Fair Share Housing Center

06/02/2026

In case you missed it: Last week, we hosted a webinar on the successful implementation of New Jersey’s landmark affordable housing law, bringing together advocates, local leaders, partners, and supporters from across the state.

We heard from an outstanding panel of speakers:
-The Honorable Jacquelyn A. Suárez, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
- Adam Gordon, Executive Director, Fair Share Housing Center
- Mia Sacks, Councilwoman, Princeton, NJ Government
- Evesham Township Deputy Mayor Heather Cooper
- Rev. Eric Dobson (moderator)

New Jersey is making historic progress. More than 400 communities have now formally adopted their fair share housing plans—many for the first time ever—creating a path toward tens of thousands of new affordable homes.

As implementation continues, we will keep working to ensure these commitments become homes that working families, seniors, and people with disabilities can actually afford.

Watch the recording and share it with your networks:

On May 28th 2026, we examined the implementation of New Jersey’s la...

05/29/2026

Are you a renter in New Jersey? Want to better understand your rights as a tenant?

Join us this Sunday at the Montclair Public Library for an important conversation on tenant rights — featuring Volunteer Lawyers for Justice and our managing director of external affairs, Al-Tariq Witcher.

Come learn, connect, and get the tools you need to advocate for yourself and your community.

Space is limited, so make sure to RSVP: https://bccls.libcal.com/event/16115616?k=e765f14d5627d45d3c812bb41213febe

05/28/2026

Today, the New Jersey Senate took an important step toward making affordable housing more accessible by passing Bill S219, which would ensure that families aren’t unfairly denied affordable homes because of credit challenges caused by housing instability itself.

Too often, people who qualify for affordable housing — after years on waiting lists — are shut out because of rigid credit screening that ignores the reality of financial hardship. This bill would require a more individualized, fair assessment of applicants rather than overreliance on credit scores.

Thank you to Senators Shirley K. Turner and Benjie E. Wimberly for championing this crucial legislation.

Next stop: the Assembly.

05/26/2026

We've reached a major milestone for affordable housing in New Jersey:

401 municipalities have now adopted final implementing ordinances for their affordable housing plans — the broadest compliance since the Mount Laurel Doctrine was established over 50 years ago.

Under New Jersey’s landmark new affordable housing law, towns were given clear obligations, transparent rules, and a mediation process that quickly resolved disputes without years of costly litigation.

The result: the vast majority of New Jersey's municipalities are moving forward with plans to create and preserve affordable homes through smart redevelopment, transit-oriented growth, partnerships with nonprofits, and supportive housing for seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities.

From redeveloping outdated malls and office parks to creating new mixed-income neighborhoods, municipalities are showing that affordable housing and strong local economies go hand in hand.

“This is a historic turning point,” said Adam Gordon, our executive director. “These housing plans will help ensure that the people who keep our communities running — from teachers to retail workers — can actually afford to live nearby. That’s good for local businesses, good for local economies, and essential to New Jersey’s long-term stability.”

“What we’re seeing is a lot of smart, strategic growth that benefits entire communities,” added Gordon. “Redeveloping empty offices and abandoned malls into housing helps towns grow in a way that’s both sustainable and inclusive.”

Learn more in today's press release: https://www.fairsharehousing.org/press-release/historic-milestone-401-nj-towns-adopt-final-implementing-ordinances-for-affordable-housing-plans/

05/18/2026

Montvale’s largest redevelopment site should be used to help address the housing crisis — not as a backdoor to approve a massive data center.

A new article highlights a troubling reality: Montvale — the same town that led a series of failed lawsuits trying to overturn NJ's affordable housing law — is now attempting to make a large data center a foundational part of its affordable housing plan for the former KPMG site.

And despite public efforts to downplay the proposal, Montvale’s own court filings say the quiet part out loud: “the PILOT on the data center becomes the economic engine driving the creation of affordable housing.”

That raises serious questions.

Why is a highly controversial industrial use being tied to a municipality’s obligation to create affordable homes? Why has there been so little public discussion about a proposal with potentially major consequences for Montvale and surrounding communities?

The former KPMG campus is not only Montvale’s largest redevelopment opportunity — it is among the largest in Bergen County. Decisions about this site will shape the region for decades.

At a time when nearly 400 New Jersey municipalities — the vast majority statewide — are moving forward with plans to create affordable homes under the state’s new law, Montvale is pursuing a profoundly harmful workaround.

New Jersey’s fair housing framework was designed to create homes for families, seniors, workers, and people struggling with rising costs — not to facilitate special tax treatment for non-residential development.

The good news: across New Jersey, communities are increasingly embracing affordable housing because they understand the benefits — stronger local economies, support for employers, opportunities for working families, and more inclusive communities.

Teachers, nurses, first responders, young families, and older adults all need somewhere to live.

New Jersey’s affordable housing process gives towns flexibility and control over how they meet their requirements. But the process works best when municipalities engage in it transparently and in good faith.

Read more here:

Montvale is headed back to court after Fair Share Housing Center challenged its revised affordable housing plan.

05/14/2026

Join us on May 28 for a Webinar on the implementation of New Jersey’s landmark new affordable housing law.

As more municipalities than ever move forward with plans to create affordable homes, we'll examine how the new law is working on the ground — with a focus on innovative redevelopment strategies that are revitalizing communities and strengthening local economies.

We’ll hear from the following speakers:
- The Honorable Jacquelyn A. Suárez, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
- Adam Gordon, Executive Director, Fair Share Housing Center
- Mia Sacks, Councilwoman, Princeton, NJ
- Evesham Township Deputy Mayor Heather Cooper
- Rev. Eric Dobson (moderator)

This event will give residents, policymakers, media, and advocates a clear understanding of the strong housing plans municipalities are advancing — and why New Jersey’s approach has emerged as a national model.

Register NOW to reserve your spot: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_nXL0z08NR96-N96AQblD2g #/registration

05/11/2026

Good news from the Statehouse today — one of our top legislative priorities just cleared the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee.

This legislation makes it easier to convert empty malls and office buildings into mixed-use developments, combining housing and commercial uses. Any residential component would have to include at least 20% affordable housing.

This would create thousands of homes and help maximize the impact of NJ's new affordable housing law — while creating jobs, revitalizing under-utlized areas, and increasing muncipalities' tax bases.

“New Jersey’s housing affordability crisis is fundamentally a supply issue,” said bill sponsor Senator Troy Singleton. “We have large commercial properties across the state sitting partially vacant or economically distressed while families struggle to find attainable housing. This legislation helps modernize outdated zoning practices and creates a pathway to transform underutilized sites into vibrant mixed-use communities that can support housing, local businesses, and long-term economic growth.”

“As workplace trends and consumer habits continue to evolve, many suburban office parks and shopping centers are no longer serving the purpose they once did,” said Senator Benjie E. Wimberly, who also sponsored the bill. “Rather than allowing these properties to decline further, this bill creates an opportunity to breathe new life into them while addressing one of the biggest challenges facing our state: the lack of available housing.”

Read more from the New Jersey Senate Democrats:

TRENTON – The Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee advanced legislation sponsored by Senators Troy Singleton and Benjie Wimberly that would authorize the conversion of certain vacant or underutilized office parks and retail centers into mixed-use developments, including housing and commerc...

05/05/2026

Why are housing costs rising fastest in some low-income communities?

New research points to exclusionary zoning — policies that limit apartments and affordable homes — driving up rents and deepening inequality.

Housing markets don’t stop at municipal borders. When one town restricts housing, the effects spill into surrounding communities — driving up costs and limiting access.

This is why strong, statewide solutions matter. In New Jersey, the fair share housing framework requires every community to do its part to create affordable homes — helping expand opportunity and reduce pressure on lower-income neighborhoods.

Learn more in this piece by Eviction Lab researcher Matthew Mleczko about his latest research:

Restrictive land use policies mean higher housing costs in neighborhoods most in need of affordability. We need policies that promote enough housing for everybody.

04/29/2026

Join us next month for a Webinar on the implementation of New Jersey’s landmark new affordable housing law.

As more municipalities than ever move forward with plans to create affordable homes, this discussion will examine how the law is working on the ground — with a focus on innovative redevelopment strategies that are revitalizing communities and strengthening local economies.

We’ll hear from the following speakers:
- The Honorable Jacquelyn A. Suárez, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs
- Adam Gordon, Executive Director, Fair Share Housing Center
- Mia Sacks, Councilwoman, Princeton
- Evesham Township Deputy Mayor Heather Cooper
- Rev. Eric Dobson (moderator)

This event will give policymakers, media, and advocates a clear understanding of the strong housing plans municipalities are advancing — and why New Jersey’s approach is emerging as a national model.

Register now to reserve your spot: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_nXL0z08NR96-N96AQblD2g #/registration

04/27/2026

Today, Governor Mikie Sherrill announced a wide-ranging Executive Order to address the housing crisis and help maximize the impact of New Jersey’s newly-strengthened affordable housing framework.

Gov. Sherrill's announcement focuses on speeding up the creation of new housing — particularly near transit and in high-opportunity communities — while advancing the development of affordable homes on state-owned land and improving access to existing affordable housing opportunities.

"At a time when too many New Jersey residents are struggling to find a home they can afford, Governor Sherrill is showing the kind of bold, urgent leadership this moment demands," said Fair Share Housing Center Executive Director Adam Gordon, who served on Gov. Sherrill’s transition team and joined her at today's signing (along with Jeopardy! champ Jamie Ding).

“New Jersey’s landmark new law strengthening the Mount Laurel Doctrine has already led to more municipalities than ever stepping forward with plans to create affordable homes. By making better use of public land and areas with good transit access — and making it easier to find and apply for homes once they are built — the Governor’s moves will help ensure those plans translate into real homes for real people."

Read our press statement to learn more: https://www.fairsharehousing.org/press-release/fair-share-housing-center-applauds-gov-sherrills-bold-actions-to-improve-housing-access-affordability/