New Jersey Housing Laws Take Effect in January

New affordable housing laws go into effect in New Jersey starting in January 2025, promising major changes to affordable housing development in the state. 

As Kimberly Izar explains in Next City, “In March, Governor Murphy signed a bill that amends the state’s fair housing laws to increase affordable housing and strengthen enforcement of the Mount Laurel Doctrine, a constitutional mandate first set by the New Jersey Supreme Court in 1975.” 

The law is similar to California’s Regional Housing Needs Assessment, which calculates how much housing cities need to build to meet demand and requires them to submit plans for how they will create sufficient affordable housing. Cities impacted by the doctrine could see more diverse housing types and multi-family buildings, which could help make housing more affordable for low- and moderate-income families. 

The state budget, meanwhile, includes a $10 million investment in boosting accessory dwelling units. “The recent piece of legislation will distribute up to $1 million to at least 10 towns or cities ready to increase accessory dwelling units.”