Housing (Affordable Housing) in New Jersey

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 1490: Facilitates construction and rehabilitation of affordable housing built in part through sweat equity by eventual occupant.

This bill creates a certification process for nonprofits that help low- and moderate-income residents build or rehabilitate homes through sweat equity (where future occupants contribute labor instead of money). It waives certain regulatory requirements for these certified nonprofits, including adaptability rules for housing units and marketing mandates for municipalities to count sweat equity homes toward affordable housing obligations. The bill also allows certified nonprofits to use their own affordability controls instead of state-mandated standards and directs state offices to expedite assistance for these projects. It directly affects low- and moderate-income households seeking affordable housing and the nonprofits facilitating their home construction.

Topics ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 686: Exempts senior citizens and blind or disabled persons from certain realty transfer fees.

This bill exempts senior citizens, blind individuals, and disabled persons from specific realty transfer fees when buying or selling their owner-occupied one- or two-family homes. It eliminates the State portion of the basic fee and general purpose fee for qualifying sellers and removes a 1% fee for qualifying buyers purchasing homes over $1 million. The exemption does not apply if the property is jointly owned by someone who doesn't meet the eligibility criteria. All affected transactions must still comply with standard transfer requirements, and fees not collected due to this exemption are redirected to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.

Topics ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Homeownership Housing Finance

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2805: Permits certain portion of municipal development trust funds to be spent on housing affordability assistance to veterans.

This bill (A 2805) allows New Jersey municipalities to use up to 30% of funds from municipal development fees - collected from residential developers - to provide down payment assistance grants for first-time veteran homebuyers. Each veteran would receive a grant of up to $15,000, and these grants would not count as income for eligibility in other state programs or for tax purposes. The funds must come from existing municipal development trust funds designated for housing affordability assistance under state law. The bill does not create new taxes or fees but redirects a portion of existing development fee revenue toward veteran homebuying support.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Housing ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Homeownership Property Development Veteran Housing

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 1915: Makes supplemental appropriation of $10 million to New Jersey Community Development Corporation for various community projects in City of Paterson.

This bill provides an extra $10 million in state funding for community projects in Paterson through the New Jersey Community Development Corporation. The funds are specifically allocated to three projects: $4 million for the Great Falls Youth Center at 52 Front Street, $3 million for a STEM/AI Innovation Hub at 59 Spruce Street, and $3 million for affordable housing with retail space at 98 Spruce Street. The funding is supplemental to existing appropriations and targets physical improvements and services in Paterson. The bill directs the corporation to use these funds immediately for these designated projects.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Housing ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Appropriations Affordable Housing Community Development Property Development Artificial Intelligence

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 925: "Closing the Segregated Housing Loophole Act"; prohibits segregation in affordable housing inclusionary developments.

This bill prohibits segregation in new inclusionary housing developments that mix market-rate and affordable units. It bans developers from creating separate entrances, amenities, or features that segregate residents based on income status or protected characteristics like race or religion. Municipalities cannot approve such segregated developments, and units in violating projects won’t count toward a municipality’s affordable housing quota. The bill establishes a complaint process for residents to report violations to the Department of Community Affairs, which can order corrections and impose penalties on noncompliant municipalities. It is pending before the New Jersey Assembly Housing Committee.

Topics ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 226: Establishes process to exempt municipality from certain fair share affordable housing obligations based on flood risk.

This bill (A 226) establishes a process for New Jersey municipalities to be exempt from certain affordable housing obligations if designated as "extensively flood-prone" by the housing council. It allows municipalities to avoid fulfilling fair share housing requirements - including past obligations - when flood risk would jeopardize development or preservation efforts. The exemption applies when flood-prone areas prevent feasible housing development, alongside existing adjustment factors like historic preservation or infrastructure constraints. The bill amends existing law (P.L.1985, c.222) to formalize this flood-risk exemption as a specific pathway for municipalities. The bill was introduced on January 13, 2026, and referred to the Assembly Housing Committee.

Topics ✗ Housing

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Historic Preservation Property Development

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 2556: Requires certain green building initiatives in plans for development or redevelopment of affordable housing planned for construction or substantial renovation.

This bill requires developers of certain affordable housing projects to meet specific green building standards. It applies to new inclusionary affordable housing developments and existing units undergoing major renovations, mandating compliance with Energy Star standards for construction and renovation. Key provisions include using LED lighting with occupancy sensors, requiring Energy Star-rated appliances, incorporating solar facilities where feasible (with a formal exemption process), and implementing features like EV charging stations and native landscaping. Developers must also test soil for contamination before new construction on inclusionary housing sites. These requirements aim to reduce energy use and environmental impact in affordable housing developments.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Electric Vehicles Solar Affordable Housing Building Codes Property Development

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 1252: Provides procedures for crediting certain dwellings used by agricultural workers in determination of municipality's fair share housing obligation.

This bill allows New Jersey municipalities to count certain dwellings used by agricultural workers toward their fair share housing obligation. Specifically, it permits municipalities to credit one housing unit for every existing or newly constructed dwelling on agricultural land that serves low- or moderate-income migrant or seasonal farm workers. To qualify, the dwelling must be exclusively for farm workers, meet income standards, and be on agricultural property. This change directly affects municipalities with agricultural land seeking to comply with state housing requirements. The policy modifies how housing obligations are calculated under existing law, focusing on crediting existing farm worker housing rather than requiring new construction.

Topics ✓ Housing ✓ Immigration

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 3989: Restricts use and sale of algorithmic devices for establishing rent price or occupancy of residential property.

New Jersey's A-3989 prohibits landlords from using or purchasing algorithmic software that sets, recommends, or advises on residential rent prices or occupancy rates. It specifically bans tools analyzing non-public competitor data (like actual rent prices or lease details from other landlords) to coordinate pricing, including AI-based systems. The bill exempts aggregated rental reports published by trade associations and tools used for government affordable housing programs. Violations trigger penalties under New Jersey's Antitrust Act, such as fines up to $500 per day per unit or criminal charges, and do not restrict landlords from setting rents based on public data or internal management.

Topics ✓ Housing ✗ Technology

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Landlords Renters Artificial Intelligence

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Mar 9, 2026

A 3586: Requires State to issue biennial report of unutilized State-owned property and potential for use as affordable housing.*

This bill (A3586) requires New Jersey's Division of Purchase and Property to create an annual report analyzing all state-owned real property for potential use as affordable housing. The report must inventory all state-owned land and buildings, including those held by agencies or authorities, and assess feasibility for low- and moderate-income housing development under existing law. The Division must submit this report to the Governor and Legislature within 13 months of the bill's effective date, then annually thereafter, and post it online. The bill directly affects state agencies managing property and requires them to systematically evaluate underutilized assets for housing opportunities.

Topics ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Property Development

All housing bills