Nine Municipalities Receive COAH Certification
44 Towns Now Certified Under COAH's Revised Third Round Rules


TRENTON - Nine 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: Allendale Borough, Cape May City, Clayton Borough, Knowlton Township, Middletown Township, Netcong Borough, Readington Township, South Plainfield Borough, and Stone Harbor Borough.

"Governor Corzine and I commend these municipalities for participating in the effort to provide housing that families living on limited incomes, senior citizens and disabled residents can afford," said Department of Community Affairs Acting Commissioner and COAH Board Chairman Charles A. Richman. "If New Jersey is to continue to grow and thrive, it is critical that we provide affordable housing opportunities in all of our towns so that community members such as first responders, social workers, teachers, child care workers and office support staff aren't blocked from living in the areas they serve."

The nine municipalities join Beverly City, Blairstown Township, Cape May Point Borough, Collingswood Borough, Delaware Township, Eastampton Township, East Brunswick Township, Flemington Borough, Florence Township, Frelinghuysen Township, Frenchtown Borough, Harding Township, Hardyston Township, Lawrence Township (Mercer County), Maplewood Township, Milford Borough, Millville City, Montclair Township, North Hanover Township, Old Bridge Township, Orange City, Palmyra Borough, Peapack & Gladstone Borough, Pennsauken Township, Pennsville Township, Pine Hill Township, Piscataway Township, Plainsboro Township, Rocky Hill Borough, Roxbury Township, South Hackensack Township, Springfield Township, Stockton Borough, Upper Pittsgrove Township and West Amwell Township as the first 44 towns in the state to receive certification under the third round rules. The third round rules are COAH's regulations governing affordable housing obligations through 2018. 

Under the plans certified for these 44 municipalities, 8,733 newly constructed affordable units have already been completed, with another 3,414 proposed. Additionally, 619 units have already been rehabilitated, with another 1,151 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 44 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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