ENGLEWOOD PROTECTED AGAINST MOUNT LAUREL LAWSUITS (Englewood has requested a waiver from the Council of Affordable Housing)

It is important to remember that Mr. & Mrs. Blackman at 207 Booth Avenue sued the City of Englewood under Mount Laurel law in September 1999. Eugenia Vogel discovered that this lawsuit was in existence on April 10, 2000. This lawsuit dangerously repudiated our zoning laws. Thanks to her efforts a large group of homeowners came together and formed a corporation and raised $80 thousand dollars for a legal fund. A top land use attorney was retained to intervene in the Blackman’s lawsuit.

At the same time, the EHOA Board lobbied intensely for the City to retain an attorney who is a specialist in Mount Laurel lawsuits. The City of Englewood did retain a specialist and filed a petition/waiver with the Council of Affordable housing. This was to protect Englewood’s zoning laws against any other Mount Laurel lawsuits. The Blackman lawsuit was settled because Dr. & Mrs. Michael Goldberg purchased the property, which saved us from pursuing a lengthy and costly lawsuit.

The City of Englewood has nearly 1700 units of affordable housing in our jurisdiction, which represents 18% of our housing stock. The following are the public, or subsidized, housing units located in Englewood:

· Vincent K. Tibbs Building
111 West Street 152 units

· Westmoor Gardens
145-175 West Street 64 units

· Section 8 Certificates and Vouchers
Various 457+ units

· Rock Creek & Parkview
Rock Creek Terrace 270 units

· Martin Luther King Gardens
William Street 40 units

· Garrett Apartments
Grand Avenue/Garrett 50 units

Total 1,033 Units

In addition, the City of Englewood has located within its borders the following nursing and group homes:

· Private facility
340 Washington Place 9 units

· Actor’s Fund Nursing Home
155 West Hudson Avenue 42 units, 67 beds

· Inglemoor Nursing Home
333 Grand Avenue 62 beds

· UJC Association
310 Manor Road 6 units

· Community Housing In Partnership
38 W. Demarest Avenue 14 units (CHIP)

Total 200 units

These homes provide in excess of 200 residents of New Jersey an opportunity to live in an environment that is unique.

The City of Englewood also allows for rooming houses, which provide homes to persons whom would otherwise not be able to afford a residence. These include:

· 78 W. Demarest Avenue 4 units

· 274 W. Demarest Avenue 12 units

· 97 James Street 9 units

· 47James Street 4 units

· 89 James Street 9 units

· 104 James Street 14 units

· 221 William Street 12 units

Total 64 units

The City of Englewood has taken an active role in recent years in revitalizing residential neighborhoods throughout Englewood. The City has witnessed some new residential development on the few remaining vacant lots over the past decade as well as some affordable condominium conversions. They include:

· Tributary Woods 61 units

· Tributary Gardens (Forest Avenue) 54 units

· Coriander Way 60 units

· Glenbrook Parkway (condominium conversations) 50 units

· 230 Lafayette Place 20 units

Total 255 units

The City of Englewood on its own through our residential rehabilitation program has undertaken the following housing construction/reconstruction projects:

· Neighborhood Preservation Program 55 units

· Armory Street 5 units

· Residential Rehabilitation 2 units

· James Court 68 units

Total 130 units

Few municipalities in New Jersey take the obligation to provide affordable housing as seriously as Englewood. Englewood was among the first towns in New Jersey to participate in the 1968 urban renewal process and is among only a handful of small cities that have our own Housing Authority with the express mission of providing affordable housing to New Jersey residents pursuant to federal guidelines (HUD). The City of Englewood has a long standing policy to encourage housing opportunities, including those that are affordable. The public policy of encouraging a diverse housing stock impacts public services, open space, education, and other policy issues that do not present themselves in municipalities not inclined to encourage housing opportunities.

The City of Englewood is not in a growth area. Further, Englewood bears a disproportionate share of affordable housing opportunities in our region of the state.

The City of Englewood also has a rent control program to ensure continued affordability of private multi-family residences.

A petition for substantive certification of the City of Englewood is being made to COAH pursuant to NJAC 5:91-3.1 and related regulations. This substantive certification is included in the "Housing Plan Element and Fair Share Plan" of the City of Englewood, prepared by Abeles, Preiss & Shapiro and adopted by the City of Englewood Planning Board and City Council.

The above are excerpts from the 149-page document that was presented to the Council for Affordable Housing in March 2001. This document was delivered to the EHOA office courtesy of Councilman Douglas Bern.

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