Official Site of The State of New Jersey

TRENTON –  Governor Mikie Sherrill today signed Executive Order No. 17,  a whole-of-government approach to accelerating housing production and increasing access to housing opportunities for New Jerseyans.  The EO anticipates recommendations for a housing plan to be delivered by the Sherrill Administration in September. 

“We can’t make New Jersey more affordable without making housing more affordable” said Governor Mikie Sherrill. “With this Executive Order, we are aligning every tool at our disposal to accelerate housing production and make it easier for families to put down roots in the communities they love. Signed within our first 100 days, this action underscores our commitment to lowering costs, strengthening communities, and delivering real results for New Jerseyans. Because when we build more housing, we open the door to opportunity for everyone.”  

"I’ve been in this fight for a long time, right here in LD-35 and in Trenton, because I see every day how housing costs and instability impact our families," said Senator Benjie E. Wimberly. "That’s why I’m glad to stand with Governor Sherrill as she pushes forward a real, coordinated effort to make housing more affordable, more accessible, and safer for the people we serve. This executive order speaks to our communities. We can build using state land to create opportunity and make sure folks can get into affordable housing. In districts like ours, where working families, seniors, and veterans are feeling the pressure the most, this is necessary. My work has always been about protecting people and expanding opportunities, and this effort by the Governor helps move that mission forward.” 

“While it’s a credit to our state that so many people want to build their lives here, our housing supply has simply not kept pace with demand, and the crisis is being felt in every community,” said Assembly Majority Leader Lou Greenwald. “The Governor and I share a commitment to meeting this moment with urgency and using every tool at our disposal to accelerate housing production, including leveraging underutilized state-owned land to expand housing opportunities. By focusing development near transit and adhering to smart-growth principles, we can ensure that our children can put down roots here, our workers can live closer to their jobs, our businesses can attract and retain talent, and our communities can evolve strategically and sustainably.” 

“As someone who has spent a lot of time solving problems of my own creation, I know that how you set things up makes all the difference,” said Jamie Ding, Multifamily and Tax Credit Program Administrator at New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency and Jeopardy! Winner. “I am pleased that this Executive Order clears obstacles and makes it easier to build the housing we need. When we remove unnecessary barriers, we create more opportunities for families to find places to call home in our great state.” 

This Executive Order has three deadlines.  

Within 45 days (by June 11), this Executive Order convenes the Housing Governing Council. This Council will be chaired by the Chief Operating Officer and Co-Chaired by the Department of Community Affairs, Housing & Mortgage Finance Agency, Economic Development Authority, and NJTransit Authority. The administration also expects participation from numerous other agencies.  

Within 60 days (by June 27), the Executive Order directs agencies to conduct a process, budgetary, regulatory, and land review. All agencies and authorities are required to submit a written housing affordability report to the Governor’s Office. Each agency’s written report will highlight immediate actions state government could take to accelerate housing production, cut red tape, build on state owned land, increase coordination among agencies, remove unnecessary regulatory barriers, and increase transparency for state processes. The reports will also highlight existing innovative initiatives dedicated to accelerating production of affordable and workforce housing units, increasing access to affordable units, lowering costs, and increasing access to housing opportunities.  

Within 150 days (by September 24 and in time for the Governor’s Housing Conference), Executive Order No. 17 requires the Housing Governing Council to issue recommendations on five key issues:

• Defining housing goals for the administration  
• Tracking and accelerating housing production  
• Developing unutilized and surplus State property into housing  
• Coordinating funding and financing processes for housing development 
• Inventorying and increasing access to affordable housing opportunities

For a copy of Executive Order No. 17, click here. 

What they’re saying:  

“New Jersey’s housing crisis is real. Rents keep climbing, owning a home feels out of reach for too many people, and families are getting priced out of the communities they helped build,” said Senator Troy Singleton, Chair of the Senate Community Affairs Committee. “I want to thank Governor Sherrill for establishing the Housing Affordability Action Team. Bringing related agencies together to identify and address our housing needs is the right move. However, we can’t fix affordability without fixing supply. We must modernize our zoning laws, put underused land back to work, and clear the roadblocks that keep shovels out of the ground.” 

""As Chair of the Assembly Housing Committee, I commend Governor Sherrill for her commitment to expanding housing opportunities in New Jersey,” said Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez (D-Middlesex).  “Over the last few years, the Assembly has advanced legislation to facilitate the creation of additional housing across the state, and we look forward to partnering with the Governor to achieve our mutual goal of providing more homes for our residents and their families. Together, we must work to end New Jersey’s housing shortage and help people find a place to call their own.” 

"At a time when too many New Jersey families are being priced out, Governor Sherrill is acting with the speed and seriousness this crisis demands," said Adam Gordon, executive director at Fair Share Housing Center. "These steps will help maximize the impact of New Jersey’s successful new affordable housing law requiring every municipality to create its fair share of affordable homes. By making it easier to build homes near transit, advancing affordable housing development on public land, and helping residents access the affordable homes that already exist, Governor Sherrill is focusing on practical solutions that can make a real difference quickly." 

"Housing is unaffordable today because there are just not enough homes to rent or buy that meet people’s needs and budgets," said Peter Kasabach, Executive Director, New Jersey Future. "As the convener of the Great Homes and Neighborhoods for All initiative, New Jersey Future is encouraged by the Governor’s plans to increase New Jersey's housing supply and improve affordability for all residents. We look forward to working with the State and local governments to make it easier to redevelop in our communities and build more homes." 

“As an organization working on the front lines with families desperate to find a home they can afford, we see every day how urgently New Jersey needs faster, more efficient pathways to increase the production of affordable housing,” said Liz DeCoursey, CEO, Greater Middlesex & Morris Habitat for Humanity. “Pairing smart policies—such as transit‑oriented development and the removal of unnecessary barriers—with continued investment in the state’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund is essential to turning policy into real housing opportunities for New Jerseyans. We welcome the Governor’s action to advance and accelerate solutions that deliver the housing New Jersey families desperately need.”   

“Home is the foundation from which we thrive.  Having a safe, stable place to call home is critical for every New Jersey resident. With a shortage of over 200,000 homes that are affordable to our neighbors, and rising housing costs, NJ is in the midst of a housing crisis that we must address,” said Taiisa Kelly, CEO of Monarch Housing Associates. “We applaud Governor Sherrill’s bold action to open up access to homes for all New Jerseyans by addressing regulatory barriers, expanding access and expediting the state’s ability to create the homes New Jersey so critically needs.  This is an important step in creating a New Jersey that recognizes housing is a human right.” 

“Access to safe, affordable housing is foundational to strong communities,” said Lori Leonard, Chief Executive Officer, Habitat for Humanity of South Central New Jersey. “Efforts that accelerate construction, unlock state-owned land, and connect families to available homes are critical to ensuring more New Jersey residents can achieve stability and opportunity.”