At its meeting on Monday, April 3, Princeton Council voted to adopt the 2017 amended municipal budget and engaged in a work session on requests for the 2017 capital budget. In addition, Mayor Liz Lempert gave an update on the ongoing litigation regarding Princeton’s affordable housing obligation.

“Whatever Princeton’s ultimate obligation is determined to be, the number will be significant,” Ms. Lempert warned. The town has been in contact with the Princeton school district to let them know they should anticipate additional housing units, she added.

Princeton is in court because it is required, like every town in New Jersey, to come up with zoning for its “fair share” of affordable housing through 2025. From 1999 until 2015, the state’s Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) was not functioning. As a result, the state’s Supreme Court created a process for towns to go to court to have their affordable housing plans approved and their obligations determined. COAH would previously have performed that process.

In 2015, the Fair Share Housing Center called for Princeton to add 1,480 new affordable units. But the number determined by the town was 445 units. Three consultants who worked on the issue are currently revising that number, because the Supreme Court has ruled that the years when COAH was dysfunctional must be included when each town’s obligations are calculated.

During those years, Princeton added affordable housing units at the developments Copperwood, Avalon Princeton, and Merwick-Stanworth, as well as two group homes for disabled adults. “Princeton continues to be a leader when it comes to affordable housing, and we have demonstrated how it can be built in a way that benefits the larger community and successfully adds to our
diversity,” Ms. Lempert said. “The Council and Planning Board are committed to putting together a plan that to the best of our abilities reflects good planning principles.”

The town has been trying to reach a settlement with the Fair Share Housing Center on the number of units for the past several months. “If a settlement is reached, then both the Council and Planning Board will develop a plan to meet that obligation, and approve it at a public meeting,” Ms. Lempert said. “If a settlement can’t be reached, Princeton will continue in court and the obligation will be determined by the judge. We expect that the decision could be appealed up to the Supreme Court since the ruling would determine the formula to be used to determine other municipalities’ obligations statewide.”

Ms. Lempert’s complete statement is on the town’s website, princetonnj.gov.

The meeting also included the promotions and swearing in of four members of the Princeton Police Department by Chief Nicholas Sutter. Following a ceremony by the police honor guard, and in front of their families, Christopher Tash was promoted to the rank of lieutenant, Ben Gering to sergeant, Thomas Lagomarsino to sergeant, and Leonard Thomas to corporal.