Affordable Housing and Livingston 2020 Survey Highlighted at the Livingston …

The future of affordable and low-income housing in New Jersey is mixed, according to Robin Kase Weiss, a city planner for Value Research Group, a Livingston-based real estate analyst and consulting company. 

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development cut its funding for the upcoming fiscal year by $3.7 billion, or 9 percent, to $37.4 billion, Weiss said, which includes support for such programs as community development block grants and home rehabilitations. 

Over the summer, Gov. Chris Christie dismantled the 12- member Council on Affordable Housing , the organization that was in charge of overseeing the state requirement that municipalities create a set amount of affordable homes in their communities.

The state Department of Community Affairs was given the oversight responsibilities for affordable housing issues to “curb procedural inefficiencies that result in unreasonable delays and costs to municipalities and the private sector,” according to the COAH website. 

“It’s up in the air. It’s in transition at the moment,” Weiss said. “:It’s hard to know how much money there is going to be (for affordable housing projects).” 

Still, there are a handful of affordable housing proposals moving forward in the Garden State, Weiss said as she showed photographs of successful developments in Newark, Jersey City and Camden. She also said outside organizations have also been chipping in to redevelop properties., such as Episcopal Community Development in Newark. 

Weiss noted that the state Housing and Mortgage Financing Agency recently approved tax credits for 13 low-income housing proposals throughout New Jersey. Two of  the projects are based in Newark: Springfield Village Senior Residents, which proposes to build 70 units at 313 to 329 15th Ave., and The Plaza at Springfield Village, which proposes to build 50 units at 302 to 324 Springfield Ave.

Weiss, who gave an overall talk about affordable housing in the state, was one of two guest speakers who gave a presentation to the League of Women Voters of Livingston last week at the senior community center. 

The other guest speaker was Shawn Klein, a volunteer with the Vision 20/20 committee. 

The committee is helping township officials seek out new suggestions from residents on how the community can be improved and what actions should be taken to improve the overall quality-of-life in the Livingston. 

Klein encouraged the league members and other residents to fill out the four-page questionnaire and include their thoughts on topics such as business development, education, public safety, transportation, and the environment. The survey is available at the township hall, library and senior community center as well as on the municipal website.

Klein said about 750 people have responded and the deadline to hand it in is the end of the month. The results will be made public in the new year. 

Sidney Shaievitz, a Livingston resident and attorney, said he thought the presentations were interesting and he’s been impressed by all of the construction, expanding and building going on in Newark. “It’s really turning around,” he said.  

The next League of Women Voters of Livingston event will be a meeting with the mayor 8 p.m. Jan. 18 at the senior citizens center. For more information about the league, e-mail lwvlivingstonnj@aol.com.

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