New Jersey's Mount Laurel Doctrine and Its Implementation: Under Attack, But Safe (for Now)

Abstract

In the year 2013, it seemed like all New Jersey was marching against the Mount Laurel anti‐exclusionary zoning doctrine and how it was to be put into effect—the governor, the legislature, many developing suburban municipalities, and even the independent agency established to oversee its implementation, the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH). Indeed, COAH itself, ignoring minimal procedural due process, would attempt to seize the monies municipalities had set aside in municipal affordable trust funds collected from development fees on residential construction to help the production of low‐and moderate‐income housing.