The township expects its current affordable housing stock will meet new COAH requirements, including the need that would be triggered by an expansion of a Route 1 shopping mall and new hospital off Princess Road.
By:Lea Kahn Staff Writer
Lawrence Township expects to meet the state Council on Affordable Housing’s requirement to provide 285 affordable housing units between 2004 and 2014 including the need for units that would be triggered by an expansion of one of the shopping malls and the construction of a hospital on Princess Road.
The Planning Board and Township Council unanimously approved the revised Housing Element of the township’s Master Plan and the accompanying Fair Share Plan this week. The documents must be submitted to COAH by Dec. 20 for its review.
Township planning consultant Philip Caton told the Planning Board on Monday that the township will receive credit for enough affordable housing units to include the obligation that would be triggered by a proposed expansion of the Quaker Bridge Mall and Capital Health Systems’ proposed hospital on Princess Road.
COAH based its 285-unit requirement on a new method that links the number of new affordable units to the amount of residential and nonresidential development expected to be built in the next 10 years. It requires one affordable unit to be built for every eight market-rate housing units, and one affordable unit for every 25 jobs based on the amount of nonresidential construction.
The township has already met the 285-unit requirement, through a combination of surplus units that can be applied to the new requirement, plus credit for bedrooms in several group homes scattered throughout the township and for extending affordability controls on existing affordable housing units.
The affordability controls stipulated that for 20 years following construction of each affordable housing unit, the owner could only sell to a buyer that met affordable housing income guidelines. The first units were built in the 1980s, and those controls are beginning to expire. The township is working with owners to extend the affordability controls for an additional 30 years.
Noting that Lawrence has a 199-unit surplus over its previous COAH requirement to provide for 944 units, Mr. Caton said that surplus is "quite impressive." He added that Lawrence is an "over-achiever" in meeting its requirements.
Township Council members said Tuesday they were pleased that Lawrence would be able to meet its affordable housing requirements.
"Other towns are scrambling (to meet the COAH requirement)," Councilman Michael Powers said. "It’s comforting to know we have a surplus of affordable units."
Councilman Mark Holmes, who serves on COAH’s board of directors, said he is proud that the township had met its earlier affordable housing obligations and that it will continue to do so.
Councilmen Rick Miller and Greg Puliti agreed that Lawrence has been in the forefront of meeting its COAH obligations.
"We have been doing this for a long time," Mr. Miller said. "Lawrence has been a leader (in meeting its COAH obligation) for many, many years."
Mayor Pam Mount said Lawrence is in good shape for the next few years.
"We are not standing still (in meeting the affordable housing needs)," Mayor Mount said.
The requirement for towns to provide their fair share of affordable housing grew out of two rulings made by the state Supreme Court one in 1975 and one in 1983 that became known as the Mount Laurel I and Mount Laurel II decisions.
The lawsuit that led to the first of the two rulings occurred in Mount Laurel, when the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People sued to overturn the town’s zoning regulations. The lawsuit alleged that town officials zoned land for large lots and low density excluding people who could not afford it.
The 1983 ruling, known as Mount Laurel II, required all towns to provide the opportunity for the construction of housing units that are affordable to low- and moderate-income households.

