DENNIS TOWNSHIP – The Township Committee chose to take no action on whether to accept the state-calculated number for the township’s fourth-round affordable housing obligation, leaving it vulnerable to lawsuits from housing developers.

The township’s obligation, according to the Department of Community Affairs, is 33 living units.

Municipalities had the option until Jan. 31 of accepting the DCA number, or rejecting it and submitting their own calculated housing obligation number in accordance with new state guidelines.

Dennis, according to its administrator and chief financial officer, Jessica Bishop, elected to do neither.

Under the new affordable housing legislation signed into law by Gov. Phil Murphy last year, the township now loses its immunity against builder’s remedy litigation until it is in conformance with the statute. Under builder’s remedy litigation, a developer can sue to have properties rezoned for high-density, multifamily housing that contains an affordable housing element.

In Cape May County, 15 of the 16 municipalities adopted the required resolutions to accept their DCA- calculated affordable housing obligation by the Jan. 31 deadline, and they thus retain their current immunity against builder’s remedy lawsuits.

Based on a December report from the DCA, the county as a whole has an obligation of 992 affordable housing units until 2034, which includes the 33 calculated for Dennis Township.

Contact the reporter, Vince Conti, at vconti@cmcherald.com.