COAH Resolves to Take Unspent Affordable-Housing Funds from Municipalities

Defying several attempts at killing it off, the New Jersey Council on Affordable Housing met for the first time in more than two years on Wednesday to begin the process of taking at least $142 million in funds dedicated to low- and moderate-income housing to help balance the state budget.

COAH, which has few friends in the Legislature, was reorganized out of existence in 2011 by Gov. Chris Christie. The council voted 4-1 to ask municipalities to send proof of their plans to spend any money that had been dormant in their affordable housing trust funds for four years as of July 17, 2012 and transfer the remaining, unspent money to the council by May 22, according to the resolution.

The resolution also gave its acting director approval to inform municipalities how much of their unspent funds had been collected between July 18, 2008 and March 31, 2009 and to ask them to either prove they have concrete plans to spend the money or turn it over to the council.

Lisa Ryan, a COAH spokeswoman, said the state will not know exactly how much money has not been spent and is due to the state until the staff begins to get information from municipalities. Last July, the Department of Community Affairs estimated that amount at $142 million. The Cherry Hill-based Fair Share Housing Center, which was successful in stopping the DCA from seizing the funds last summer, estimates the amount today at more than $150 million.

“Today’s money grab shows where the governor’s real priorities are,” said Kevin Walsh, Fair Share’s associate director.

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