Seven Municipalities Receive COAH Certification
31 Towns Now Certified Under COAH’s Revised Third Round Rules


TRENTON - Seven more municipalities today received substantive certification under the Council on Affordable Housing's (COAH) revised third round rules. The action came during today's COAH Board meeting. The municipalities are: Delaware Township, East Brunswick Township, Montclair Township, Orange City, Piscataway Township, Roxbury Township, and South Hackensack Township.

"Each month we are seeing more and more municipalities receiving their certification," said Department of Community Affairs Acting Commissioner and COAH Board Chairman Charles A. Richman.  "This is a testament to the record participation seen during COAH's third round and to these municipalities' desire to provide their fair share of affordable housing."

These seven municipalities join Beverly City, Blairstown Township, Cape May Point Borough, Eastampton Township, Flemington Borough, Florence Township, Frelinghuysen Township, Frenchtown Borough, Harding Township, Hardyston Township, Lawrence Township (Mercer County), Maplewood Township, Milford Borough, Millville City, North Hanover Township, Old Bridge Township, Pennsauken Township, Pennsville Township, Pine Hill Township, Plainsboro Township, Rocky Hill Borough, Springfield Township, Upper Pittsgrove Township and West Amwell Township as the first 31 towns in the state to receive certification under the third round rules.

Under the plans certified for these 31 municipalities 6,460 newly constructed affordable units have already been completed, with another 2,028 proposed. Additionally, 513 units have already been rehabilitated, with another 784 proposed.

Substantive certification is COAH's determination that a municipal 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 certifications granted to these 31 municipalities are valid for 10 years from the municipality's date of petition and provide protection from builder’s remedy lawsuits.

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.

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