Supremes Want New COAH Mandate

By Matt Rooney | The Save Jersey Blog

Supreme Court

Updated 4:04 p.m.

Here we go again.

In controversial 3-2 opinion released on Thursday afternoon, New Jersey’s Supreme Court has ordered the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) to resume meeting and, within five months, promulgate a new housing mandate for each of New Jersey’s 565 municipalities outlining a specific minimum number of affordable housing units.

Click here to read the full decision, Save Jerseyans. It’s central planning at its worst from a body that should have no role in policy to begin with!

Two justices – Hoens (Corzine-nominated) and Patterson (Christie) – dissented from the majority opinion authored by Justice LaVecchia, arguing that while “the judicial remedy created thirty years ago is not the only constitutionally permissible method for providing affordable housing,” they believe that “the view that the growth share approach is consistent with both Mount Laurel II and the FHA.”

The High Court reversed Governor Christie’s attempt to destroy the agency by executive action back in July.

“The Supreme Court has once again issued an irrational ruling with respect to housing development throughout our state. I am disappointed by the court’s decision which will place municipalities in legal limbo,” said Assembly Republican Whip Scott Rumana (R-Passaic, Bergen, Essex and Morris) in a press release. “In the aftermath of the court’s initial Mt. Laurel ruling over 30 years ago, municipalities have suffered through massive over-development and related costs. I have spent the last 20 years representing citizens in various elected capacities with a great focus on fighting against the absurd Mt. Laurel doctrine. By ruling against the ‘growth share’ concept, the court has once again turned over the destinies of every municipality to the bureaucrats of the Council on Affordable Housing; exposing municipalities to evermore and massive high-density residential over-development.”

Matt Rooney
About Matt Rooney 8405 Articles
MATT ROONEY is SaveJersey.com's founder and editor-in-chief, a practicing New Jersey attorney, and the host of 'The Matt Rooney Show' on 1210 WPHT every Sunday evening from 7-10PM EST.

2 Comments

Comments are closed.