Source: https://ecode360.com/9385457
Timestamp: 2020-06-03 07:52:30
Document Index: 216545497

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 81', '§ 81', '§ 81', '§ 81', '§ 81', '§ 81', '§ 81', '§ 81', '§ 81', '§ 81', '§ 81', '§ 81', '§ 81', '§ 81', '§ 81', '§ 81', '§ 81', '§ 81', '§ 81', '§ 81', '§ 81', '§ 81', '§ 81']

Township of Ewing, NJ Affordable Housing
§ 81-4 Monitoring and reporting.
§ 81-5 through § 81-6. (Reserved)
§ 81-7 Alternative living arrangements.
§ 81-8 Phasing schedule for inclusionary zoning.
§ 81-9 New construction.
§ 81-10 Utilities.
§ 81-11 Occupancy standards.
§ 81-12 Control periods for restricted ownership units and enforcement mechanisms.
§ 81-13 Price restrictions for restricted ownership units, homeowner association fees and resale prices.
§ 81-14 Buyer income eligibility.
§ 81-15 Limitations on indebtedness secured by ownership unit; subordination.
§ 81-16 Capital improvements to ownership units.
§ 81-17 Control periods for restricted rental units.
§ 81-18 Rent restrictions for rental units; leases.
§ 81-19 Tenant income eligibility.
§ 81-20 Municipal Housing Liaison.
§ 81-21 Administrative agent.
§ 81-22 Affirmative marketing requirements.
§ 81-23 Enforcement of affordable housing regulations.
§ 81-24 Appeals.
Chapter 81 Affordable Housing
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council of the Township of Ewing 5-9-2017 by Ord. No. 17-11; amended in its entirety 8-14-2018 by Ord. No. 18-18. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
Land development — See Ch. 215.
The Ewing Township Planning Board has adopted a Housing Element and Fair Share Plan pursuant to the Municipal Land Use Law at N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq. The Housing Element and Fair Share Plan has been endorsed by the governing body. This chapter implements and incorporates the adopted and endorsed Housing Element and Fair Share Plan and addresses the requirements of N.J.A.C. 5:93-1, et seq., as amended and supplemented, N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.1 et seq., as amended and supplemented, and the New Jersey Fair Housing Act of 1985.
The entity designated by the Township to administer affordable units in accordance with this chapter, N.J.A.C. 5:93, and UHAC (N.J.A.C. 5:80-26).
A sales price or rent level that is within the means of a very-low-, low- or moderate-income household as defined herein, and, in the case of an ownership unit, that the sales price for the unit conforms to the standards set forth in N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.6, as may be amended and supplemented, and, in the case of a rental unit, that the rent for the unit conforms to the standards set forth in N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.12, as may be amended and supplemented.
The Council on Affordable Housing, as established by the New Jersey Fair Housing Act (N.J.S.A. 52:27D-301, et seq.).
The maximum housing value in each housing region affordable to a four-person household with an income at 80% of the regional median as defined by duly adopted Regional Income Limits published annually by COAR or a successor entity.
The Uniform Housing Affordability Controls set forth in N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.1, et seq.
The provisions of this chapter shall apply to all affordable housing developments and affordable housing units that currently exist and that are proposed to be created within the Township of Ewing pursuant to the Township's most recently adopted Housing Element and Fair Share Plan. This chapter shall also be applicable to those projects that obtain funding through the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program.
On the first anniversary of the entry of the order granting Ewing a final judgment of compliance and repose in IMO application of the Township of Ewing, Docket No.: MER-L-1556-15, and every anniversary thereafter through the end of the repose period, the Township shall provide annual reporting of its Affordable Housing Trust Fund activity to the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, Council on Affordable Housing or Local Government Services, or other entity designated by the State of New Jersey, with a copy provided to Fair Share Housing Center and posted on the municipal website, using forms developed for this purpose by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, Council on Affordable Housing or Local Government Services. The reporting shall include an accounting of all Affordable Housing Trust Fund activity, including the source and amount of funds collected and the amount and purpose for which any funds have been expended.
On the first anniversary of the entry of the order granting Ewing a final judgment of compliance and repose in IMO application of the Township of Ewing, Docket No.: MER-L-1556-15, and every anniversary thereafter through the end of the repose period, the Township shall provide annual reporting of the status of all affordable housing activity within the municipality through posting on the municipal website, with copies provided to Fair Share Housing Center, using forms previously developed for this purpose by the Council on Affordable Housing or any other forms endorsed by the court-appointed Special Master and Fair Share Housing Center.
For the midpoint realistic opportunity review due on July 1, 2020, as required pursuant to N.J.S.A. 52:27D-313, the Township shall post on its municipal website, with copies provided to Fair Share Housing Center, a status report as to its implementation of its Plan and an analysis of whether any unbuilt sites or unfulfilled mechanisms continue to present a realistic opportunity. Such posting shall invite any interested party to submit comments to the municipality, with copies provided to Fair Share Housing Center, regarding whether any sites no longer present a realistic opportunity and should be replaced. Any interested party may by motion request a hearing before the Court regarding these issues.
For the review of very-low-income housing requirements required by N.J.S.A. 52:27D-329.1, within 30 days of the third anniversary of the entry of the order granting Ewing a final judgment of compliance and repose in IMO application of the Township of Ewing, Docket No.: MER-L-1556-15, and every third year thereafter, the Township will post on its municipal website, with copies provided to Fair Share Housing Center, a status report as to its satisfaction of its very-low-income requirements, including the family very-low-income requirements referenced herein. Such posting shall invite any interested party to submit comments to the municipality, with copies provided to Fair Share Housing Center, on the issue of whether the municipality has complied with its very-low-income housing obligation.
Minimum Percentage of Low & Moderate-Income Units Completed
The first floor of all restricted townhouse dwelling units and all restricted units in all other multistory buildings shall be subject to the technical design standards of the Barrier Free Subcode, N.J.A.C. 5:23-7 and the following:
An accessible entranceway as set forth at P.L. 2005, c. 350 (N.J.S.A. 52:27D-31la, et seq.) and the Barrier Free Subcode, N.J.A.C. 5:23-7, or evidence that Ewing has collected funds from the developer sufficient to make 10% of the adaptable entrances in the development accessible:
The funds deposited under Subsection B(2)(f) above shall be used by the Township of Ewing for the sole purpose of making the adaptable entrance of an affordable unit accessible when requested to do so by a person with a disability who occupies or intends to occupy the unit and requires an accessible entrance.
To this end, the builder of restricted units shall deposit funds within the Township of Ewing's Affordable Housing Trust Fund sufficient to install accessible entrances in 10% of the affordable units that have been constructed with adaptable entrances.
The developer of the restricted units shall submit a design plan and cost estimate to the Construction Official of the Township of Ewing for the conversion of adaptable to accessible entrances.
In establishing rents and sales prices of affordable housing units, the administrative agent shall follow the procedures set forth in UHAC, utilizing the most recently published regional weighted average of the uncapped Section 8 income limits published by HUD and using the calculation set forth below. Income limits for all affordable units that are created in the Township for which income limits are not already established through a federal program exempted from the UHAC pursuant to N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.1 shall be updated by the Township annually within 30 days of the publication of determinations of median income by the Department of Housing and Urban Development ("HUD") as follows:
Regional income limits shall be established for the region within which the Township is located based on the median income by household size, which shall be established by a regional weighted average of the uncapped Section 8 income limits published by HUD. To compute this regional income limit, the HUD determination of median county income for a family of four is multiplied by the estimated households within the county according to the most recent decennial census. This is done for each county in the housing region and the resulting product for each county within the housing region is summed. The sum is then divided by the estimated total households from the most recent decennial census in the Township's housing region. This quotient represents the regional weighted average of median income for a household of four. The income limit for a moderate-income unit for a household of four shall be 80% of the regional weighted average median income for a family of four. The income limit for a low-income unit for a household of four shall be 50% of the HUD determination of the regional weighted average median income for a family of four. The income limit for a very-low-income unit for a household of four shall be 30% of the HUD determination of the regional weighted average median income for a family of four. These income limits shall be adjusted by household size based on multipliers used by HUD to adjust median income by household size. In no event shall the income limits be less than those for the previous year.
The income limits are the result of applying the percentages set forth in Subsection D(1)(b) to HUD's determination of median income for the fiscal year 2017, and shall be utilized until the Township updates the income limits after HUD has published revised determinations of median income for the next fiscal year.
The Regional Asset Limit used in determining an applicant's eligibility for affordable housing pursuant to N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.16(b)(3) shall be calculated by the Township annually by taking the percentage increase of the income limits calculated pursuant to Subsection D(1)(a) over the previous year's income limits, and applying the same percentage increase to the Regional Asset Limit from the prior year. In no event shall the Regional Asset Limit be less than that for the previous year.
The developers and/or municipal sponsors of restricted rental units shall establish at least one rent for each bedroom type for both low-income and moderate-income units, provided that at least 13% of all low- and moderate-income rental units shall be affordable to very-low-income households, earning 30% or less of the regional median household income.
The rent of low- and moderate-income units may be increased annually based on the permitted percentage increase in the Housing Consumer Price Index for the United States and in accordance with the methodology developed by the Affordable Housing Professionals of New Jersey (AHPNJ) and embraced by trail judges in declaratory judgment actions. This increase shall not exceed 9% in any one year. Rents for units constructed pursuant to low-income housing tax credit regulations shall be indexed pursuant to the regulations governing low-income housing tax credits.
Control periods for restricted ownership units shall be in accordance with N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.5, as may be amended and supplemented, and each restricted ownership unit shall remain subject to the requirements of this chapter for a period of at least 30 years, until Ewing takes action to release the unit from such requirements; prior to such action, a restricted ownership unit shall remain subject to the requirements of N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.1, as may be amended and supplemented.
The owners of restricted ownership units may apply to the administrative agent to increase the maximum sales price for the unit on the basis of anticipated capital improvements. Eligible capital improvements shall be those that render the unit suitable for a larger household or the addition of a bathroom. See § 81-16.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, however, the administrative agent may, upon approval by the Township Committee, and subject to the Court's approval, permit moderate-income purchasers to buy low-income units in housing markets if the administrative agent determines that there is an insufficient number of eligible low-income purchasers to permit prompt occupancy of the units. All such low-income units to be sold to moderate-income households shall retain the required pricing and pricing restrictions for low-income units.
Control periods for restricted rental units shall be in accordance with N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.11, as may be amended and supplemented, and each restricted rental unit shall remain subject to the requirements of this chapter for a period of at least 30 years, until Ewing takes action to release the unit from such requirements. Prior to such action, a restricted rental unit shall remain subject to the requirements of N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.1, as may be amended and supplemented.
Deeds of all real property that include restricted rental units shall contain deed restriction language. The deed restriction shall have priority over all mortgages on the property, and the deed restriction shall be filed by the developer or seller at the Clerk's office of the County of Mercer. The deed shall also identify each affordable unit by apartment number and/or address and whether that unit is designated as a very-low-, low- or moderate-income unit. Neither the unit nor its affordability designation shall change throughout the term of the deed restriction. A copy of the filed document shall be provided to the administrative agent within 30 days of the receipt of a certificate of occupancy.
A restricted rental unit shall remain subject to the affordability controls of this chapter despite the occurrence of any of the following events:
No rent control ordinance or other pricing restriction shall be applicable to either the market units or the affordable units in any development in which at least 15% of the total number of dwelling units are restricted rental units in compliance with this chapter.
The applicant shall file documentation sufficient to establish the existence of the circumstances in Subsections A and B with the administrative agent, who shall counsel the household on budgeting.
The Township of Ewing shall appoint a specific municipal employee to serve as a Municipal Housing Liaison responsible for administering the affordable housing program, including affordability controls, the Affirmative Marketing Plan, monitoring and reporting, and, where applicable, supervising any contracted administrative agent. Ewing shall adopt an ordinance creating the position of Municipal Housing Liaison. Ewing shall adopt a resolution appointing a Municipal Housing Liaison. The Municipal Housing Liaison shall be appointed by the governing body and may be a full- or part-time municipal employee. The Municipal Housing Liaison shall be approved by the Court and shall be duly qualified through a training program sponsored by Affordable Housing Professionals of New Jersey before assuming the duties of Municipal Housing Liaison.
The Municipal Housing Liaison shall be responsible for oversight and administration of the affordable housing program for Ewing, including the following responsibilities which may not be contracted out to the administrative agent:
Serving as Ewing's primary point of contact for all inquiries from the state, affordable housing providers, administrative agents and interested households;
Monitoring the status of all restricted units in Ewing's Fair Share Plan;
Subject to the approval of the Court, the Township of Ewing shall designate one or more administrative agent(s) to administer newly constructed affordable units in accordance with UHAC. An operating manual for each affordable housing program shall be provided by the administrative agent(s) to be adopted by resolution of the governing body and subject to approval of the Court. The operating manual(s) shall be available for public inspection in the office of the Township Clerk, in the office of the Municipal Housing Liaison, and in the office(s) of the administrative agent(s). The Municipal Housing Liaison shall supervise the contracting administrative agent(s).
The administrative agent shall be an independent entity serving under contract to and reporting to the municipality. For new sale and rental developments, all of the fees of the administrative agent shall be paid by the owners of the affordable units for which the services of the administrative agent are required. For resales, single-family homeowners and condominium homeowners shall be required to pay 3% of the sales price for services provided by the administrative agent related to the resale of their homes. That fee shall be collected at closing and paid directly to the administrative agent.
Conducting an outreach process to affirmatively market affordable housing units in accordance with the Affirmative Marketing Plan of the Township of Ewing and the provisions of N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.15; and
Employing a random selection process as provided in the Affirmative Marketing Plan of the Township of Ewing when referring households for certification to affordable units; and
Notifying the following entities of the availability of affordable housing units in Ewing Township:
5326 Harbor Beach Boulevard #775
14 Clifton Avenue
S. Lakewood, NJ 08701
TRENTON NAACP
Resales and rerentals.
Creating and publishing a written operating manual for each affordable housing program administered by the administrative agent, to be approved by the Township Committee and the Court, setting forth procedures for administering the affordability controls.
The Township of Ewing shall adopt by resolution an Affirmative Marketing Plan, subject to approval of the Court that is compliant with N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.15, as may be amended and supplemented.
The Affirmative Marketing Plan is a regional marketing strategy designed to attract buyers and/or renters of all majority and minority groups, regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital or familial status, gender, affectional or sexual orientation, disability, age or number of children to housing units which are being marketed by a developer, sponsor or owner of affordable housing. The Affirmative Marketing Plan is intended to target those potentially eligible persons who are least likely to apply for affordable units in that region. In addition, as a result of the Settlement Agreement with FSHC, the Affirmative Marketing Plan shall require the direct notification of Fair Share Housing Center, the New Jersey State Conference of the NAACP, the Latino Action Network, and the Trenton Branch of the NAACP of affordable housing opportunities. It is a continuing program that directs marketing activities toward Housing Region 4 and is required to be followed throughout the period of restriction.
The Affirmative Marketing Plan shall provide a regional preference for all households that live and/or work in Housing Region 4, comprised of Mercer, Ocean and Monmouth Counties.
The municipality has the ultimate responsibility for adopting the Affirmative Marketing Plan and for the proper administration of the Affirmative Marketing Program, including initial sales and rentals and resales and rerentals. The administrative agent designated by the Township of Ewing shall implement the Affirmative Marketing Plan to assure the affirmative marketing of all affordable units.
Applications for affordable housing shall be available in several locations, including, at a minimum, the County Administration Building and/or the County Library for each county within the housing region; the municipal administration building and the municipal library in the municipality in which the units are located; and the developer's rental office. Pre-applications shall be emailed or mailed to prospective applicants upon request. Application forms shall also be sent to the entities listed in § 81-22B.
The municipality may file a court action pursuant to N.J.S.A. 2A:58-1 1 alleging a violation or violations of the regulations governing the affordable housing unit. If the owner, developer or tenant is adjudged by the Court to have violated any provision of the regulations governing affordable housing units the owner, developer or tenant shall be subject to one or more of the following penalties, at the discretion of the Court:
In the case of an owner who has rented a low- or moderate-income unit in violation of the regulations governing affordable housing units, payment into the Township of Ewing Affordable Housing Trust Fund of the gross amount of rent illegally collected;
The proceeds of the Sheriff's sale shall first be applied to satisfy the First Purchase Money Mortgage lien and any prior liens upon the very-low-, low- and moderate-income unit. The excess, if any, shall be applied to reimburse the municipality for any and all costs and expenses incurred in connection with either the court action resulting in the judgment of violation or the Sheriff's sale. In the event that the proceeds from the Sheriff's sale are insufficient to reimburse the municipality in full as aforesaid, the violating owner shall be personally responsible for the full extent of such deficiency, in addition to any and all costs incurred by the municipality in connection with collecting such deficiency. In the event that a surplus remains after satisfying all of the above, such surplus, if any, shall be placed in escrow by the municipality for the owner and shall be held in such escrow for a maximum period of two years or until such earlier time as the owner shall make a claim with the municipality for such. Failure of the owner to claim such balance within the two-year period shall automatically result in a forfeiture of such balance to the municipality. Any interest accrued or earned on such balance while being held in escrow shall belong to and shall be paid to the municipality, whether such balance shall be paid to the owner or forfeited to the municipality.
Failure of the very-low-, low- and moderate-income unit to be either sold at the Sheriff's sale or acquired by the municipality shall obligate the owner to accept an offer to purchase from any qualified purchaser which may be referred to the owner by the municipality, with such offer to purchase being equal to the maximum resale price of the low- and moderate-income unit as permitted by the regulations governing affordable housing units.
Appeals from all decisions of an administrative agent appointed pursuant to this chapter shall be filed in writing with the Court.