When it comes to building affordable housing, People at New Jersey’s Fair Share Housing Center (the Center) are feeling fairly confident that New Jersey is a state to emulate.
The Center was founded in the 1970’s, when the New Jersey Supreme Court, its modern home pictured above, ruled that all communities in the state were required to provide affordable housing. Since that ruling, the Center has monitored progress in achieving the Court’s direction. When things were not progressing, the Center spoke up, identifying state and local government regulations that contributed to the shortfalls in supply. The Center also sought support from the State’s Supreme Court to enforce its ruling.
Earlier this year, the state legislature passed new laws requiring all local governments to build affordable housing. The Center says the specifics of the legislation meet the intent of the Supreme Court’s direction. As well, the Center believes, based on these many years of experience, that enforcement is key to what has finally been achieved in New Jersey.
The Fair Share Housing Center issued a research study in 2023, which documents progress on housing starts and changes in regulation since the Supreme Court’s first ruling in the 1970’s. You can access the report at the Fair Share Housing Center: Dismantling Exclusionary Zoning: New Jersey’s Blueprint For Overcoming Segregation
News of the 2024 legislation and thoughts on how the experience in New Jersey would play out in other states are published in Next City1: New Jersey Just Took Bold Action on Exclusionary Zoning. Will Other States Follow Its Model?
