KARROW BLASTS COUNCIL ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING’S ‘SCARCE RESOURCE RESTRAINT ORDER’  Assemblywoman Marcia A. Karrow  today said she is extremely concerned about the impact the Council on Affordable Housing’s (COAH’s) new “scarce resource restraint order” will have on municipalities located in the Highlands.  Under the order, which takes effect immediately, only residential projects and possibly commercial developments that include 20 percent affordable housing will receive local approvals and wastewater permits.  “COAH, the Governor Corzine and the Highlands Council don’t get it,” said Karrow, R-Hunterdon and Warren. “They are condemning Highlands municipalities to tax hell. How are my municipalities expected to pay for new growth or annual increases in utilities, insurance and pension obligations without the ability to grow ratables or worse, ties commercial development to increased housing?  The answer is they can’t and all of these cost of living increases will fall squarely on the shoulders of local taxpayers.  This is shameful.”Karrow added that by limiting a municipality’s ability to zone for commercial development, COAH has significantly overstepped its regulatory authority for meeting the housing obligations identified under the Fair Housing Act of 1985.  “I cannot believe that it will stand up in court,” stated Karrow. “The Corzine Administration and its policy are going to be solely responsible for creating a new level of rural poor.“In today’s economic climate it is critical to not forget about the 60 percent of the middle class that are struggling to make ends meet each month,” she continued. “This ‘scarce restraint order’ does completely the opposite,” Karrow added.  “It puts the needs of everyone else above the needs of the people who actually live and work in the Highlands. That is totally unacceptable.”                                                                 ####