Fair Share Housing Center
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People thrive in diverse, inclusive, and vibrant communities. However, exclusionary zoning and residential segregation have created barriers that prevent many families from accessing housing opportunities in affluent white communities, while marginalized communities face displacement pressures in gentrifying urban centers.
Fair Share Housing Center works to address these challenges through enforcement of the Mount Laurel Doctrine, prevention of displacement, and advocacy for resources that support affordable housing development throughout New Jersey.
New Jersey’s landmark Mount Laurel Doctrine outlaws exclusionary zoning and requires all towns to create a realistic opportunity for their fair share of affordable housing, which has led to the construction of over 75,000 new affordable homes in high-opportunity communities. We played a leading role in advocating for and implementing New Jersey's landmark 2024 affordable housing law strengthening the Mount Laurel framework, leading to over 400 towns moving forward with creating new affordable homes.
Many of New Jersey’s cities are rapidly gentrifying as the state experiences record population growth. As a more affluent population moves in, marginalized communities that have lived in their homes for generations are being priced out. We work with local advocates and cities to protect affordability through inclusionary zoning. Inclusionary zoning is one tool that local governments can use to require an affordable housing set-aside in new development. We recently secured two victories for inclusionary zoning in the City of Jersey City and the City of Newark, helping to preserve affordable homes in the state’s two largest urban centers.
New Jersey is still facing a significant shortage of affordable homes–nearly 300,000. Securing resources to safeguard development is key to closing that gap. We’re advocating for New Jersey to leverage all tools at its disposal to advance the development of affordable homes, like fully funding the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and enforcing existing laws that require affordable housing set-asides.
Your support makes home possible for people and families in every corner of New Jersey.