"We have a constitutional responsibility to provide affordable housing for our residents," he said. "Communities must provide for low- and moderate-income housing." Providing housing is not only a constitutional responsibility, but also a moral one, according to the governor.
"Housing should be a right, everyone should have access to a place to live," Corzine told roomful of attendees at the Atlantic City Convention Center. The governor revealed that he will shortly sign an executive order to create an interagency council on the homeless in order to coordinate efforts to help New Jersey's poorest citizens.
But, it's not only the lowest income earners in the state who are affected by housing issues. Housing in New Jersey is 50% higher than in other areas, a fact that is causing even middle-income earners to seek shelter elsewhere. Corzine hopes to target both low- and middle-income wage earners, who are just as necessary for stimulating the state's economy as the wealthiest residents.
The governor did acknowledge the Coalition of Affordable Housing, describing the agency as the "elephant in the room" and defending the much-maligned third-round rules that have drawn the ire of almost the entire development community. He said much of the protest stems from misunderstandings of rules [for instance, housing requirements are not a mandate, but based on anticipated growth]. He added COAH is working to address problems associated with third-round rules. These changes include making funding available to subsidize zoning for higher densities and providing additional incentives for smart growth.
Corzine repeatedly stressed the importance of coordinating efforts on a state and local level in order to keep people in their homes and preserve neighborhoods in the current economic crisis. Progress is being made, particularly in relation to the state's efforts to add 100,000 new affordable-housing units in the next 10 years, but he said more needs to be done and it can't be done if there's constant conflict.
"If we keep arguing, the courts will have to take over," Corzine forewarned. "That is not the answer to affordable housing. We can't sue ourselves into a frozen state. We must move forward and reach a consensus. We're the richest state in the nation; we should make sure everyone here has a home."
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