BATEMAN: HOUSING LAW HURTS BOTH SUBURBAN AND URBAN

RCAs Were Good Public Policy. New Rules Aren't

Senator Christopher "Kip" Bateman (R-16) criticized legislation signed into law today by Governor Jon Corzine that prevents towns from fulfilling their affordable housing obligations by helping neighboring communities pay for needed development and redevelopment:

"Affordable housing for New Jersey residents is important. So is letting towns determine for themselves what kind of growth is best for their communities. This bill, combined with new rules issued by the Council on Affordable Housing, will cripple local efforts to control sprawl and create unique and vibrant communities.

"Regional Contribution Agreements gave towns an opportunity to work together in the best interests of their residents. Towns that wanted to preserve open space or had little developable land could help other communities pay for development that they welcomed and desperately needed. Taking that option away is bad public policy.

"This legislation, coupled with the new COAH requirements, has the potential to drastically alter the culture of many New Jersey communities, and not for the better. The estimated $18 billion in costs of compliance will be borne by local property taxpayers who already pay by far the highest property taxes in the nation. The plan will starve communities of the resources they need to pay for vital services such as schools and police protection.

"Perhaps most important of all, this bill and the new quotas will further slow New Jersey's economy. Businesses seeking to relocate will not want to pay the unbelievably high price tag of a scheme that can only result in diminished quality of life for their employees.

"I fully support the League of Municipalities' appeal of the new COAH rules, and I urge my fellow legislators to repeal the affordable housing law the governor signed today. It is a step backward for our state."

In addition to prohibiting Regional Contribution Agreements, the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) released a new set of rules outlining where and how many affordable housing units need to be built. Some of the areas listed as open acreage in the COAH report include: parts of the Army's Picatinny Arsenal, highway medians and rest stops, areas between the runways and taxiways at airports, and private homeowners' back yards.