Mountain Man and City Girl

The little borough of West Cape May, like other towns in New Jersey, has to provide affordable housing thanks to the Mt. Laurel decision back in the late 1970’s.  But unlike most municipalities, West Cape May has come up with a novel plan that is offering incentives and fewer building restrictions.

The Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) was created out of that controversial court ruling that mandated a required number of low and moderate income units for each of New Jersey’s 566 municipalities.  West Cape May needs to provide just two units by 2018, but they’re offering breaks for those creating the first 10.

Called “accessory apartments”, they can be in garages, above stores, in existing homes, or even new construction, as long as they’re in an area of the town where public sewer and water already exist.  No planning board approval would be necessary, just the usual construction permits.  The landlord would have to sign an agreement stipulating that the unit be rented below the market rate for 15 years.  But the town’s $25,000 to $75,000 incentive would help make up the difference.  After 15 years, the landlord is free to charge the usual market rate.

The borough will create a pool of tenants after determining their eligilibility based on income.  Landlords can ban smoking or pets or such, and do criminal backgrounds and credit checks, plus charge a security deposit.  The rent can’t be raised as unless a tenant leaves and a new one moves in.

In an expensive shore resort area like the Cape Mays, rentals are beyond the financial scope of many young families.  City officials hope that this will allow more to stay in the area and not move on to less pricey locales.

While West Cape May is just two units short of its COAH goal, two other Cape May County municipalities have a rougher road ahead.  Middle Township is mandated to provide 934 units and Upper Township 566 by 2018.  That would overcrowd the schools and burden the two towns’ services, not to mention the added real estate property taxes that residents would be forced to shoulder.  The towns have minimal areas of infrastructure and over 50% of each municipality is either federal, state or preserved land and not buildable.  Providing this absurd number of units definitely would promote sprawl and change the character of the towns.

Perhaps Governor-elect Christopher Christie, who has spoken out against COAH, will do something to abolish this forced build-up of semi-rural communities.

- Mountain Man and City Girl

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