Federal Judge Deals Crushing Blow to New Jersey's Affluent Towns in Housing Battle
A federal judge has rejected a lawsuit by officials from 27 affluent Garden State towns, dealing another significant blow to their efforts to delay the implementation of New Jersey's landmark 2024 affordable housing law. U.S. District Judge Zahid Quraishi ruled that the local officials lacked standing to challenge the constitutionality of the state requirement for municipalities to develop affordable housing, and even if he were to strike down the law, the towns' obligations would still be enforceable under 50 years of New Jersey Supreme Court rulings.
Judge Quraishi's ruling effectively nullified the lawsuits brought by affluent towns like Montvale in Bergen County, which led the charge against the state. Mayor Mike Ghassali vowed to appeal the decision, claiming that his town's challenge was "meritorious" and would eventually prevail at the Third Circuit of Appeals.
However, housing advocates are celebrating the judge's ruling, calling it a victory for the state's affordable housing law. According to Adam Gordon, executive director of Fair Share Housing Center, which argued against the towns' request in court, "The courts have been crystal clear - New Jersey's affordable housing law is here to stay." The organization has already seen significant progress, with a record 380 towns announcing plans to comply with their Mount Laurel obligations over the next decade.
The ruling comes as state officials set ambitious targets for building new low-priced homes, aiming to create approximately 80,000 new units over the next decade. While some towns are required to generate more affordable housing units than others, all municipalities must contribute to the state's affordable housing requirement.
As a result of Tuesday's decision, the affluent towns now have until March 16 to file revised housing plans or risk facing lawsuits from builders and developers seeking to enforce their compliance with Mount Laurel obligations.
A federal judge has rejected a lawsuit by officials from 27 affluent Garden State towns, dealing another significant blow to their efforts to delay the implementation of New Jersey's landmark 2024 affordable housing law. U.S. District Judge Zahid Quraishi ruled that the local officials lacked standing to challenge the constitutionality of the state requirement for municipalities to develop affordable housing, and even if he were to strike down the law, the towns' obligations would still be enforceable under 50 years of New Jersey Supreme Court rulings.
Judge Quraishi's ruling effectively nullified the lawsuits brought by affluent towns like Montvale in Bergen County, which led the charge against the state. Mayor Mike Ghassali vowed to appeal the decision, claiming that his town's challenge was "meritorious" and would eventually prevail at the Third Circuit of Appeals.
However, housing advocates are celebrating the judge's ruling, calling it a victory for the state's affordable housing law. According to Adam Gordon, executive director of Fair Share Housing Center, which argued against the towns' request in court, "The courts have been crystal clear - New Jersey's affordable housing law is here to stay." The organization has already seen significant progress, with a record 380 towns announcing plans to comply with their Mount Laurel obligations over the next decade.
The ruling comes as state officials set ambitious targets for building new low-priced homes, aiming to create approximately 80,000 new units over the next decade. While some towns are required to generate more affordable housing units than others, all municipalities must contribute to the state's affordable housing requirement.
As a result of Tuesday's decision, the affluent towns now have until March 16 to file revised housing plans or risk facing lawsuits from builders and developers seeking to enforce their compliance with Mount Laurel obligations.
, can't even get a fair shot here! I mean, what's the point of having a court system if it's just gonna be all one-sided? These wealthy towns are like, "Hey, we don't wanna pay for affordable housing"... and now they're getting whacked by the judge. 
And good riddance to that, I guess.
I'm not surprised by this ruling at all... it seems like common sense that wealthy towns shouldn't be able to just opt out of a law meant to address the state's affordable housing crisis 
. The fact that they were even trying to challenge it in court is pretty telling - it's clear that they're more concerned with preserving their own property values than with doing what's right for their communities and the state as a whole 
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. I mean, who are these towns to be deciding whether or not they want to comply with a law that benefits everyone? It's time for our leaders to take action and make sure that these kinds of power plays don't continue to happen 
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! Now let's just hope that the affluent towns can get their acts together and start building some real affordable housing units instead of just trying to weasel out of their responsibilities 
. It's clear that the federal judge was on the right track in rejecting those affluent towns' attempts to delay implementation. I mean, if 50 years of New Jersey Supreme Court rulings say otherwise, it's hard to argue with the state's requirements 
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, did you see this?! 
So according to US District Judge Zahid Quraishi's ruling, those fancy-schmancy affluent towns in New Jersey are SOL 
They can't just opt out of complying with the state's affordable housing law, and even if they could, their previous 50+ years of court rulings would still be valid 
That's like, a whole lotta progress 
And now, those affluent towns have until March 16 to get their act together or risk getting taken to court 
That's like, a whole neighborhood full of people who can actually afford to live there 
Housing advocates are celebrating for days 
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! Finally some justice for those in need of affordable homes. I mean, who needs a bunch of rich people fighting against something that's gonna make everyone else's lives better? 
The fact that these affluent towns thought they could just opt out is pretty laughable. And honestly, if they can't handle the pressure to create more affordable housing units, then maybe they shouldn't be so flush with cash in the first place 
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. It means that people who need affordable homes will finally get the chance to live in their own communities 
. And let's be real, it's about time those wealthy towns started paying their fair share of taxes 
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. It's like they expected some special exemption because their town is in Bergen County 
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. The state's target of 80,000 new units over the next decade is ambitious, but I think it's a great starting point 
. It's time to put aside their petty squabbles and work together for the greater good 
. After all, fairness is not just some abstract concept – it's about providing a decent quality of life for everyone 
. I mean, who doesn't love a good ol' fashioned gentrification party 
? It's like the government is finally cracking down on those wealthy elites and making them contribute to the rest of us 
. I'm all about progress... NOT! 
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. And let's be real, affordable housing is a human issue, not just about rich people who don't wanna give up their fancy homes 
The fact that these towns are now being forced to come up with new housing plans is a huge win for the state and its residents