Housing (Affordable Housing) in New Jersey

in committee · New Jersey · General Assembly Feb 19, 2026

A 4121: Permits municipalities to establish affordable housing preference for first responders.

This bill permits New Jersey municipalities to prioritize first responders - such as police officers and firefighters - for affordable housing units that are part of their required fair share of low- and moderate-income housing. Municipalities that choose to adopt this preference can set aside specific units for first responders when allocating affordable housing, without changing their overall housing obligations. The change adds this option as a new technique within existing state law governing affordable housing requirements. It does not mandate any municipality to implement this policy, only allows them to do so if they choose.

Topics ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing

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

A 3516: Clarifies requirements for land use plan element and housing plan element of municipal master plan.

This bill (A3516) clarifies and updates requirements for two key elements in New Jersey municipalities' master plans: the land use plan and housing plan. It mandates that land use plans include a climate change hazard vulnerability assessment analyzing threats like flooding and sea-level rise, plus strategies for storm resiliency and environmental sustainability. The housing plan element must now evaluate existing housing stock (including affordable units), project future housing needs over 10 years, and analyze demographic trends. These requirements directly affect all New Jersey municipalities required to maintain master plans, ensuring they address climate risks and housing affordability in their planning processes.

Topics ✓ Environment ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Climate Change Affordable Housing Land Use Property Development

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

A 1228: Authorizes municipalities that petition for or receive substantive certification pursuant to the "Fair Housing Act" to make certain affordable housing units available on a preferential basis to certain eligible persons.

This bill allows New Jersey municipalities with approved affordable housing plans (under the Fair Housing Act) to prioritize certain affordable housing units for specific groups. It enables corporate employers to give priority to their low/moderate-income employees for housing units they sponsor, farm owners to prioritize migrant workers who meet income requirements, and housing owners to prioritize family members for accessory units. The bill also exempts these prioritized units from requiring "affirmative regional marketing," allowing them to count toward the municipality's housing obligation under state law. This directly affects eligible residents seeking affordable housing through employer or family-sponsored units in certified municipalities.

Topics ✓ Housing ✓ Immigration

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing

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

A 898: Requires DCA to collect information about State residents seeking affordable housing in State and provide that information to COAH or successor.

This bill (A 898) requires New Jersey's Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to collect data from residents seeking affordable housing. DCA must gather specific details - current residence, employment location (if applicable), and desired municipality for housing - via online forms or agency submissions. Annually, DCA will compile this data into a report categorized by municipality and send it to the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) to help determine where affordable housing demand exists. The goal is to inform COAH’s allocation of housing development obligations based on actual resident demand.

Topics ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Property Development

died · New Jersey · General Assembly Jan 13, 2026

A 1304: Establishes centralized directory for affordable housing, and housing for senior citizens and veterans.

This bill requires New Jersey municipalities to submit quarterly reports to the Department of Community Affairs about affordable housing, senior citizen housing, and veteran housing units within their borders. The reports must include building addresses, management contacts, application status (including waitlists), and online application links. The state will compile this information into a public online directory on official housing websites (including the Department of Community Affairs, Housing Finance Agency, and Housing Resource Center) and mandate that municipalities link to these sites from their own websites. Municipalities will receive state reimbursement for costs related to gathering and submitting the data.

Topics ✓ Housing ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Housing Finance Veteran Housing

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

A 877: Expressly permits housing constructed prior to April 1, 1980 to be counted toward municipal affordable housing obligation.

This bill allows New Jersey municipalities to count housing built before April 1, 1980, toward their state-mandated affordable housing requirements. To qualify for past obligations, the housing must have been reserved for low- or moderate-income residents for at least 20 consecutive years after 1975 and not previously counted. For future or current obligations, the housing must either be reserved for such residents under current rules or fully rehabilitated to meet state standards. This change helps municipalities meet housing goals by utilizing existing affordable units without requiring new construction.

Topics ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Historic Preservation

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

ACR 79: Condemns federal rule proposal that would force families of mixed immigration status who reside in certain affordable housing to either separate or face eviction.

New Jersey's ACR 79 is a resolution condemning a federal HUD rule proposal (84 F.R. 20589) that would force families with mixed immigration status - where some members are ineligible for housing assistance due to immigration status - out of federally-subsidized housing. The proposed rule would require immigration status screenings for residents under 62 and mandate eviction within 18 months for families with "ineligible" members, potentially affecting over 55,000 U.S. citizen children. It would also increase costs for housing authorities by requiring full subsidies instead of prorated shares for mixed-status families, potentially reducing housing quality and availability. The resolution urges federal leaders to invest in affordable housing access for all families regardless of immigration status, rather than implementing this rule.

Topics ✓ Housing ✓ Immigration

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Tenant Rights

in committee · New Jersey · Senate Feb 2, 2026

S 3255: Establishes process to exempt municipality from certain fair share affordable housing obligations based on flood risk.

This bill (S 3255) would allow New Jersey municipalities to be exempt from affordable housing obligations if designated as "extensively flood-prone" by the Commissioner of Community Affairs. It creates a process where municipalities meeting specific flood-risk criteria - based on flood insurance payments, repetitive loss properties, and other data - would no longer need to fulfill fair share housing requirements. The exemption covers all current, future, and past unfulfilled obligations under the Fair Housing Act (P.L.1985, c.222). The commissioner must adopt rules within three months of the bill's enactment to determine eligibility. This change directly affects municipalities facing significant flood risks, relieving them from housing construction mandates tied to flood vulnerability.

Topics ✗ Housing

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing

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

A 902: Directs DCA to establish online database of affordable housing settlement agreements and other declaratory judgment actions.

Bill A 902 requires New Jersey's Department of Community Affairs to create a public online database tracking all affordable housing settlement agreements (declaratory judgment actions) entered by municipalities since 2015 to comply with the state's Fair Housing Act. The database will include specific details for each municipality: the number of affordable units they're obligated to provide (broken down by type), the ratio of rental to ownership units, the mix of affordable versus market-rate units, and payments made to housing advocates like the Fair Share Housing Center. Municipalities, courts, and other parties involved must provide this information upon request. The goal is to increase transparency about how local governments meet their affordable housing requirements.

Topics ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing

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

A 483: Requires defibrillators in certain multiple dwellings; establishes Affordable Housing Defibrillator Fund.

This bill (A 483) requires landlords of multiple dwellings with 30+ units in urban municipalities (population 50,000+) to install and maintain accessible automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in unlocked locations with clear signage. It directly affects landlords in qualifying urban apartment buildings, with the Affordable Housing Defibrillator Fund providing grants to owners of affordable housing developments to cover AED costs. Key provisions include mandatory AED testing/maintenance, tenant notification of locations, and legal protection for users from civil liability. The bill would take effect 7 months after enactment, increasing emergency medical access in high-density residential areas.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Zoning

All housing bills