NJ is forcing affordable housing construction — and towns are furious

In a bold and controversial move, New Jersey is forcing its municipalities to build thousands of new affordable housing units — and local leaders are pushing back.

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The state’s latest mandate has some municipalities reeling, with mayors warning that the plan is asking too much and threatens to completely change the character of their communities.

Earlier in 2024, the state Department of Community Affairs released its first official list of affordable housing requirements for every municipality. This follows the passage of a new law that forces municipalities to comply with a constitutional obligation dating back decades.

When Gov. Phil Murphy signed the new law in March, he claimed it would finally standardize how towns meet their housing obligations. The law aims to ensure that each municipality knows exactly how many affordable housing units it must build by 2035.

The numbers, which you can see below, are staggering.

The regulation is rooted in a landmark legal decision from 1975 called the Mount Laurel Doctrine. The doctrine forces every municipality in New Jersey to ensure they’re providing their “fair share” of affordable housing. It was codified into state law in 1985 with the Fair Housing Act.

Towns don’t have to build the housing themselves but they must allow developers to come in and put up new affordable apartments.

Mayors across the state are already saying that these new requirements are too much to handle and could lead to massive changes in their communities.