How to fix the housing problem in NJ

Everyone knows that one of the biggest problems facing New Jerseyans is housing. Prices are way too high and both market-rate and affordable housing are in short supply.

According to an article on Re-NJ.com, David Brogan, who leads the New Jersey Apartment Association, explains the problem. And because his ideas for fixing the issue are the same ones I’ve been advocating for for years, I want to explain them to you.

Brogan says the government needs a new strategy because current policies are worsening things.

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New Jersey has never made it easy for people to do business. Landlord builders and developers are, after all, just business people. And this is one of the most difficult states to do business in.

The problem is that the New JErsey government piles on too many rules and restrictions. These rules limit how much housing can be built, driving up costs. For example, local zoning laws and environmental regulations make it hard to develop land. On top of that, extra fees and inspections for housing providers add more expenses, which leads to higher rent prices.

During the pandemic, unfair eviction bans forced landlords to house tenants for free, pushing many smaller landlords out of the business. That reduced the supply of housing. Then, inflation made everything more expensive—materials, labor, utilities, and even insurance costs skyrocketed. All these factors pushed rents even higher.

Brogan also points out that some New Jersey towns use rent control, which he says makes things worse. It discourages landlords from fixing up properties and leads to fewer available homes. Shouldn't a business owner be allowed to set his prices and let the market dictate whether people buy or not? That’s the way business is supposed to work in a capitalist society.

Brogan suggests something that I’ve begged, pleaded and screamed about for years. Instead of demonizing landlords, the government should work with them as partners to build more housing and improve what’s already there.

To solve this, we need fewer restrictions, more collaboration with private developers and more funding for housing assistance. If done right, this could increase housing supply, improve quality and help balance prices so everyone benefits.

But don’t expect any of this to happen. Because we're New Jersey, after all.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Judi Franco only.

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