Hundreds More Future Affordable Housing Units May Be Required
Fair Share Housing Plan
Joseph Burgis of Burgis Associates presented the borough’s Fair Share Housing Plan to the USR Planning Board at its virtual meeting on Thursday evening, October 22, 2020. This plan was approved by Bergen County Superior Court Judge Farrington in March 2020 and was sanctioned in June 2020. The Fair Share Housing Plan is part of the USR Master Plan. Every NJ municipality must prepare a Fair Share Plan.
Affordable Housing
There are three (3) components of the Fair Housing Plan:
1. Rehab Component: 8 units had been approved, but they were reduced to zero (0) because there were no properties fitting this description in the structural survey.
2. Prior Round Obligation 1987-1999: 206 fair share housing units were required and this obligation “has been addressed in its entirety,” said Burgis.
3. Future Obligation 1999-2025: The plan obliges the borough to build 529 future units of affordable housing. However, Burgis said that there is not enough open land available to meet this obligation. At best, he said that there are 40 developable acres available. As a result, this requirement may end up with a vacant land adjustment. There are potential overlay zones that have been identified along Route 17 South including Park Way, an office building on Route 17 and Park Way, the swing set facility on Route 17 North, as well as two (2) lots north of the swing set facility and one (1) lot south of that.
To partially meet the prospective need, the Prentice Hall property will provide 22 affordable units on site, 172 E. Crescent Ave is a 16 unit development with a 3 unit fair share housing credit, 160-168 Crescent Ave. will provide 20 units for prospective affordable needs, and the 7.8 acre site behind Porcelanosa at Mountain Ave and Route 17 North will provide 70 affordable housing units for senior citizens and disabled veterans. The Creative Gardens site was also mentioned as was the Dynasty building off Cottage Lane.
Compliance Meeting
On October 30, a compliance hearing is scheduled. USR is obligated to adopt this plan, Burgis said, recognizing that ordinances may need to be adopted/changed.