Opinion ID: 1901249
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Defining the Mount Laurel Obligation

Text: In Oakwood v. Madison, this Court held that it was sufficient in Mount Laurel litigation for courts to look to the  substance  of challenged zoning ordinances and to the existence of bona fide efforts by municipalities to meet their obligations. 72 N.J. at 499. It was hoped that this test would adequately protect the constitutional rights of lower income persons while at the same time minimizing the role of the courts in this area. Unfortunately, experience has taught us that this formulation is too vague to provide adequate guidance for either trial courts or municipalities. As the Mount Laurel II and Mahwah cases demonstrate, the Madison test does not ensure sufficient judicial scrutiny of zoning ordinances. Even those that plainly fail to meet the requisites of the Mount Laurel doctrine may pass the test of Madison. Therefore, proof of a municipality's bona fide attempt to provide a realistic opportunity to construct its fair share of lower income housing shall no longer suffice. Satisfaction of the Mount Laurel obligation shall be determined solely on an objective basis: if the municipality has in fact provided a realistic opportunity for the construction of its fair share of low and moderate income housing, it has met the Mount Laurel obligation to satisfy the constitutional requirement; if it has not, then it has failed to satisfy it. [8] Further, whether the opportunity is realistic will depend on whether there is in fact a likelihood  to the extent economic conditions allow  that the lower income housing will actually be constructed. Plaintiff's case will ordinarily include proof of the municipality's fair share of the regional need and defendant's proof of its satisfaction. Good or bad faith, at least on this issue, will be irrelevant. The numberless approach encouraged in Madison, where neither plaintiffs nor defendants are required to prove a fair share number, is no longer acceptable. The numberless approach is to be distinguished, however, from presumptive facial invalidity. Plaintiff may continue to prove (in addition to or instead of proving the fair share obligation of the municipality) that the land use regulations fail to provide a realistic opportunity for low and moderate income housing or that they contain expressly prescribed requirements or restrictions which preclude or substantially hinder it. Mount Laurel I, 67 N.J. at 180-81. As before, such a showing shall create a prima facie case of a failure to satisfy the Mount Laurel obligation. The municipality shall then have the heavy burden of demonstrating, by a preponderance of the evidence, its fair share and its satisfaction of that share, or any justification of its failure. It shall not be sufficient in such cases to show merely that there are one, two or three zones that purport to contain provisions for multi-family dwellings: what is needed where facial invalidity is relied on by the plaintiff is a definite presentation of facts by the defendant-municipality that shows that it has satisfied its fair share obligation. In the remainder of Section II, we will restate what fair share means and what municipalities and courts must do to ensure that Mount Laurel obligations are met. Section IIB, using the DCA's SDGP as the remedial standard, sets forth which municipalities have a prospective fair share obligation. Section IIC describes various ways by which the prospective fair share of municipalities may be calculated. Section IID describes the mechanisms municipalities must use to meet their Mount Laurel obligations. Section IIE outlines the remedies available to trial courts to ensure compliance with our mandate. Finally, Section IIF emphasizes the importance of judicial management in making Mount Laurel effective.