The Courier - June 26, 2008

Morehead on township's "bad performance"

    Matthew Morehead, chairman of the Monmouth County Bayshore Young Democrats, expressed sentiments favoring Bill A500's ratification in the Senate on Monday, June 23.
    The bill, sponsored in the Senate by Raymond Lesniak, D-Union, and Dana Redd, D-Camden, will eliminate the use of Regional Contribution Agreements (RCAs) where a municipality's compliance with the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) is concerned.
    Morehead said this bill is significant in New Jersey's affordable housing movement, but doubly so for Middletown Township.
    The chairman said the bill would affect Middletown greatly. However, Morehead said the Township Committee put Monmouth County's largest municipality in this position through its years of RCA abuse and "bad performance."
    Morehead said if the township had complied with COAH to begin with, there would be no problem eliminating RCAs.
    "It's the performance of [this committee] and prior administrations, under the same majority, that has created the situation Middletown now faces," he said.
    Morehead said if the township had funded its RCAs and not tried to negotiate out of parameters within the law, then Middletown would be prepared for Bill A500.
    He said it has been the current administration that created a problem by "lack of action and foresight."
    While the chairman said he did not necessarily agree with the number of affordable housing units levied on Middletown through COAH mandates, Morehead said the problem with RCAs was their misuse. "If towns didn't abuse the trust funds and use RCAs for their own intentions, municipalities might still have the option," he said.
    However, Morehead said Middletown's obligation might have increased during COAH's three rounds because of the township's evasionary tactics. "COAH might have seen Middletown trying to evade its obligation and decided, 'Let's keep adding [units] on,' " he explained.
    Morehead said, ultimately, there will be towns not affected at all by A500, and there will be some towns - like Middletown - where the bill will change the face of affordable housing greatly.
    "[A500 will be official] soon," Morehead concluded. "For Middletown, it will be like moving backward."

- Melissa L. Gaffney