O’Scanlon & DiMaso: Frustrations High With COAH, Past Time for Reform

Senator Declan O’Scanlon and Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso (both R-Monmouth) issued a statement following Middletown’s decision to withdraw from affordable housing negotiations:

“We stand behind Middletown’s decision to pull out of COAH discussions,” said O’Scanlon. “They’re tired of trying to play by the rules for years and years only to be told the hundreds of units they’ve built are never enough, and I completely understand their frustrations. For people to claim Middletown doesn’t want working-class families in their town is completely misguided.”

“I have been a vocal advocate for affordable housing reform for years, from my time as Holmdel mayor on through to my term in the Assembly. Senator O’Scanlon and I have worked with our Republican colleagues to call for these necessary changes to be made to the way we deal with affordable housing obligations,” DiMaso continued.

“The way we are doing things right now doesn’t work, it hasn’t been a functioning system for a long time. We’ve asked our colleagues across the aisle to address this affordable housing issue for years and nothing has been done. Frustrations are high all around. I have been dealing with a significant family loss since Middletown announced their decision and any person using partisan politics to claim we are not supportive of Middletown’s decision to remove themselves from an unfair game should be ashamed of themselves,” said O’Scanlon.

“Middletown has a diverse housing stock and anyone who has spent any real amount of time in town can tell you that. Further, this isn’t just a Middletown issue. We’ve been working with a number of our towns–Hazlet, Holmdel, etc.–who couldn’t possibly meet the unrealistic expectations set for them. We need to get reforms that allow for existing affordable units to be included among a variety of other critically necessary changes,” DiMaso concluded.