Brick Joins Fight On Affordable Housing Requirements

Saying Brick Township does not need any more affordable housing units built in the township, the Township Council has passed a resolution to join with towns from around the state asking a judge to approve their affordable housing plans.

The resolution, passed at the Sept. 8 meeting, authorized the town to join a shared services agreement to pay for a statewide fair share analysis of affordable housing to be prepared by Rutgers University researcher Robert W. Burchell, to support the towns’ claims that they have met their obligations.

Mayor John Ducey, at the council meeting, said there is a group of developers and builders insisting that towns -- including Brick -- have not met their obligation for affordable housing.

“We have met if not exceeded our share,” Ducey said.

Brick Township’s share of the analysis and any potential rebuttals is $2,000, according to the resolution.

The resolution -- and anticipated legal filing -- is in response to a spring decision by the state Supreme Court transferring the decision-making power on affordable housing from the Council on Affordable Housing to the courts, due to months of inaction by COAH, according to NJ.com.

The Fair Share Housing Center, a public nonprofit organization, estimates 350,000 affordable housing units are needed throughout the state, and says towns have been shirking that responsibility for two decades, according to a New Jersey Spotlight report.

That Fair Share Housing Center analysis estimated Brick Township needs to add more than 2,000 affordable units.

Recent county Superior Court rulings have given some towns until December to file their affordable housing plans.

“We don’t need more affordable housing, we don’t want it and we’re definitely going to fight it,” Ducey said.