Help ease N.J. housing crisis and we’ll give you more money for your town, Dems tell mayors

Towns in New Jersey that embrace affordable housing would be given higher priority for state grants under legislation that cleared the state Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee this week.

The bill (S2506) would have the state Department of Community Affairs and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority disperse those grants.

“Historically, many municipalities in our state have been reluctant to take steps necessary to achieve their affordable housing obligations,” said state Sen. Renee Burgess, D-Essex. “By offering priority consideration for grants and assistance, we can encourage municipalities to more actively work towards meeting those obligations, which can lead to increased efforts to develop and maintain affordable housing within their community.”

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