At the latest Township Council meeting on February 26, members discussed A-4, a state Assembly bill that recently passed and could affect Livingston’s future affordable housing plans.Specifically, A-4 is a planned overhaul of the current affordable housing system. It would abolish the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) and give its regulatory power to state-run agencies. If towns follow the guidance of the state, they would be immune to the builder’s remedy lawsuits that have threatened towns - including Livingston- during previous affordable housing rounds. Governor Phil Murphy has previously stated his approval of the bill, which will now move to the Senate, under bill S50 Sca(lR).The specific requirements of the legislation, however, could result in Livingston having to build more housing, even after the Council has spent much of the past few years working to satisfy its current and future housing obligations, at times, to the dismay of residents living nearby proposed developments. The new law states that people would be permitted to challenge a town’s affordable housing plan if they believe it does not meet the requirements set forth in the legislation. Township attorney Jarrid Kantor has plainly stated that the proposed legislation would be “bad for the town.”As a result, Council members said that they have been actively talking with Livingston’s state Assembly and Senate representatives about their concerns with affordable housing and how it will be affected by the bill.We must state, as we always do when discussing this topic, that while every implementation of it is not perfect, affordable housing, in and of itself, is certainly not bad. When it is being used not to force unwanted development, but rather for its basic purpose of helping those in need afford the living spaces they deserve, it is an example of good governance at work. But despite the good intentions at the root of affordable housing, a very flawed system has been created to support it in New Jersey, and the Council is indicating that the one poised to take its place will not be much better for Livingston.We were pleased to hear that the Council is fighting for the residents of this town in regard to this bill. Over the past few years, to satisfy the requirements mandated on the town by Fair Share Housing Center, the Council has approved several housing projects that have been unpopular with residents. In certain cases, Council members have expressed ...
