Housing Plan Element Legislation S4451/A5667
Housing Plan Element Legislation (S4451 and A5667)
An important new bill has been introduced in the New Jersey Legislature that would amend the New Jersey Municipal Land Use Law (MLUL) to create a more comprehensive housing plan element in the municipal master plan that addresses housing for all segments of the community and encompasses a wide variety of housing types, not just the municipality’s obligation to address its fair share of low and moderate-income housing.
The Senate version of the bill (S4451) is sponsored by Senator Troy Singleton (District 5, Burlington) and Benjie Wimberly (District 35, Passaic). S4451was passed by the full Senate on June 30 and now goes to the Assembly for consideration.
The companion bill introduced in the Assembly (A5667) is sponsored by Yvonne Lopez (District 19, Middlesex) and was assigned to the Assembly Housing Committee.
APA-New Jersey Chapter had an important role in crafting this legislation and supports its enactment into law.
It is anticipated that there will be further discussions with interested parties and the legislative sponsors as the bill continues to move forward. The Chapter will continue to be actively involved and have meaningful input on the bill during this process.
What the bill does:
- Moves the statutory requirements of the housing plan from the Fair Housing Act to the MLUL to better integrate the housing plan with the municipality’s land use plan and other elements of the master plan.
- Broadens the types of housing to be evaluated in the housing plan, including “missing middle housing,” such as two-and four-family dwellings, live-work units, and accessory dwellings, as well as other housing types that may be appropriate.
- Includes a consideration of redevelopment to create new housing, including the redevelopment of vacant and underutilized retail commercial and office buildings, sometimes called “stranded assets,” into new residential housing.
- Requires an evaluation of the appropriate location of housing relative to community facilities, services and shopping, employment, and transit.
- Establishes a comprehensive and coordinated planning approach in which the need for housing is evaluated in relation to other important community planning objectives.
Why this is important:
- The bill provides municipalities with flexibility to design local housing plans that meet the housing needs of all segments of their communities.
- A more comprehensive housing plan can provide the foundation for using zoning to create a wide range of housing types, including missing middle housing, ADUs.
As Chapter President Charles Latini has stated: “Housing remains a cornerstone of New Jersey’s economic competitiveness. Communities that have taken a proactive approach to housing planning have consistently seen stronger outcomes…” This is true not only in addressing Mount Laurel compliance, but by providing a variety of housing types that form the foundation of economically strong, vibrant, and sustainable communities.
For more information, testimony on the bill provided by Thomas Dalessio, FAICP, PP, our Chapter’s Vice President of Policy, and Stan Slachetka, FAICP, PP, member of the Chapter’s Housing Committee, and a list of FAQs, please see the links below.
We urge all our members to review the proposed legislation, as well as the accompanying testimony and FAQs, and reach out to your legislators to support these bills!