GOP STRONG OFFERS ALTERNATIVES TO LOW INCOME HOUSINGG

 GOP STRONGFighting For Republican Victories

Ramaglia 201-697-7699

                                                                     GOP STRONG OFFERS ALTERNATIVES TO LOW INCOME HOUSING 

GOP Strong co-chairman Michael Ramaglia noted that his group is prepared to offer alternatives to the forced low income housing mandates of the Corzine administration and welcomes other suggestions from rank and file Republicans at tonight’s affordable housing meeting in Wayne

This issue has been out before the public   for many months without adequate response from leaders in the Republican Party. We welcome those with questions and ideas to come forward and help us develop alternatives to the Democrats ruinous socialist housing plan.

The questions and comments already raised by GOP Strong include the following:1. Attack the basic assertion of Corzine that everyone in New Jersey “has a right” to an affordable house  The state Supreme Court ruled in the Mt. Laurel case that there has to be an opportunity through zoning law to build lower income houses. It did not say that everyone has a right to a house. 

2. GOP Strong says the Republican Party needs to recognize that home ownership is something you earn, not a right granted to you by the government.

What separates Republicans from Democrats is the notion that you work for what you want. You don’t wait for government handout”. Many people struggled to get a home and did it successfully with no help from the government. They worked two and three jobs. Didn’t go out to dinner and did without vacations and new cars.  They saved and bought a home and invested in its upkeep. 

3. GOP Strong says that The Republican Party should challenge the income limits established by COAH to grant subsidized housing to families and individuals. 

COAH has set income limits for those eligible for “affordable housing” subsidies that in many cases are equal to or more than the median income of families living in a particular town  For example the COAH median income limit for a family of four in Passaic County who could apply for affordable housing is $77,000 In Clifton, the 2007 median household income is   $56, 478  In Haledon, it’s $50,500;  Hawthorne, $61,300;  Little Falls, $65,200; West Paterson, $66,800; Totowa, 67,000  (CityData.com). 

4. Define the housing problem – challenge the builder’s remedy with other alternatives. 

For a lower paid municipal worker there is a better way to provide homes – a housing stipend. If a municipality finds it needs or lacks Public Works employees or secretaries because they can’t afford to live in town or nearby, the better solution is to give that employee a housing stipend to offset mortgage or rent costs. That makes a lot more sense than allowing a developer to build hundreds of units of housing to provide a handful of So-called “affordable units.” 

5. Create and expanded First Time Homebuyers Program and kill the builder’s remedy solution.

GOP Strong advocates creating a bigger statewide first time home buyers program, similar to the one initiated by the former Republican administration in Bergen County. Under the program, qualified buyers who lack down payment money for a new home, would receive a below market rate loan and, if needed, a grant to help make repairs on the house.  The loan money would be generated by a state bond and homebuyers who pay their mortgages would be paying off the bond.  Unlike with Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac mortgages, there would be no teaser rates and buyers would have to demonstrate a good employment history.

6. Challenge the “Live where you Work idea”

 One argument used by affordable housing is that people must be able to afford to live where they work.  That concept is absurd pie in the sky and unworkable for much of the state, especially in the Highlands Area. Thanks to the Highlands Act, The overwhelming majority of residents in the Highlands area will never be able to live where they work because of severe limits on commercial construction. 

On the one hand the environmentalists want us out of our cars so we don’t contribute to Global Warming. On the other hand, with no jobs in Highlands region, people are forced to drive 50, 60, 70 miles a day to their job. Is that good for the environment? Of course not.