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Township Planner Tapped To Serve As Affordable Housing Liaison
By Catherine Snipe
A new position is being created in town hall to help with affordable housing issues.
A new position, but a familiar face.
Township Planner Michael Fowler will also serve as the municipal housing liaison to the affordable housing.
The township council approved the new position, which is charged with the oversight and administration of the affordable housing program for Brick. The position was approved at this week's township council meeting.
Fowler will serve the primary point of contact for all inquiries from the State, affordable housing providers, administrative agents, and interested households.
In addition to his new position, Fowler will continue to serve as township planner.
"The duties are additional ones," said township clerk Virginia Lampman.
Also among the duties is working on a Fair Share Plan, a process that identifies how much affordable housing must be in the township.
The plans set criteria and guidelines for municipalities to determine and address their own fair share numbers through the Council on Affordable Housing. The COAH then reviews and approves housing elements and fair share plans.
COAH dates back to the Fair Housing Act of 1985, and a series of New Jersey Supreme Court cases that require each municipality to have low and moderate income housing in it.
Each of the state's 566 municipalities must provide this level of housing, and working on it at the municipal level will be the job of Fowler.
The job includes compiling, verifying, and submitting annual reports as required by COAH and coordinating meetings with affordable housing providers.
In Brick, that affordable housing includes properties along Route 70, such as a 25-unit complex for residents with special needs, and Dottie's House, a shelter for women and their children. There are also units scattered throughout the township and not part of a complex.
However, in late 2005 the township and the state disagreed with how many afthe fordable housing units were required in the township.
It would be the administrative agent's job to ensure that units restricted as COAH units are marketed and sold or rented only to low- and moderate-income households.
The ordinance passed in the township council meeting Tuesday.
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