Hillsborough Mitigates Affordable Housing Mandates

Fall 2023: The Republican-led Hillsborough Township Committee continues to mitigate the impact of the affordable housing mandates placed on municipalities by the State. Earlier this year, Hillsborough Township was deemed fully compliant by the Honorable Jude Thomas Miller regarding the current round of Affordable Housing obligations.

Hillsborough’s affordable housing obligations are part of court process involving the municipality, intervenor developers, and Fair Share housing, an affordable housing advocacy group that has been given broad powers by the State of New Jersey.

“This fully compliant designation was vital in preserving the Township’s immunity preventing any potential builders remedy lawsuits in this round of compliance,” stated Mayor Shawn Lipani.

This designation allows only all previously agreed settlements to be developed as certified by the courts. Committeeman Doug Tomson added, “This agreement puts a “cap” on this round of the Affordable Housing Mandate.”

The current agreement covers the town through 2025, when the State will begin imposing the next phase of the affordable housing mandate. The next round is expected to have new obligations even though many projects Statewide in the current round will still not be completed and some will not even have broken ground.

“The prospect of further development mandates without studying the effects of this round on Hillsborough’s or any other municipality’s ability to absorb further development is on the horizon” warned Mayor Lipani.

“While we all agree there is a need for affordable housing for our residents, we are hopeful that the Governor and the State Legislature will restore control back to the Municipalities and away from the courts to allow us develop responsibly,” continued Committeeman Tomson.