FARMINGDALE – Members of the Borough Council want the state Legislature to pass what they call “common sense” affordable housing rules and to that end they passed a resolution regarding that issue at their Aug. 1 meeting.
“I want to be clear with this. I am not against affordable housing. I am against the way the system works, I am against the way that it never seems to help the people it is supposed to help. It only helps developers and lawyers,” Mayor James Daly said.
The resolution states that municipalities have spent millions of dollars complying with state regulations only to see that money being wasted due to constant changes promulgated by a state agency.
The resolution states that municipalities are anxious to provide housing to all citizens, however, due to the inability of the state to pass common sense affordable housing regulations, this has cost New Jersey 18 years of inactivity during which little affordable housing was created, according to the resolution.
The resolution states that “tens of thousands of homeowners lost their homes during the Great Recession of 2008 and the lack of affordable housing policies has led to empty homes in every municipality, that were returned to lenders” and “common sense affordable housing policy could have turned these empty homes into affordable housing for the many who need it, without imposing additional growth on municipalities.”
Farmingdale’s elected officials are seeking common sense policies which would call for affordable housing to be concentrated in areas where there is already supporting infrastructure, existing transportation routes, mass transit and employment opportunities.
The resolution states that requiring every municipality in New Jersey to create housing in locations that do not have infrastructure, transportation or employment violates the principles of smart growth and common sense.
Officials said the resolution does not impact Farmingdale’s current affordable housing settlement.
“It does not impact it at all, this is a message to the Legislature to do something about this because it is insane, it is absolutely insane. We are at the cornerstone of resolving our issue in town and they do not even know what our (number of affordable housing) units is. Seven? 70? We do not know because (the state) cannot get it together,” Daly said, adding that he does not believe the state is handling the affordable housing situation properly.
Councilman Don Steinfeld agreed with Daly “philosophically.”
“Fortunately for us, I think this town is in very good condition, very good shape,” Steinfeld said.
Steinfeld encouraged the council to pass the resolution and “send the message.”
“This (resolution) is not to say the (state) Council on Affordable Housing was not founded on a good base. It is to say get your heads out of your butts and do it right. Help the people who need the help,” Daly said.
“Do not shut down Fort Monmouth housing and wipe it all out when you can maybe put people there if you think about it. Now it is all rotted away. You could have housed hundreds of low and moderate income people on the state’s back. We are already paying for it, we are all paying taxes to support that property, why not help these people? Why allow builders to make money off this system?” the mayor said.
Council President Michael Romano and council members Erich Brandl, Kaaren Corallo, George Dyevoich, Patricia Linszky and Steinfeld voted to pass the resolution, which will be sent to Gov. Chris Christie, Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney, Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto, all of the municipal clerks in Monmouth County and the New Jersey State League of Municipalities.
In other business, the council members unanimously adopted a bond ordinance that appropriates $525,000 for road and sidewalk improvements and authorizes the issuance of $145,857 in bonds and notes to finance a portion of the cost.
