Municipalities Submitting Their Third Round COAH Plans
233 Filed Before the December 31st Deadline

TRENTON – New Jersey Department of Community Affairs Commissioner Joseph Doria issued the following statement today regarding the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH):

“As of this afternoon, 233 municipalities in New Jersey have submitted their third round affordable housing plans to COAH.  It is possible more plans may arrive, therefore, a final number will not be available until late Friday or early Monday of next week.  Additionally, there are numerous municipalities that have filed plans with the Court or were previously subject to builder’s remedy lawsuits.  Updates regarding which municipalities have submitted are available on COAH’s website at: http://www.nj.gov/dca/affiliates/coah/reports/.

“We are pleased that so many municipalities have taken this important step towards providing their fair share of affordable housing.  It speaks to their commitment to their residents and I praise them for their hard work.  COAH staff looks forward to working with them on their plans to ensure that housing is not only provided in an affordable manner, but in an environmentally sound one as well.

“While COAH is a voluntary process, those municipalities that have not submitted plans or have not gone through the Court have left themselves open to builder’s remedy lawsuits.  I encourage them to take part in the COAH process in order to spare their municipality and its residents the burden of such a lawsuit.  Though they may have missed the deadline, they can submit a plan at anytime.

“Providing New Jersey residents with the affordable housing they deserve is not just a constitutional obligation, but a moral one as well.  Now that we have received so many plans, we look forward to continuing this process for the benefit of the hard working men and women of New Jersey.”