Branchburg may 'spread around' new affordable housing

BRANCHBURG - The next round of affordable housing may be "spread around" Branchburg, Township Committeeman Tom Young said Monday.

The township anticipates that its affordable housing obligation for the next decade will be 450 units, Young said at Monday's Township Committee meeting.

The township does not want the new housing developments to be 100% affordable, Young said, explaining "we don't think it's good for the community."

The township prefers "inclusionary" developments where there is a mix of affordable and market-rate units, though that means the developments will be larger and have a greater impact, Young said.

If the township adopts an inclusionary approach, that could raise the possibility that at least 1,500 units may have to be constructed, Young said.

The new units will be "spread around" Branchburg because the township doesn't want the development to end up in the northern part of the township in the Route 22 corridor "like it did" the previous round of affordable housing.

More: Branchburg gets 'not good news' about affordable housing, vows to fight

Young also repeated that the township will continue to work with Raritan Valley Community College in a "synergistic" strategy if the college ever goes ahead with the construction of student dormitories that could possibly help fulfill the township's affordable housing obligation.

The state Department of Community Affairs is required to provide New Jersey municipalities with initial numbers on their affordable housing obligations by Oct. 20. Those numbers will be valid for the next decade.

Municipalities will then have until Jan. 31, 2025 to adopt that number or provide their own calculations.

Municipalities will then have a June 30, 2025 deadline to adopt specific plans on how they plan to meet the affordable housing obligations.

"We're going to have a pretty busy fourth quarter," Young said, encouraging residents "to pay attention" to future developments.

Email: mdeak@mycentraljersey.com

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Branchburg may 'spread around' new affordable housing