Is State Eyeballing Warren's COAH Funds?

After attending a program on Housing Options at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Deputy Mayor Carolann Garafola became concerned about the township's funds collected to pay for low- and moderate-income housing required by the state.

At the May 19 Township Committee meeting, she noted the funds, which have been collected from developers to pay for projects needed to meet state-mandated housing needs, can be taken by the state and placed in the New Jersey Affordable Housing Trust Fund if the township doesn't spend them, and with no projects currently on the books, the committee members said they'd better "use it or lose it."

Garafola cited a program undertaken by Bergen County United Way to finance and build housing units for special needs residents on behalf of several municipalities, including Allendale.

"So I think we need to start thinking creatively about what we can do with that money," she said.

Township Administrator Mark Krane said the township doesn't have any ongoing projects, after the completion last year of two group homes for special need residents. The state Council on Affordable Housing program, which sets requirements for municipalities on affordable housing for low-, moderate-income and special needs residents, is currently in limbo.

"Our sense is that the principles of affordable housing will stay in place because that's supported by the court order," Krane said this week, referring to the  New Jersey Supreme Court's decisions in cases against Mt. Laurel Township which set requirements for municipalities to provide housing for the low- and moderate-income residents.

He added the township has done some studies regarding senior housing and housing needs for developmentally disabled and other special needs groups to identify potential uses of the collected funds.

The committee tasked Krane and Township Zoning Officer John Chadwick with reviewing the information Garafola collected at the program, and will revisit potential projects.

While there's no looming deadline for the use of the funds, the committee members agreed they do not want it to be "swallowed up by the state."