Affordable suburbs

From the Courier Post:

Urban mayors call for changes to promote affordable housing

A group of urban mayors issued several demands Thursday before they could support legislation eliminating the practice in which richer suburban towns pay poorer cities to take some of their affordable housing obligation.

The mayors said the practice, known as regional contribution agreements, or RCAs, have done wonders for redeveloping their cities and giving people the opportunity to own a home. Critics say the arrangements go against the notion of inclusive affordable housing, sending affordable housing to cities and preventing the poor from living in the suburbs.

Such pacts would be eliminated under legislation pushed by Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts, D-Camden, but the mayors said several conditions must be met in order to ensure they and their constituents still reap the benefits they get under RCAs.

Among the demands were:

Giving distressed cities funding to attract moderate- and market-income housing.

Constitutionally dedicating a new real estate transfer tax to subside construction of affordable housing in cities.

Offsetting school costs and using a housing tax credit to spur affordable housing in the suburbs.

Creating a commission to address affordable housing issues.
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The New Jersey Regional Coalition, an advocacy group pushing to eliminate RCAs, distributed several statements praising the mayors for opposing the agreements. Marty Johnson, the group’s president, said he wasn’t surprised to hear the mayors tout the virtues of RCAs.

“We would love to see an elimination of RCAs be on the top of everyone’s agenda, knowing long-term it has really negative implications for all of New Jersey, including urban areas,” Johnson said. “. . . We think it’s a heartening sign that the urban mayors are moving forward with this level of thinking and engagement on this issue.”