Fair Share Housing Center

08/31/2026

A new Philadelphia Inquirer article about how to improve the Jersey Shore highlights an approach we’re seeing more of across New Jersey: using redevelopment to create much-needed affordable housing.

As Ariela Rutbeck-Goldman of Fair Share Housing Center told the Inquirer, Belmar is repurposing dilapidated motels and other underutilized properties to increase its housing supply.

That’s a smart approach — not just for housing, but for the environment.

Repurposing an already-developed property means we can add homes without paving over forests, farms, and other limited open space. It can make better use of existing roads and utilities while putting people closer to jobs, businesses, and services.

Done well, redevelopment can help address two challenges at once: our shortage of affordable homes and the environmental costs of sprawl.

The Jersey Shore needs more homes that teachers, nurses, service workers, young families, seniors, and others who make these communities work can afford — and redevelopment can help us build them in smarter, more sustainable ways.

Read the full article to see what else the Inquirer thinks could make the Jersey Shore better: https://www.inquirer.com/news/new-jersey/ways-to-improve-jersey-shore-20260830.html

08/27/2026

Want to stay in the know — and help build a more affordable, equitable New Jersey?

Sign up here for our monthly newsletter with the latest housing policy news, legal victories, and ways to take action:
https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/SUwEJc0

08/25/2026

You can't solve a regional housing crisis by nicely asking wealthy suburban towns to voluntarily build affordable homes.

New Jersey is taking a different approach: it *requires* every municipality to create its fair share of affordable homes.

And it's working: a recent Regional Plan Association report found that since 2015 New Jersey municipalities have produced housing at nearly TEN TIMES the rate of municipalities on Long Island, which has no comparable fair share system. While housing costs have risen across the broader NYC metro region, areas outside of New Jersey have experienced faster increases and worsening indicators such as overcrowding.

And now, thanks to New Jersey's new law strengthening its fair share framework, more municipalities than ever — the vast majority — are creating new affordable homes.

What can other states learn from New Jersey?

Our piece for Results for America's The Department of What Works takes a closer look. Give it a read and see what you think: https://thedepartmentofwhatworks.substack.com/p/with-new-clear-statewide-rules-new

08/19/2026

In case you missed it: How can we make affordable housing more pet-inclusive?

FSHC Executive Director Adam Gordon recently joined Ross Barker of the Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative to discuss how the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program can help advance pet-inclusive housing policies at scale.

Watch this webinar to learn how states like California are using housing policy to help more people keep their pets while keeping a stable home:

Pet-inclusive housing helps keep people and pets together — and is ...

08/17/2026

A new model for housing in New Jersey is taking shape in Jersey City.

Hudson County's proposal to build a new mixed-use community on county-owned land — including hundreds of permanently affordable homes — is the kind of forward-thinking approach New Jersey needs.

The project would be built with 100% union labor and would transform more than 10 acres of public parking lots into a vibrant neighborhood with parks, restaurants and a supermarket.

Social housing has a long track record around the world, and Montgomery County, Maryland, has shown how public ownership of mixed-income housing can work right here in the U.S.

Now Hudson County is bringing that model to New Jersey — and it could become a blueprint for communities across the state.

Check out this new op-ed co-authored by the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation’s Samra Haider, the Regional Plan Association's Zoe Baldwin, and our executive director Adam Gordon:

Hudson County proposes converting 10+ acres of public parking lots into 1,500+ mixed-income homes, offering a potential model for addressing New Jersey's housing crisis.

08/13/2026

People often fear what they don’t understand. Before making assumptions about affordable housing — or the people who live there — take a moment to get to know the families and the stories behind the doors.

For Matt and Patti Devlin, Project Freedom Inc.'s Freedom Village means something deeply personal: knowing their son, who has special needs, is safe, supported, and building the skills to live more independently.

Affordable housing isn’t just about a place to live. It’s about community, dignity, opportunity, and peace of mind.

Check out our blog post to learn more about the Devlin family, Freedom Village, and New Jersey’s innovative affordable housing policies:
https://www.fairsharehousing.org/project-freedom-delivering-independence-through-supportive-housing/

08/12/2026

We’re hiring: Managing Director of Policy and Advocacy

We're looking for a senior leader to help shape and advance our policy and advocacy agenda — and build on our work to make New Jersey a more affordable, inclusive, and equitable place to live.

The Managing Director of Policy and Advocacy will lead our policy work at the local, state, and federal levels, collaborate closely with partners and policymakers, and help turn bold ideas into lasting change.

If you’re a strategic thinker, experienced advocate, and committed leader looking for an opportunity to have a major impact, we’d love to hear from you.

Learn more about the position and apply: fairsharehousing.bamboohr.com/careers/41

Please share with someone who might be a great fit!

ABOUT FAIR SHARE HOUSING CENTER Fair Share Housing Center (FSHC) is a nonprofit advocacy organization that uses legal, policy, and community-building strategies to dismantle decades of racial and economic discrimination in New Jersey and nationally that excludes people from the opportunity to live i...

08/05/2026

In a win for Elizabeth tenants — and democracy! — a Union County judge rejected a lawsuit from landlords seeking to block a ballot initiative that would restore the city’s longstanding $20 cap on annual rent increases for rent-controlled apartments.

More than 700 residents signed a petition to put the question directly before voters — but landlords sued to stop that from happening. The court’s ruling means Elizabeth voters can now have their say.

Fair Share Housing Center was proud to join an amicus brief defending the initiative alongside several other housing justice organizations.

Huge credit to Make the Road New Jersey and Rutgers Law School's Housing Justice & Tenant Solidarity Clinic for leading the amicus effort, and to NJ Appleseed for representing the petitioners for the Freelizabeth campaign.

“Rent control is one of the most important tools municipalities have to help longtime residents stay in their homes as housing costs continue to soar," said Laura Smith-Denker, our managing director of litigation. "Elizabeth's voters deserve the opportunity to decide whether restoring the city's longstanding rent control protections is the right approach. This ruling is a win for democratic participation and for communities seeking solutions to the housing affordability crisis.”

Read Rutgers Law School's press release to learn more: https://law.rutgers.edu/news/clinic-wins-rent-control-amicus-victory

07/31/2026

Too many families are forced to make an impossible choice: keep their pets or secure stable housing.

Join us on Thursday, Aug. 6 for a webinar on the growing movement for pet-inclusive housing with our executive director, Adam Gordon, and Ross Barker of the Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative and Michelson Center for Public Policy.

In this webinar, we'll explore how one powerful policy tool — the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program — can help advance pet-inclusive housing policies at the state and local levels.

The discussion will explore efforts underway in California and other states, examine how LIHTC and similar programs can drive policy change, and highlight opportunities to improve housing stability for people with pets.

Register here to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/VuIusaePSoqrDsup8nh6ag #/registration

07/30/2026

Across New Jersey, many local leaders are embracing affordable housing as part of a broader vision for economic growth, inclusive neighborhoods, and a stronger community.

Neptune Township is one of those communities. In this new op-ed for The Asbury Park Press, Neptune Township Committeemember Bryan Acciani and Fair Share Housing Center's Ariela Rutbeck-Goldman explain how the township developed one of New Jersey's most thoughtful affordable housing plans.

Give it a read: https://www.aol.com/articles/lets-build-stronger-neptune-affordable-074234000.html