In 1975, the New Jersey Supreme Court issued a decision in in the case of Southern Burlington NAACP v. Mount Laurel Township, which required every municipality in the state of New Jersey to provide its “fair share” of the region’s affordable housing. This obligation became known as the “Mount Laurel Doctrine.” In 1985, the New Jersey Legislature adopted the Fair Housing Act, which put into law the Mount Laurel Doctrine. This law sets forth the requirements for every municipality to provide “very-low-income-housing,” “low-income-housing,” and “moderate-income-housing.” Collectively, these types of housing are considered affordable housing.
Affordable units can be for sale or rent. Very-low-income units are affordable to households earning 30% or less of the median gross income for households of a similar size in the region. Low-income units are affordable to households earning between 30% and 50% median gross income for households of a similar size in the region. Moderate-income units are affordable to households earning between 50% and 80% of the median gross income for households of a similar size in the region.
Affordable housing offers housing choices that are affordable for households with more limited incomes, such as school employees, emergency services workers, farm workers, public service employees, divorced parents who want to stay in town to be close to their children, aging parents who downsize but want to age in place, disabled individuals, young adults and young families looking to rent or buy their first homes, and residents in similar life situations or careers. Households satisfying the income limits can qualify for these affordable housing units, subject to certain occupancy preferences, which can include preferences for veterans, households living in the Region, households living in New Jersey and households displaced by redevelopment or rehabilitation.
How do I find Affordable Housing?
If an affordable unit is advertised as available, or a waiting list is advertised as open, there will typically be an announcement regarding the availability of the affordable unit or the wait list. All notices regarding affordable housing will be posted in the dropdown box labeled “Affordable Housing Notices.” You can also find affordable units throughout New Jersey by contacting through the New Jersey Housing Resource Center, https://www.nj.gov/njhrc/, which is a FREE, online searchable registry of affordable and accessible housing units throughout the State of New Jersey.
The affordable housing developments located within Harrison Township are administered by several different Administrative Agents. You can find contact information for each of these Administrative Agents in the dropdown box labeled “Administrative Agents.” The Administrative Agents administer the affordable housing programs for each project in accordance with the Operations Manuals that can be found in the dropdown box labeled “Operations Manuals.” Questions concerning affordable units within a particular affordable housing development should be addressed to the Administrative Agent for the project.
How and Where do I apply?
The application process of affordable housing developments is overseen by the Administrative Agent for each affordable housing project. In order to apply for affordable units, applicants must contact the designated Administrative Agent for the applicable project. You can find applications for affordable units by clicking on the dropdown box labeled “Applications for Affordable Units” found below.
Eligibility criteria for affordable units vary by project. There may be asset limitations. Some projects are age restricted, typically where at least one or more members of the household must be at least age 55 or 62. Others may be limited to households where there is a disabled household member.
Harrison Township’s Affordable Housing Obligation
The Township is currently in compliance with its affordable housing obligations. Opportunities exist within the Township for either ownership or rental of affordable homes. Harrison Township has undertaken steps to provide for a realistic opportunity for the creation of affordable housing within the Township. The planning and zoning documents adopted by Harrison Township, along with the Mediation Agreement entered into by the Township, and orders entered by the Court can be found in by clicking on the dropdown box labeled “Municipal Affordable Housing Documents.”
In the event that Harrison Township or a particular affordable housing development is granted a waiver from any of the rules and regulations governing affordable units, including waivers from the Uniform Housing Affordability Controls (“UHAC”) or the affordable housing regulations, these waivers can be found by clicking on the dropdown box labeled “Waivers Granted by NJDCA.”
What do I do if I Believe a Project is Violating the Affordable Housing Laws?
The Municipal Housing Liaison serves as the municipal employee responsible for overseeing, monitoring and ensuring project compliance with the Fair Housing Act, UHAC and the affordable housing regulations. Any concerns or complaints regarding noncompliance by any Administrative Agent, property owner, property manager, occupant, developer, affordable housing sponsor, or other party should be directed to the Municipal Housing Liaison.
DISCLAIMER: Harrison Township provides the list of affordable housing opportunities for informational purposes only. Harrison Township does not own, manage, endorse, or guarantee any of the affordable units or affordable projects identified on this web page. Availability, rental or sale terms, and eligibility requirements are subject to change at the discretion of the property owner or manager, provided all such changes are in accordance with the Fair Housing Act, UHAC and the affordable housing regulations. Interested households are encouraged to contact the Administrative Agent for each project directly to confirm current availability and details.
