Bill > S3296

Introduced Session

This bill would establish a veterans' affordable housing preference, and would offer municipalities bonus fair share credits for veterans' affordable housing. Specifically, the bill would require the developer, residential development owner, or administrative agent for affordable housing in a municipality to provide a preference to low to moderate income veterans, regardless of war service, of the United States Armed Forces, or a Reserve Component thereof, or the New Jersey National Guard, with regard to no less than 50 percent of the affordable units in a project. This requirement would apply to both rental and ownership affordable housing. Under existing law, municipalities are permitted to enter into agreements with owners and developers to establish similar veterans preferences for up to 50 percent of the housing in a development. This bill would require a veterans preference for no less than 50 percent of the housing in a development. In addition to the affirmative marketing otherwise required for affordable units, the bill directs the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to provide appropriate outreach to veterans to enhance awareness of the veterans preference and the steps necessary to take advantage of the preference. In order to facilitate appropriate outreach to veterans, the bill requires the department to maintain a registry of veterans who have expressed interest in, or may be eligible for, affordable housing, and the regions or municipalities in which the veterans live, or would be willing to live, should affordable housing become available. In order to ensure that affordable units are offered to eligible veterans before non-veterans, in accordance with the requirements of this bill, the bill requires the department to coordinate with the council or its successor, the department, the agency, and developers and residential development owners. Additionally, the bill provides that a municipality would receive one unit of credit and one-half bonus credit for each unit of housing occupied or reserved for occupancy by a low or moderate income veteran. The bill requires the Commissioner of Community Affairs to adopt rules and regulations, in consultation with the Adjutant General of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, to effectuate the purposes of the bill on or before the effective date of the bill. The bill would take effect on the first day of the fourth month next following enactment.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Tony Bucco (R)*,  Kristin Corrado (R)*, 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee (on 12/18/2020)