Gothamist, March 21, 2024, A Wealthy NJ Town Is Resisting Affordable Housing Plans. Its Defiance Could Be Costly.
Millburn Township officials have defied multiple court orders to move forward with development of a 75-unit, 100% affordable housing complex in the heart of their upscale downtown — and last month, the Millburn Township Committee unanimously voted to pull out of the project completely. Advocates involved in the case want the judge to not only strip Millburn officials of their power to control development, but also fine officials personally.
Fining municipal officials individually for resisting affordable housing would be unusual, but the Essex County suburb is an extreme case, according to housing advocates. New Jersey’s landmark Mount Laurel legal doctrine says every town in New Jersey has to make it possible to build lower-cost dwellings. But the nonprofit Fair Share Housing Center said Millburn only has 38 affordable homes on the books, out of a target of 1,300.
