Clients: Numerous New Jersey municipalities

Overview

Phillips Preiss provides affordable housing planning services to numerous municipalities. We have a comprehensive understanding of the 1985 Fair Housing Act, the 2024 Amended Fair Housing Act, rules generated by the defunct Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) which remain valid, and the Uniform Housing Affordability Controls (UHAC) including its recent amendments. We have successfully guided municipal clients through the State man-dated process which involves analysis and rebuttal of affordable housing numbers issued by the Department of Community Affairs; discussions in front of the Affordable Housing Dispute Resolution Program with Fair Share Housing Center and other interest parties regarding municipal obligations; identification of appropriate sites for affordable housing; recommendations for fair share compliance mechanisms tailored to each municipality’s individual circumstances and built context; negotiations with interested affordable housing developers regarding densities, scale, housing types, and bulk standards; utilization of the Highlands Council Build-Out portal; preparation of vacant land adjustments; drafting of fair share plans and implementing ordinances; presentations of municipal plans at public meet-ings; and ongoing compliance work with the ultimate goal of a Court granted judgment of compliance and repose protecting our client municipalities from the threat of Builders’ Remedy lawsuits until 2035.