The requirements of this section apply to all developments that contain affordable housing units, including any currently unanticipated future developments that will provide low- and moderate-income housing units.
A. 
The affirmative marketing plan is a regional marketing strategy designed to attract buyers and/or renters of all majority and minority groups, regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital or familial status, gender, affectional or sexual orientation, disability, age or number of children to housing units which are being marketed by a developer, sponsor or owner of affordable housing. The affirmative marketing plan is also intended to target those potentially eligible persons who are least likely to apply for affordable units in that region. It is a continuing program that directs all marketing activities toward COAH Housing Region 2 and covers the period of deed restriction.
B. 
The affirmative marketing plan shall provide a regional preference for all households that live and/or work in COAH Housing Region 2, comprised of Essex, Morris, Union and Warren Counties.
C. 
Although the Town has the ultimate responsibility for implementing all aspects of Belvidere's affordable housing program, the Administrative Agent designated by the Town shall ensure the affirmative marketing of all affordable units is consistent with the Affirmative Marketing Plan for the municipality.
D. 
In implementing the affirmative marketing plan, the Administrative Agent shall provide a list of counseling services to low- and moderate-income applicants on subjects such as budgeting, credit issues, mortgage qualification, rental lease requirements, and landlord/tenant law.
E. 
The affirmative marketing process for available affordable units shall begin at least four months prior to the expected date of occupancy.
F. 
The costs of advertising and affirmative marketing of the affordable units shall be the responsibility of the developer, sponsor or owner, unless otherwise determined or agreed to by the Town of Belvidere.
G. 
The Affirmative Marketing Plan for each affordable housing development shall describe the media to be used in advertising and publicizing the availability of housing. In implementing the Affirmative Marketing Plan, the Administrative Agent shall consider the use of language translations where appropriate.
H. 
Applications for affordable housing shall be available in several locations, including, at a minimum, the County Administration Building and/or the County Library for each county within the housing region; the municipal administration building and the municipal library in the municipality in which the units are located; and the developer's rental office. Applications shall be mailed to prospective applicants upon request.
A. 
In referring certified households to specific restricted units, to the extent feasible, and without causing an undue delay in occupying the unit, the Administrative Agent shall strive to:
(1) 
Provide an occupant for each bedroom;
(2) 
Provide children of different sexes with separate bedrooms;
(3) 
Provide separate bedrooms for parents and children; and
(4) 
Prevent more than two persons from occupying a single bedroom.
B. 
Additional provisions related to occupancy standards (if any) shall be provided in the municipal Operating Manual.
A. 
The Administrative Agent shall use a random selection process to select occupants of low- and moderate-income housing.
B. 
A waiting list of all eligible candidates will be maintained in accordance with the provisions of N.J.A.C. 5:80-26 et seq.
A. 
Control periods for restricted ownership units shall be in accordance with N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.5, and each restricted ownership unit shall remain subject to the controls on affordability for a period of at least 30 years and, thereafter, until Belvidere takes action to release the unit from such requirements.
B. 
Rehabilitated owner-occupied single family housing units that are improved to code standards shall be subject to affordability controls for a period of 10 years.
C. 
The affordability control period for a restricted ownership unit shall commence on the date the initial certified household takes title to the unit.
D. 
Prior to the issuance of the initial certificate of occupancy for a restricted ownership unit and upon each successive sale during the period of restricted ownership, the Administrative Agent shall determine the restricted price for the unit and shall also determine the non-restricted, fair market value of the unit based on either an appraisal or the unit's equalized assessed value without the restrictions in place.
E. 
At the time of the initial sale of the unit, the initial purchaser shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent a recapture note obligating the purchaser (as well as the purchaser's heirs, successors and assigns) to repay, upon the first nonexempt sale after the unit's release from the restrictions set forth in this chapter, an amount equal to the difference between the unit's nonrestricted fair market value and its restricted price, and the recapture note shall be secured by a recapture lien evidenced by a duly recorded mortgage on the unit.
F. 
The affordability controls set forth in this chapter shall remain in effect despite the entry and enforcement of any judgment of foreclosure with respect to restricted ownership units.
G. 
A restricted ownership unit shall be required to obtain a continuing certificate of occupancy or a certified statement from the Construction Official stating that the unit meets all code standards upon the first transfer of title that follows the expiration of the applicable minimum control period provided under N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.5(a), as may be amended and supplemented.
Price restrictions for restricted ownership units shall be in accordance with N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.1, as may be amended and supplemented, including:
A. 
The initial purchase price for a restricted ownership unit shall be approved by the Administrative Agent.
B. 
The Administrative Agent shall approve all resale prices, in writing and in advance of the resale, to ensure compliance with the foregoing standards.
C. 
The method used to determine the condominium association fee amounts and special assessments shall be indistinguishable between the low- and moderate-income unit owners and the market unit owners.
D. 
The owners of restricted ownership units may apply to the Administrative Agent to increase the maximum sales price for the unit on the basis of capital improvements. Eligible capital improvements shall be those that render the unit suitable for a larger household or the addition of a bathroom.
E. 
Sellers or resellers of restricted ownership units will be charged a fee of 2.0% of the sale price for services provided by the Administrative Agent related to the sale or resale of their home. This fee shall apply to sellers who submit a signed intent to sell their restricted ownership units to the Administrative Agent on or after June 1, 2016, and the fee shall be collected at closing and paid directly to the Administrative Agent.
A. 
The owners of restricted ownership units may apply to the Administrative Agent to increase the maximum sales price for the unit on the basis of capital improvements made since the purchase of the unit. Eligible capital improvements shall be those that render the unit suitable for a larger household or that add an additional bathroom. In no event shall the maximum sales price of an improved housing unit exceed the limits of affordability for the larger household.
B. 
Upon the resale of a restricted ownership unit, all items of property that are permanently affixed to the unit or were included when the unit was initially restricted (for example, refrigerator, range, washer, dryer, dishwasher, wall-to-wall carpeting) shall be included in the maximum allowable resale price. Other items may be sold to the purchaser at a reasonable price that has been approved by the Administrative Agent at the time of the signing of the agreement to purchase. The purchase of central air conditioning installed subsequent to the initial sale of the unit and not included in the base price may be made a condition of the unit resale provided the price, which shall be subject to ten-year, straight-line depreciation, has been approved by the Administrative Agent. Unless otherwise approved by the Administrative Agent, the purchase of any property other than central air conditioning shall not be made a condition of the unit resale. The owner and the purchaser must personally certify at the time of closing that no unapproved transfer of funds for the purpose of selling and receiving property has taken place at the time of or as a condition of resale.
A. 
Buyer income eligibility for restricted ownership units shall be in accordance with N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.1, as may be amended and supplemented, such that low-income ownership units shall be reserved for households with a gross household income less than or equal to 50% of median income and moderate-income ownership units shall be reserved for households with a gross household income less than 80% of median income.
B. 
Notwithstanding the foregoing, however, the Administrative Agent may, in accordance with COAH's criteria, permit moderate-income purchasers to buy low-income units in housing markets determined by COAH to have an insufficient number of eligible low-income purchasers to permit prompt occupancy of the units. All such low-income units to be sold to moderate-income households shall retain the required pricing restrictions for low-income units.
C. 
A certified household that purchases a restricted ownership unit must occupy it as the certified household's principal residence and shall not lease the unit; provided, however, that the Administrative Agent may permit the owner of a restricted ownership unit, upon application and a showing of hardship, to lease the restricted unit to a certified household for a period not to exceed one year.
D. 
The Administrative Agent shall certify a household as eligible for a restricted ownership unit when the household is a low-income household or a moderate-income household, as applicable to the unit, and the estimated monthly housing cost for the particular unit (including principal, interest, taxes, homeowner and private mortgage insurance and condominium or homeowners' association fees, as applicable) does not exceed 33% of the household's certified monthly income.
A. 
Prior to incurring any indebtedness to be secured by a restricted ownership unit, the Administrative Agent shall determine in writing that the proposed indebtedness complies with the provisions of this section.
B. 
With the exception of original purchase money mortgages, during a control period neither an owner nor a lender shall at any time cause or permit the total indebtedness secured by a restricted ownership unit to exceed 95% of the maximum allowable resale price of that unit, as such price is determined by the Administrative Agent in accordance with N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.6(b).
A. 
Control periods for restricted rental units shall be in accordance with N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.11, and each restricted rental unit shall remain subject to the controls on affordability for a period of at least 30 years and, thereafter, until Belvidere takes action to release the unit from such requirements.
B. 
Rehabilitated renter-occupied housing units that are improved to code standards shall be subject to affordability controls for a period of 10 years.
C. 
Deeds of all real property that include restricted rental units shall contain deed restriction language. The deed restriction shall have priority over all mortgages on the property, and the deed restriction shall be filed by the developer or seller with the records office of the County of Warren. A copy of the filed document shall be provided to the Administrative Agent within 30 days of the receipt of a certificate of occupancy.
D. 
A restricted rental unit shall remain subject to the affordability controls of this chapter, despite the occurrence of any of the following events:
(1) 
Sublease or assignment of the lease of the unit;
(2) 
Sale or other voluntary transfer of the ownership of the unit; or
(3) 
The entry and enforcement of any judgment of foreclosure.
A. 
A written lease shall be required for all restricted rental units and tenants shall be responsible for security deposits and the full amount of the rent as stated on the lease. A copy of the current lease for each restricted rental unit shall be provided to the Administrative Agent.
B. 
No additional fees or charges shall be added to the approved rent (except, in the case of units in an assisted living residence, to cover the customary charges for food and services) without the express written approval of the Administrative Agent.
C. 
Application fees (including the charge for any credit check) shall not exceed 5% of the monthly rent of the applicable restricted unit and shall be payable to the Administrative Agent to be applied to the costs of administering the controls applicable to the unit as set forth in this chapter.
A. 
Tenant income eligibility shall be in accordance with N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.13, as may be amended and supplemented, and shall be determined as follows:
(1) 
Very low-income rental units shall be reserved for households with a gross household income less than or equal to 30% of median income.
(2) 
Low-income rental units shall be reserved for households with a gross household income less than or equal to 50% of median income.
(3) 
Moderate-income rental units shall be reserved for households with a gross household income less than 80% of median income.
B. 
The Administrative Agent shall certify a household as eligible for a restricted rental unit when the household is a very low-income, low-income household or a moderate-income household, as applicable to the unit, and the rent proposed for the unit does not exceed 35% (40% for age-restricted units) of the household's eligible monthly income as determined pursuant to N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.16, as may be amended and supplemented; provided, however, that this limit may be exceeded if one or more of the following circumstances exists:
(1) 
The household currently pays more than 35% (40% for households eligible for age-restricted units) of its gross household income for rent, and the proposed rent will reduce its housing costs;
(2) 
The household has consistently paid more than 35% (40% for households eligible for age-restricted units) of eligible monthly income for rent in the past and has proven its ability to pay;
(3) 
The household is currently in substandard or overcrowded living conditions;
(4) 
The household documents the existence of assets with which the household proposes to supplement the rent payments; or
(5) 
The household documents proposed third-party assistance from an outside source such as a family member in a form acceptable to the Administrative Agent and the owner of the unit.
C. 
The applicant shall file documentation sufficient to establish the existence of the circumstances in Subsection B(1) through (5) above with the Administrative Agent, who shall counsel the household on budgeting.
Each housing unit created through the conversion of a nonresidential structure shall be considered a new housing unit and shall be subject to the affordability controls for a new housing unit.