The purpose of this chapter is to include provisions addressing
the Township of Marlboro's constitutional obligation to provide
for its fair share of low- and moderate-income housing, as directed
by the Supreme Court and consistent with N.J.A.C. 5:93-1 et seq.,
as amended and supplemented, N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.1 et seq., as amended
and supplemented, and the New Jersey Fair Housing Act of 1985. This
chapter is intended to assure compliance with the regulations of the
Council on Affordable Housing ("COAH") set forth at N.J.A.C. 5:93-1
et seq., and the Uniform Housing Affordability Controls, N.J.A.C.
5:80-26.1 et seq., including provisions for unit affordability controls
as well as eligibility for low- and moderate-income households. This
chapter shall apply except where inconsistent with applicable law.
It is the intent of this chapter to regulate the development
and management of low- and moderate-income units constructed in compliance
with the Housing Plan Element and Fair Share Plan of the Township
of Marlboro.
The following terms when used in this chapter shall have the
meanings given in this section:
ACCESSORY APARTMENT
A self-contained residential dwelling unit with a kitchen,
sanitary facilities, sleeping quarters and a private entrance, which
is created within an existing home, or through the conversion of an
existing structure on the same site, or by an addition to an existing
home or accessory building, or by the construction of a new accessory
structure on the same site.
ACT
The Fair Housing Act of 1985, P.L. 1985, c. 222 (N.J.S.A.
52:27D-301 et seq.)
ADAPTABLE
Constructed in compliance with the technical design standards
of the Barrier Free Subcode, N.J.A.C. 5:23-7.
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
The entity designated by the Township to administer affordable
units in accordance with this chapter, the regulations of the Council
on Affordable Housing set forth at N.J.A.C. 5:93 et seq., and the
Uniform Housing Affordability Controls set forth at N.J.A.C. 5:80-26
et seq.
AFFIRMATIVE MARKETING
A regional marketing strategy designed to attract buyers
and/or renters of affordable units pursuant to N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.15.
AFFORDABILITY AVERAGE
The average percentage of median income at which new restricted
units in an affordable housing development are affordable to low-
and moderate-income households.
AFFORDABLE
A sales price or rent level that is within the means of a
low- or moderate-income household as defined within N.J.A.C. 5:93-7.4,
and, in the case of an ownership unit, that the sales price for the
unit conforms to the standards set forth in N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.6, as
may be amended and supplemented, and, in the case of a rental unit,
that the rent for the unit conforms to the standards set forth in
N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.12, as may be amended and supplemented.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT
A development included in or approved pursuant to the Housing
Element and Fair Share Plan or otherwise intended to address the Township's
fair share obligation, and includes, but is not limited to, an inclusionary
development, a municipal construction project or a 100-percent affordable
housing development.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM(S)
Any mechanism in a municipal fair share plan prepared or
implemented to address a municipality's fair share obligation.
AFFORDABLE UNIT
A housing unit proposed or created pursuant to the Fair Housing
Act and approved for crediting by the court and/or funded through
an affordable housing trust fund.
AGE-RESTRICTED UNIT
A housing unit designed to meet the needs of, and exclusively
for, the residents of an age-restricted segment of the population
such that: 1) all the residents of the development wherein the unit
is situated are 62 years of age or older; or 2) at least 80% of the
units are occupied by one person who is 55 years of age or older;
or 3) the development has been designated by the Secretary of the
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development as "housing for older
persons" as defined in Section 807(b)(2) of the Fair Housing Act,
42 U.S.C. § 3607.
AGENCY
The New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency established
by P.L. 1983, c. 530 (N.J.S.A. 55:14K-1 et seq.).
ALTERNATIVE LIVING ARRANGEMENTS
A structure in which households live in distinct bedrooms,
yet share kitchen and plumbing facilities, central heat and common
areas. Alternative living arrangements include, but are not limited
to: transitional facilities for the homeless; Class A, B, C, D and
E boarding homes as regulated by the State of New Jersey Department
of Community Affairs; residential health care facilities as regulated
by the New Jersey Department of Health; group homes for the developmentally
disabled and mentally ill as licensed and/or regulated by the New
Jersey Department of Human Services; and congregate living arrangements.
ASSISTED LIVING RESIDENCE
A facility that is licensed by the New Jersey Department
of Health and Senior Services to provide apartment-style housing and
congregate dining and to assure that assisted living services are
available when needed for four or more adult persons unrelated to
the proprietor and that offers units containing, at a minimum, one
unfurnished room, a private bathroom, a kitchenette and a lockable
door on the unit entrance.
CERTIFIED HOUSEHOLD
A household that has been certified by an administrative
agent as a low-income household or moderate-income household.
COAH
The Council on Affordable Housing, as established by the
New Jersey Fair Housing Act (N.J.S.A. 52:27D-301 et seq.).
DCA
The State of New Jersey Department of Community Affairs.
DEFICIENT HOUSING UNIT
A housing unit with health and safety code violations that
requires the repair or replacement of a major system. A major system
includes weatherization, roofing, plumbing (including wells), heating,
electricity, sanitary plumbing (including septic systems), lead paint
abatement and/or load-bearing structural systems.
DEVELOPER
Any person, partnership, association, company or corporation
that is the legal or beneficial owner or owners of a lot or any land
included in a proposed development including the holder of an option
to contract to purchase, or other person having an enforceable proprietary
interest in such land.
DEVELOPMENT
The division of a parcel of land into two or more parcels,
the construction, reconstruction, conversion, structural alteration,
relocation, or enlargement of any use or change in the use of any
building or other structure, or of any mining, excavation or landfill,
and any use or change in the use of any building or other structure,
or land or extension of use of land, for which permission may be required
pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq.
FAIR SHARE PLAN
The plan that describes the mechanisms, strategies and the
funding sources, if any, by which the Township proposes to address
its affordable housing obligation as established in the Housing Element,
including the draft ordinances necessary to implement that plan, and
addresses the requirements of N.J.A.C. 5:93-5.
HOUSING ELEMENT
The portion of the Township's Master Plan, required
by the Municipal Land Use Law (MLUL), N.J.S.A. 40:55D-28.b(3) and
the Act, that includes the information required by N.J.A.C. 5:93-5.1
and establishes the Township's fair share obligation.
INCLUSIONARY DEVELOPMENT
A development containing both affordable units and market
rate units. This term includes, but is not limited to, new construction,
the conversion of a nonresidential structure to residential use and
the creation of new affordable units through the gut rehabilitation
or reconstruction of a vacant residential structure.
LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLD
A household with a total gross annual household income equal
to 50% or less of the regional median household income by household
size.
LOW-INCOME UNIT
A restricted unit that is affordable to a low-income household.
MAJOR SYSTEM
The primary structural, mechanical, plumbing, electrical,
fire protection, or occupant service components of a building which
include, but are not limited to, weatherization, roofing, plumbing
(including wells), heating, electricity, sanitary plumbing (including
septic systems), lead paint abatement and load-bearing structural
systems.
MARKET-RATE UNITS
Housing not restricted to low- and moderate-income households
that may sell or rent at any price.
MEDIAN INCOME
The median income by household size for the applicable housing
region, as adopted annually by COAH or a successor entity approved
by the court.
MODERATE-INCOME HOUSEHOLD
A household with a total gross annual household income in
excess of 50% but less than 80% of the regional median household income
by household size.
NONEXEMPT SALE
Any sale or transfer of ownership other than the transfer
of ownership between husband and wife; the transfer of ownership between
former spouses ordered as a result of a judicial decree of divorce
or judicial separation, but not including sales to third parties;
the transfer of ownership between family members as a result of inheritance;
the transfer of ownership through an executor's deed to a class
A beneficiary and the transfer of ownership by court order.
RANDOM SELECTION PROCESS
A process by which currently income-eligible households are
selected for placement in affordable housing units such that no preference
is given to one applicant over another except for purposes of matching
household income and size with an appropriately priced and sized affordable
unit (e.g., by lottery).
REGIONAL ASSET LIMIT
The maximum housing value in each housing region affordable
to a four-person household with an income at 80% of the regional median
as defined by duly adopted Regional Income Limits published annually
by COAH or a successor entity.
REHABILITATION
The repair, renovation, alteration or reconstruction of any
building or structure, pursuant to the Rehabilitation Subcode, N.J.A.C.
5:23-6.
RENT
The gross monthly cost of a rental unit to the tenant, including
the rent paid to the landlord, as well as an allowance for tenant-paid
utilities computed in accordance with allowances published by DCA
for its Section 8 program. In assisted living residences, rent does
not include charges for food and services.
RESTRICTED UNIT
A dwelling unit, whether a rental unit or an ownership unit,
that is subject to the affordability controls of N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.1,
as amended and supplemented, but does not include a market-rate unit
financed under UHORP or MONI.
TOWNSHIP
The Township of Marlboro, in Monmouth County, New Jersey.
UHAC
The Uniform Housing Affordability Controls set forth in N.J.A.C.
5:80-26 et seq.
VERY-LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLD
A household with a total gross annual household income equal
to 30% or less of the regional median household income by household
size.
WEATHERIZATION
Building insulation (for attic, exterior walls and crawl
space), siding to improve energy efficiency, replacement storm windows,
replacement storm doors, replacement windows and replacement doors,
and is considered a major system for purposes of a rehabilitation
program.
The administrative agent shall be an independent entity serving
under contract to and reporting to the Township. For new sale and
rental developments, all of the fees of the administrative agent shall
be paid by the owners of the affordable units for which the services
of the administrative agent are required. For resales, single-family
homeowners and condominium homeowners shall be required to pay 3%
of the sales price for services provided by the administrative agent
related to the resale of their homes. That fee shall be collected
at closing and paid directly to the administrative agent. The administrative
agent shall perform the duties and responsibilities of an administrative
agent as set forth in UHAC, including those set forth in Sections
5:80-26.14, 16 and 18 thereof, which include:
A. Affirmative marketing:
(1) Conducting an outreach process to affirmatively market affordable
housing units in accordance with the Township's affirmative marketing
plan and the provisions of N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.15; and
(2) Providing counseling or contracting to provide counseling services
to low- and moderate-income applicants on subjects such as budgeting,
credit issues, mortgage qualification, rental lease requirements,
and landlord/tenant law.
B. Household certification:
(1) Soliciting, scheduling, conducting and following up on interviews
with interested households;
(2) Conducting interviews and obtaining sufficient documentation of gross
income and assets upon which to base a determination of income eligibility
for a low- or moderate-income unit;
(3) Providing written notification to each applicant as to the determination
of eligibility or noneligibility;
(4) Requiring that all certified applicants for restricted units execute
a certificate substantially in the form, as applicable, of either
the ownership or rental certificates set forth in Appendices J and
K of N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.1 et seq.;
(5) Creating and maintaining a referral list of eligible applicant households
living in the housing region and eligible applicant households with
members working in the housing region where the units are located;
(6) Employing a random selection process as provided in the affirmative
marketing plan of the Township when referring households for certification
to affordable units; and
(7) Notifying the following entities of the availability of affordable
housing units in the Township of Marlboro: Fair Share Housing Center,
the New Jersey State Conference of the NAACP, the Latino Action Network,
STEPS, OCEAN Inc., the Greater Red Bank, Asbury Park/Neptune, Bayshore,
Greater Freehold, Greater Long Branch, and Trenton branches of the
NAACP, and the Supportive Housing Association.
C. Affordability controls:
(1) Furnishing to attorneys or closing agents forms of deed restrictions
and mortgages for recording at the time of conveyance of title of
each restricted unit;
(2) Creating and maintaining a file on each restricted unit for its control
period, including the recorded deed with restrictions, recorded mortgage
and note, as appropriate;
(3) Ensuring that the removal of the deed restrictions and cancellation
of the mortgage note are effectuated and properly filed with the Monmouth
County Register of Deeds or County Clerk's office after the termination
of the affordability controls for each restricted unit;
(4) Communicating with lenders regarding foreclosures; and
(5) Ensuring the issuance of continuing certificates of occupancy or
certifications pursuant to N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.10.
D. Resales and rentals:
(1) Instituting and maintaining an effective means of communicating information
between owners and the administrative agent regarding the availability
of restricted units for resale or rental; and
(2) Instituting and maintaining an effective means of communicating information
to low- and moderate-income households regarding the availability
of restricted units for resale or rerental.
E. Processing requests from unit owners:
(1) Reviewing and approving requests for determination from owners of
restricted units who wish to take out home equity loans or refinance
during the term of their ownership that the amount of indebtedness
to be incurred will not violate the terms of this chapter;
(2) Reviewing and approving requests to increase sales prices from owners
of restricted units who wish to make capital improvements to the units
that would affect the selling price, such authorizations to be limited
to those improvements resulting in additional bedrooms or bathrooms
and the depreciated cost of central air conditioning systems;
(3) Notifying the Township of an owner's intent to sell a restricted
unit; and
(4) Making determinations on requests by owners of restricted units for
hardship waivers.
F. Enforcement:
(1) Securing annually from the Township a list of all affordable housing
units for which tax bills are mailed to absentee owners, and notifying
all such owners that they must either move back to their unit or sell
it;
(2) Securing from all developers and sponsors of restricted units, at
the earliest point of contact in the processing of the project or
development, written acknowledgement of the requirement that no restricted
unit can be offered, or in any other way committed, to any person,
other than a household duly certified to the unit by the administrative
agent;
(3) Posting annually in all rental properties, including two-family homes,
of a notice as to the maximum permitted rent together with the telephone
number of the administrative agent where complaints of excess rent
or other charges can be made;
(4) Sending annual mailings to all owners of affordable dwelling units,
reminding them of the notices and requirements outlined in N.J.A.C.
5:80-26.18(d)4;
(5) Establishing a program for diverting unlawful rent payments to the
Township's affordable housing trust fund; and
(6) Creating and publishing a written operating manual for each affordable
housing program administered by the administrative agent, to be approved
by the Township Mayor and Council and the court, setting forth procedures
for administering the affordability controls.
G. Additional responsibilities:
(1) The administrative agent shall have the authority to take all actions
necessary and appropriate to carry out its responsibilities hereunder.
(2) The administrative agent shall prepare monitoring reports for submission
to the municipal housing liaison in time to meet any monitoring requirements
and deadlines imposed by the court.
(3) The administrative agent shall attend continuing education sessions
on affordability controls, compliance monitoring, and affirmative
marketing at least annually and more often as needed.
As to any complex, development or property which contains a
very-low-, low- or moderate-income restricted unit for which a condominium
association organized under the Condominium Act (N.J.S.A. 46:8B-1
et seq.), or a homeowners' association has control, management
and/or supervision over such affordable unit(s), the condominium or
homeowners' association shall provide written notice to the Agency
if any owner and/or tenant of an affordable unit (regardless of whether
it is very-low-, low- or moderate-income qualified) shall become delinquent
in the payment of any monthly assessment(s), fee(s) or charge(s) where
the delinquency has existed for a period of 90 days. This written
notice shall be provided to the Agency regardless of the amount of
the assessment(s), fee(s), or charge(s) that are delinquent for a
period of 90 days.
Appeals from all decisions of an administrative agent appointed
pursuant to this chapter shall be filed in writing with the court.
[Added 12-12-2019 by Ord.
No. 2019-12]
This section shall become effective at such time that the Superior
Court approves the Township's development fee ordinance in accordance
with N.J.A.C. 5:93-8.
The following terms, as used in this article, shall have the
following meanings:
AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT
A development included in the Housing Element and Fair Share
Plan, and includes, but is not limited to, an inclusionary development,
a municipal construction project or a 100-percent-affordable development.
COAH or THE COUNCIL
The New Jersey Council on Affordable Housing established
under the Fair Housing Act which previously had primary jurisdiction
for the administration of housing obligations in accordance with sound
regional planning consideration in the state. Pursuant to the opinion
and order of the New Jersey Supreme Court dated March 10, 2015, in
the matter of "In re Adoption of N.J.A.C. 5:96 and 5:97 by N.J. Council
on Affordable Housing (M-392-14) 067126," any reference to COAH or
the Council shall be understood to refer to the Superior Court of
New Jersey, Law Division-Morris County.
DEVELOPER
Any person, partnership, association, company or corporation
that is the legal or beneficial owner or owners of a lot or any land
proposed to be included in a proposed development including the holder
of an option to contract or purchase, or other person having an enforceable
proprietary interest in such land.
DEVELOPMENT FEES
Funds paid by a developer for the improvement of property
as permitted in N.J.A.C. 5:93-8.
EQUALIZED ASSESSED VALUE
The assessed value of a property divided by the current average
ratio of assessed to true value for the municipality in which the
property is situated, as determined in accordance with §§ 1,
5, and 6 of P.L. 1973, c. 123 (N.J.S.A. 54:1-35a through 54:1-35c).
GREEN BUILDING STRATEGIES
Those strategies that minimize the impact of development
on the environment, and enhance the health, safety and well-being
of residents by producing durable, low-maintenance, resource-efficient
housing while making optimum use of existing infrastructure and community
services.
On the first anniversary of the order of the Superior Court
in the matter of in Re: In the Matter of the Application of the Township
of Marlboro for a Declaratory Judgement, Docket No. MON-L-2121-15,
and every anniversary thereafter through the end of the repose period,
the Township shall provide annual reporting of trust fund activity
to the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs ("DCA"), COAH, or
Local Government Services ("LGS"), or other entity designated by the
State of New Jersey, with a copy provided to Fair Share Housing Center
and posted on the municipal website, using forms developed for this
purpose by the DCA, COAH, or LGS. This reporting shall include an
accounting of all housing trust fund activity, including the collection
of development fees from residential and nonresidential developers,
payments in lieu of constructing affordable units on site, funds from
the sale of units with extinguished controls, barrier-free escrow
funds, rental income, repayments from affordable housing program loans,
and any other funds collected in connection with the Township's
housing program, as well as to the expenditure of revenues and implementation
of the plan approved by the court.
The ability for the Township to impose, collect and expend development
fees shall expire with its judgment of compliance unless the Township
has filed an adopted Housing Element and Fair Share Plan with the
court or other appropriate jurisdiction, has filed a declaratory judgment
action and has received court approval of its development fee ordinance.
If the Township fails to renew its ability to impose and collect development
fees prior to the expiration of its judgment of compliance and repose,
it may be subject to forfeiture of any or all funds remaining within
its municipal trust fund. Any funds so forfeited shall be deposited
into the New Jersey Affordable Housing Trust Fund established pursuant
to Section 20 of P.L. 1985, c. 222 (N.J.S.A. 52:27D-320). The Township
shall not impose a residential development fee on a development that
receives preliminary or final site plan approval after the expiration
of its judgment of compliance and repose, nor shall the Township retroactively
impose a development fee on such a development. The Township shall
not expend development fees after the expiration of its substantive
certification or judgment of compliance and repose.