From the Courier Post
A round-table discussion Tuesday about affordable housing in New Jersey focused primarily on the lack of it.
“When it comes to housing, affordability does not exist in the state,” said Diane J. Johnson, New Jersey field office director for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Johnson joined three other speakers during the round table, part of the Governor’s Conference on Housing and Community Development.
The conference, held at the Atlantic City Convention Center, drew nearly 1,500 people. It concludes today.
Even the definition of affordable housing was open to determination.
“It means different things to different groups,” said Anthony Cupano, director of property management for the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency.
Whatever the definition, Gov. Jon S. Corzine promised in his campaign to create 100,000 affordable housing units in 10 years, with a mix of new housing and renovated existing stock. A task force of public and private housing experts expect to turn in a strategy report by year’s end on ways to reach that goal without increasing state funding.