Sponsored by:
Senator BOB SMITH
District 17 (Middlesex and Somerset)
Senator LEONARD LANCE
District 23 (Warren and Hunterdon)
SYNOPSIS
Requires affordable housing be built to green building standards; requires Commissioner of Community Affairs to issue standards.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning affordable housing and supplementing P.L.1985, c.222 (C.52:27D-301 et al.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Newly constructed housing for which a credit is granted pursuant to P.L.1985, c.222 (C.52:27D-301 et al.) shall comply with all construction subcodes which may be adopted by the commissioner for green buildings, and additionally shall comply with the guidelines required to be promulgated pursuant to subsection b. of this section for affordable green homes. For the purposes of this section, “newly constructed housing” means housing for which a certificate of occupancy is issued after the first day of the 24 month next following enactment.
b. The commissioner shall promulgate, pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), guidelines for builders and planners of affordable housing to assist in the construction of that housing in compliance with green building techniques and materials.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires newly constructed housing which receives credit under the “Fair Housing Act,” P.L.1985, c.222 (C.52:27D-301 et al.), to be constructed in accordance with any building subcodes which may be promulgated for green buildings. In addition, the bill requires the Commissioner of Community Affairs to issue guidelines for builders and planners of affordable housing to assist in the construction of that housing in compliance with green building techniques and materials. These measures should help to increase the production of energy efficient and environmentally friendly housing.