This bill amends the "Fair Housing Act" to eliminate exemptions for affordable housing obligations for municipalities that qualify for the Municipal (Urban) Aid Program. Previously, these urban municipalities were allowed to avoid contributing to the regional affordable housing needs, which created an imbalance and placed undue burdens on other municipalities. The bill emphasizes the importance of urban areas in meeting the housing needs of low and moderate-income families and aims to ensure that each urban municipality is allocated a fair share of the regional housing obligation.

The legislation introduces new provisions that mandate the construction, conversion, and rehabilitation of housing in urban centers as essential components of fulfilling regional housing needs. It also establishes that urban municipalities must not be exempt from their fair share obligations based solely on existing low and moderate-income housing units. By directing more affordable housing development to urban areas, the bill seeks to reduce urban sprawl and utilize existing infrastructure more effectively, ultimately promoting a more equitable distribution of housing responsibilities across municipalities.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 52:27D-302, 52:27D-304, 52:27D-307