4th Round HEFSP Draft Resolution

RESOLUTION OF THE PLANNING BOARD OF THE TOWNSHIP OF WEST ORANGE ADOPTING A FOURTH ROUND HOUSING ELEMENT AND FAIR SHARE PLAN WHEREAS, on March 20, 2024, Governor Murphy signed into law P.L. 2024, c.2, which amended the 1985 New Jersey Fair Housing Act (hereinafter the “Amended FHA”); and WHEREAS, the Township adopted a “binding resolution” on January 28, 2025, accepting the DCA Fourth Round Present Need Obligation of 409 and Prospective Need of 660; and WHEREAS, in accordance with the Amended FHA and Administrative Office of the Court’s Directive No. 14-24, the Township filed a timely Fourth Round Declaratory Judgment complaint (“DJ Complaint”) with the Affordable Housing Dispute Resolution Program (“the Program”), along with its binding resolution on January 31, 2025; and WHEREAS, the filing of the DJ Complaint gave the Township automatic immunity from all exclusionary zoning lawsuits, including builder’s remedy lawsuits; and WHEREAS, the Township did not receive any objections to its Present and Prospective Need Obligations by February 28, 2025 resulting in the statutory automatic acceptance of the Township’s Fourth Round obligations on March 1, 2028; and WHEREAS, on March 24, 2025, the Court entered an order establishing the Township’s Fourth Round Present Need Obligation of 409 affordable units for the Fourth Round Housing Cycle and 660 Prospective Need Obligation for the Fourth Round Housing Cycle; and