Millburn Joins Effort To Overturn Affordable Housing Law In New Jersey

MILLBURN, NJ — Millburn has joined eight other New Jersey towns in an attempt to overturn the state’s new affordable housing law.

On Monday, officials with nine municipalities in New Jersey filed a lawsuit against the state, seeking to overturn its new affordable housing law. The list includes Millburn, Denville, Florham Park, Hillsdale, Mannington, Montvale, Montville, Old Tappan and Totowa.

The law was passed last year. It gives the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs the authority to run the development of affordable housing in the state – and determine how many units every town and city must build over the next decade.

Other lawmakers – including the mayor of Millburn’s nearby Essex County neighbor, Newark – have supported the state’s new affordable housing regulations, saying that they’re necessary to make sure that every town is creating their “fair share” of housing for low and moderate-income residents.

The Fair Share Housing Center called the legal effort a “smokescreen” and said it will likely be thrown out of court. Read More: NJ Advocates Defend State's Affordable Housing Rules Amid Lawsuit

However, according to Montvale Mayor Mike Ghassali, who is spearheading the effort for the “Local Leaders for Responsible Planning” coalition, it’s not fair for towns like those in the lawsuit to be forced to support the housing needs of other municipalities, which are often significantly bigger.

The coalition called out 62 “urban aid municipalities” for “unfairly” imposing their housing needs on their neighboring towns and cities. The lawsuit also challenges the dispute process laid out in the law, which the coalition alleges will take the decisions about housing policies out of the hands of local elected officials.

“We all want safe, welcoming, and vibrant neighborhoods, but the new Fourth Round mandates from Trenton go too far and will place unnecessary strain on our towns without providing any resources to make it work,” Ghassali said.

“Our priority is to fight so that local elected officials have the power to ensure our towns grow in a responsible manner, which this law prevents,” he added.

• See Related: Affordable Housing In Millburn: Outcome Of Court Hearing Announced
• See Related: Affordable Housing Plan Hits Snag In Millburn

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