CAPE MAY – The non-profit organization, Fair Share Housing Center, is objecting to the city’s affordable housing plan submitted to the state Council on Affordable Housing (COAH).
At a July 7 City Council meeting, City Solicitor Tony Monzo said the city was in mediation to solve the problem. He said the group objected that the city’s COAH Round Three affordable housing plan which did nothing to address 58 affordable units under COAH Round Two requirements.
The city did not create 58 affordable units because the state offered a vacant land adjustment noting there was nowhere to build that many units in Cape May.
Monzo said the city has maxed out its accessory apartment conversions as well as market rate to affordable housing units. He said the Fair Share Housing Center believed COAH may have some flexibility in expanding those options to create more affordable units in Cape May.
Monzo said the pending settlement with developer East Cape May Associates, which will include the building of 14 affordable units in the environmentally sensitive Sewell Point area, may satisfy the Fair Sharing Housing Center.
“I believe we have better than a 50 percent chance the objection will be withdrawn before mediation which is scheduled for the last week in July,” he said.
Mayor Edward J. Mahaney Jr. said the mediation session was scheduled for July 27 in Trenton.
Monzo said the Fair Share Housing Center’s mission was to ensure there is affordable housing throughout the state. He said they routinely object to and scrutinize affordable housing plans submitted to the state.
The city is represented by Mahaney, City Manager Bruce MacLeod, Planning Board Engineer Craig Hurless, who worked on the city’s affordable housing plan, and Monzo.
Monzo said the city was compliant under COAH Round Two regulations but the Fair Share Housing Center still considered it an unmet need of 58 units. He said the city was disputing the need for 58 affordable units.
He said it was not a Builders Remedy lawsuit but an objection to Cape Mays plan before it was approved for state certification.
Monzo said the Fair Share Housing Center indicated the 14 units in East Cape May would go against the prior unmet need without creating any future Round Three obligations.
Mahaney said the Fair Share Housing Center was the only group who made negative comments against the city’s affordable housing plan.
Dennisville – As a parent of a Tech student it would be great if the school would update their staff directory. So many old staff still listed and no new teachers listed. What gives?
