HILLSDALE, N.J. —— The borough and the Fair Share Housing Center have reached a settlement agreement that, pending approval by the Superior Court of New Jersey in a “fairness hearing,” will allow the borough to remain in compliance with its court-mandated affordable housing obligations.
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Under the terms of the settlement, which Mayor John J. Ruocco announced in a press release Dec. 12, the borough will adopt a Housing Element and Fair Share Plan that recognizes a “present need” of 26 affordable housing units, and a “third round prospective need” for 1999-2025 of 234 affordable housing units.
The borough’s efforts to meet its present need of 26 units will include a reserve from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund to complete eight rehabilitations of existing housing stock.
To meet the remainder of its present need, the borough has agreed to work with the Bergen County Home Improvement Program to advertise these rehabilitation programs to Hillsdale residents.
In considering the borough’s third-round prospective need, the agreement recognizes that, despite the requirement for 234 units, the borough only has a realistic development potential (“RDP”) of 35 units.
Ruocco said most of these affordable housing units are already existing or approved:
• Surplus credits from Hillsdale House;
• New Concepts for Living (existing facility);
• Alliance Against Homelessness (existing facility);
• Multi-family development at 273 Broadway (previously approved by Zoning Board);
• Multi-family development at 305 Paterson (previously approved by Zoning Board);
• Multi-family development at 55-59 Paterson St. (existing units);
• Inclusionary zoning for Bank of America property on Broadway to permit a future mixed use development with commercial/retail use on the first floor, and residential units on the second and third floors (four new units);
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The requirement of 234 units, less 35 units of RDP, leaves the borough with an “unmet need” of 199 units.
The borough will receive credit for 15 rental units available as alternative living arrangements (Spectrum for Living, Care Plus NJ Patterson Street, and Care Plus NJ Park Avenue.)
Moreover, the borough must provide a realistic opportunity for additional units through the following mechanisms:
• Inclusionary zoning for 175 Broadway to permit a future mixed use development with commercial/retail use on the first floor, and residential units on the second and third floors;
• Designating a portion of the Industrial Zone off Paterson Street as a redevelopment area, with a plan that permits a variety of uses including affordable housing, within three years.
If a redevelopment area is not designated, the borough can use traditional zoning mechanisms to create these opportunities.
• Donating a borough property to Habitat for Humanity so that organization can construct one affordable home;
• Adopt a borough-wide “set-aside” ordinance that, consistent with practices already employed by the borough, requires a 20 percent set-aside for affordable housing units that are for sale and a 15 percent set-aside for units that are for rent.
This would only apply for new multi-family residential development of five or more units that are the subject of a variance or a re-zoning that permits multi-family residential housing, or a redevelopment plan where none was previously permitted.
This set-aside ordinance would not give any developer the right to build what they otherwise could not—it only assures that the borough gains the benefit of any such approvals that might be granted.
— Staff report
