By Katie Cericola: When a bad law is passed, it can be repealed. When money is misappropriated, it can be fixed in a future year. When a residential building destroys open-space or overloads the infrastructure of a town, it is not coming down. That’s why the debate over affordable housing in New Jersey is so important. The legislature is holding a series of hearings on the issue, with both sides fierce. Fair share housing advocates believe that neighborhoods must build more housing, but that’s not the solution. New Jersey is already overcrowded, forcing isolated suburban communities with few public transit options and few jobs, is not how you fix the need for affordable housing. The real solution is rehabilitating existing housing stock, and billing in areas with good access to public transportation and jobs. The court system forces towns to accept quotas of affordable housing. It puts burdens on the towns, and oftentimes stretches sewer, electric, and other services to levels that the infrastructure can’t handle. We have to develop responsible affordable housing, which focuses on rebuilding existing stock in areas with good access to public transit and jobs. Let’s make affordable housing work for everyone.
