The Journal Square Community Association is calling for 20 percent affordable housing for new residential developments with 30 or more units within the area covered by the Journal Square 2060 Redevelopment Plan to have 20 percent affordable housing.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
The proposal was developed by a working group of the JSQCA’s Construction and Planning
Committee, which reviews proposed developments within the Journal Square area.
“The JSQCA believes that these changes are necessary because the plan’s current requirements have not resulted in the development of affordable housing in our area,” the group said in a statement.
The proposal would effectively double the affordable housing requirement in this neighborhood, since the city’s new inclusionary zoning ordinance – that passed on first reading last week – seeks 10 to 15 percent affordable housing in most circumstances.
That 10 percent would apply to the Journal Square 2060 Redevelopment Plan, but the JSQCA feels the city can do better there.
” … The JSQCA believes that with rising property values in Journal Square, developers of properties of 30 units or more should be bringing larger proportions of affordable housing units into the neighborhood regardless of whether they are seeking a variance,” they added.
They also said they will be reaching out to the city’s planning department to prepare the documents necessary to make changes to the aforementioned redevelopment plan.
The city council will next convene on December 15th where they’re expecting to vote on the second reading of the new IZO.
