Round: A Guide for Municipalities, Planners, Developers, Nonprofits, and Advocates
Executive Director Adam Gordon’s NJ.com op-ed: Under Sherrill, N.J. has momentum to become national leader on affordable housing
