AVALON –– Conflict with the latest Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) regulations united town leaders to Avalon Borough Hall Dec. 29 to air their concerns to First District legislators.

Gripes included a lack of available land on which to create affordable housing and the quantities of affordable units towns are asked to achieve.

Sen. Jeff Van Drew and Assemblyman Nelson Albano (both D-1st) told municipal leaders from Cape May, Atlantic and Cumberland counties that they are actively fighting a 2.5 percent development fee and struggling municipalities can work individually with the Department of Community Affairs to potentially have their affordable unit requirements reduced.

Municipalities are no longer able to transfer their affordable housing obligations to other communities. Vicki Clark, executive director of the Cape May County Chamber of Commerce, said towns are being asked to build affordable housing units where public transportation and job opportunities do not exist.

Towns are required to meet a Dec. 31 deadline to come into compliance with the latest COAH regulations or potentially leave themselves open to builders’ remedy lawsuits.

About 250 municipalities in New Jersey have pledged to join a lawsuit filed on behalf of the New Jersey League of Municipalities.

Read more in the Herald’s Jan. 7, 2009 print edition.

For more information on COAH go to: www.state.nj.us/njhrc/consumers/assistan/coah.html

Contact Truluck at (609) 886-8600 ext. 24 or at: ltruluck @cmcherald.com.