A group backed by Rumson homeowners sued the borough, accusing it of violating state open meetings laws when it negotiated a controversial affordable housing plan the council adopted in January.
Rumson Open Space and Affordable Housing Inc., a nonprofit group that incorporated last month, claims in its lawsuit filed Friday in state Superior Court in Monmouth County that the borough did not give proper notice to residents about the years-long affordable housing negotiations.
The group, which goes by the acronym ROSAH, wants the courts to void the deal Rumson Borough Council approved with the Fair Share Housing Center, a nonprofit that advocates for affordable housing, and Yellow Brook Property Co., LLC, a company that wants to built 34 luxury town homes on two parcels in exchange for donating upwards of $3.15 million in cash and land to build affordable housing units.
Is Rumson's 'gilded age' dead?: Mansion's planned demolition signals change
One of the parcels targeted for development is the century-old Lauriston estate at 91 Rumson Road.
Borough officials said they could not comment on pending litigation.
The plan riled residents when it was announced in January at a borough council meeting. They questioned how luxury townhouses, with a projected sales price of $1 million, fits in an affordable housing plan.
Residents, as well as ROSAH's lawsuit, also questioned why none of the affordable housing settlement talks happened in public.
Under New Jersey Open Public Meetings Act, governments must give the public notice of such discussions, even if they happen in sessions that are closed to the public. ROSAH's lawsuit claims the borough provided no such notice nor do their meeting minutes show council action regarding affordable housing.
The lawsuit also accuses the borough council of improperly creating an "Affordable Housing Committee" to handle the settlement talks and other affordable housing issues. The lawsuit claims the borough did not have authority under its administrative code to establish such a committee, which also did not follow open meeting laws.
Real estate: Mansions in Rumson, other Monmouth towns are in danger of disappearing; here's why
By not property discussing the settlement negotiations per public meeting laws violated residents' due process rights and their ability to come up with an alternative solution, the lawsuit says.
ROSAH claims the settlement goes against "sound planning principles" and will increase housing density unreasonably in Rumson. The lawsuit also accuses the borough of "spot zoning" and "contract zoning" for Yellow Brook because the luxury town homes it proposes does not fit with the homes in the surrounding neighborhood or the borough's master planning documents.
Furthermore, the lawsuit claims the settlement agreement does not guarantee that any affordable housing will actually be built in Rumson.
Roger Mumford, the owner of Yellow Brook Properties, called the lawsuit "frivolous."
Officials from the Fair Share Housing Center also disagreed with ROSAH's claim that the deal won't produce affordable housing.
The organization, whose entire mission is providing affordable housing, would not have signed off on the deal if it did not do so, its spokesman Anthony Campsi said.
"We think this is a strong plan that opens up one of the most exclusive communities in the entire country to working families and people with disabilities," he said.
He pointed to a clause in the agreement that requires affordable housing units to be completed within three years regardless if Yellow Brook's luxury town home project is completed.
"That sounds like pretty clear language to me that these home are going to be built," he said.
Campisi also said the pairing of the luxury town homes with the funding for affordable housing.
"Inclusionary developments, where a market rate development subsidizes the creation of affordable housing, is one of the main ways that affordable housing is built in New Jersey," he said. "Otherwise, the entire responsibility for getting this done falls on to local taxpayers."
Susanne Cervenka covers Monmouth County government and property tax issues, winning several state and regional awards for her work. She's covered local government for 15 years, with stops in Ohio and Florida before arriving in New Jersey in 2013. Contact her at @scervenka; 732-643-4229; scervenka@gannettnj.com.
"plan" - Google News
March 04, 2020 at 05:00PM
https://ift.tt/3cv4WYb
Rumson homeowner group lawsuit: Affordable housing plan was kept secret illegally - Asbury Park Press
"plan" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2un5VYV
Shoes Man Tutorial
Pos News Update
Meme Update
Korean Entertainment News
Japan News Update
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Rumson homeowner group lawsuit: Affordable housing plan was kept secret illegally - Asbury Park Press"
Post a Comment