Middletown Democratic Committeeman and candidate for Monmouth County Freeholder, Sean F. Byrnes, sent this open letter to Governor Jon Corzine recently asking him to consider placing a 3 year moratorium on COAH regulations while our state "wrestles with the financial crises that has cripples our economy".
I think Byrnes's request is a sensible one when considering the state of the economy and falling real estate values. I hope that the Governor will consider it:
I write to you as an elected official in the Township of Middletown. In compliance with the most recent guidance from the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH), we submitted our Affordable Housing Plan to COAH in December 2008. Although our Township Committee met its legal obligation, we did so with great reservation.
Middletown is an economically diverse Township whose history is free from any effort or intention to exclude or restrict the growth of a base of affordable housing. Nevertheless, because of the calculations that we must employ under COAH regulations, we must now expand our base of affordable housing. To meet the goals imposed by COAH, we must compel land owners and developers to add additional housing units that might not otherwise be constructed in the Township. We do so at a time when the marketability of these units, due to the current housing crisis, is open to question.
While I recognize that COAH was created in response to a legal mandate from the New Jersey Supreme Court, I write now to ask that you consider a three year moratorium on imposition of the most recent round of COAH regulations. As I know you are keenly aware, our country continues to wrestle with a financial crisis that has crippled our economy. I commend you for making hard choices this year to counter a $4.0 billion dollar loss of budgeted revenue, and I am asking for this additional step to assist local municipalities in their efforts to engage in thoughtful use of their land and to balance their budgets during these difficult times.
A moratorium would take the pressure off and allow all parties, including the Legislature, to assess the financial impact of this most recent round of legislation in the light of this recent financial downturn and to engage in this implementation process at a future time when this crisis will have abated and not loom so largely over our decision-making.
I am concerned that we are making very permanent decisions on the future of our housing stock and the use of our limited, undeveloped property at a time when the full impact of this financial crisis has yet to be fully measured and its long-term consequences assessed. I thank you for your consideration on this very important matter.
Very truly yours,
Committeeman Sean F. Byrnes
Township of Middletown
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