Four Municipalities Receive COAH Certification
48 Towns Now Certified Under COAH's Revised Third Round Rules


TRENTON – New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Acting Commissioner Charles A. Richman today announced that four more municipalities received substantive certification under the Council on Affordable Housing's (COAH) revised third round rules. The municipalities are: Andover Township, Boonton Town, Robbinsville Township, and Sandyston Township.

"We have seen record participation during the third round, with over 350 municipalities signaling their intent to participate in the COAH process," said Acting Commissioner Richman, who also chairs the COAH Board. "These four municipalities are to be commended for showing a commitment to providing their fair share of affordable housing."

The four municipalities join Allendale Borough, Beverly City, Blairstown Township, Cape May City, Cape May Point Borough, Clayton Borough, Collingswood Borough, Delaware Township, Eastampton Township, East Brunswick Township, Flemington Borough, Florence Township, Frelinghuysen Township, Frenchtown Borough, Harding Township, Hardyston Township, Knowlton Township, Lawrence Township (Mercer County), Maplewood Township, Middletown Township, Milford Borough, Millville City, Montclair Township, Netcong Borough, North Hanover Township, Old Bridge Township, Orange City, Palmyra Borough, Peapack & Gladstone Borough, Pennsauken Township, Pennsville Township, Pine Hill Township, Piscataway Township, Plainsboro Township, Readington Township, Rocky Hill Borough, Roxbury Township, South Hackensack Township, South Plainfield Borough, Springfield Township, Stockton Borough, Stone Harbor Borough, Upper Pittsgrove Township and West Amwell Township as the first 48 towns in the state to receive certification under the third round rules. The third round rules are COAH's regulations governing affordable housing obligations through 2018.

Under the plans certified for these 48 municipalities, 9,169 newly constructed affordable units have already been completed, with another 3,910 proposed. Additionally, 630 units have already been rehabilitated, with another 1,182 proposed.

Substantive certification is COAH's determination that a municipal fair share plan presents a realistic opportunity for the production of affordable housing to address the town's portion of the affordable housing need. The substantive certifications granted to these 48 municipalities are valid for 10 years from the municipality's date of petition and provide protection from builder's remedy lawsuits.

COAH, an affiliate of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, facilitates the production of sound, affordable housing for low and moderate income households by providing the most effective process to municipalities, housing providers, nonprofit and for profit developers to address a constitutional obligation within the framework of sound, comprehensive planning.

For more information about COAH, log on to http://www.nj.gov/dca/affiliates/coah/index.html on the DCA's website.


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