Yesterday, Governor Chris Christie signed Executive Order 12 creating the Housing Opportunity Task Force, which will initiate an immediate review of the Commission on Affordable Housing and its continued existence.

The mission of the group will be to examine the regulations and methodologies of COAH, the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and the State Planning Act in meeting the constitutional obligations of the Mt. Laurel­ court decisions in a manner that is consistent with sound planning and economic growth for the state.

"COAH's conflicting messages and edicts to municipalities and builders have made it a planning nightmare and a source of endless litigation," said Governor Christie. "This Task Force will help formulate a sensible planning system that considers economic growth and development, the character of our communities and our commitment to affordable housing opportunities for our residents."

The five-member task force will serve without compensation, and will be dissolved after issuing its final report in 90 days.

During that time, COAH is to refrain from taking any further action to process applications for substantive certification or to take any other actions to implement the Third Round regulations.

Read Executive Order 12 here: http://nj.gov/infobank/circular/eocc12.pdf




CHRISTIE: "COAH NIGHTMARE IS OVER." "'In short, the message to municipalities in New Jersey is that their COAH nightmare is over,’ the governor said. 'We're going to make sure development gets places back into the hands of local municipalities to make these kind of decisions.’" (Beth DeFalco, "NJ Governor Freezes Affordable Housing Council," Associated Press, 2/10/10)

"'Effectively, COAH has been shut down,' Christie said in announcing the task force." (Beth DeFalco, "NJ Governor Freezes Affordable Housing Council," Associated Press, 2/9/10)

Executive Director Of NJ League Of Municipalities: New Jersey Being Given A Well Deserved "Time Out." "William Dressel, executive director for the state League of Municipalities, a strong critic of the council and its rules, said the governor was calling a well deserved 'time-out.’" (Lisa Fleisher, "N.J. Gov. Chris Christie Creates Task Force To Review Affordable Housing," Star-Ledger, 2/9/10)

ASSEMBLYMAN SCOTT RUMANA (R-Bergen, Passaic, Essex): "Governor Christie promised to gut COAH and he has inserted the knife. Municipalities no longer have to worry about bureaucrats in Trenton inflicting impossible quotas that only result in higher property taxes without any more housing opportunity." (Asm. Rumana Statement, 2/9/10)

ASSEMBLYMAN DAVE RIBLE (R-Monmouth): "Governor Christie has again proven he means what he says and says what he means with today’s Executive Order that virtually shuts down the Council on Affordable Housing. … No doubt, many township officials today are sighing a sigh of relief now that the third round obligations of COAH are on hold." (Asm. Rible Statement, 2/9/10)