Elect Robert Becker!

Elect Robert Becker for Tewksbury Township Committee

Affordable Housing & OLDWICK Sewer

CURATED EXECUTIVE SUMMARY of TEWKSBURY AFFORDABLE HOUSING (COAH)
26Sept2025 by  Robert Becker with source attribution
(3 minute read)

COAH: New Jersey’s Council On Affordable Housing

Fair Share Housing Council (FSHC): promotes housing development and litigates against towns whom do not meet their affordable housing statutory obligations.  Circa 2019, Tewksbury and a handful of other towns opted-out of settling a FSHC lawsuit as Tewksbury felt the number of units that FSHC expected Tewksbury to build was excessive.  As an example of the influence the FSHC has in defining affordable housing to be built, Clinton settled with FSHC by agreeing to build 337 COAH qualified units 2/5/2018, https://www.clintontwpnj.gov/_Content/pdf/affordable-housing/AH-Amended-Settlement-Agreement-020518.pdf

PENNROSE DEVELOPMENT: the multi-family developer selected by Tewksbury via an RFP in 2022 to build the remaining Round 3 affordable units for Tewksbury.

Tewksbury 256-page Housing Element & FAIR Share plan (“Township COAH Plan”): https://www.tewksburytwp.net/government/boards_committees_and_commissions/land_use_board/draft_housing_element_and_fair_share_plan/index.php

COAH Round 3: The COAH affordable housing obligations that were committed by NJ Towns around 2004-2005 whereby towns committed to build a certain number of affordable housing units between 2010—2025 based on NJ State Mandates.
  • Tewksbury completed part of its’ Round 3 obligation when Meadows at Oldwick /NORWESCAP built their housing at FISHER ROAD (south of Oldwick Fire House), both parcels known as Block 44 Lot22.
  • Tewksbury has a remaining COAH ROUND3 obligation of at least 24-affordable units on town-land behind Oldwick Firehouse; 
  • 2021-10-18 Planner Darlene Green memo (p.119 of Township COAH plan): Senior Housing has lower water use so Tewksbury can increase our COAH units behind Oldwick Fire up to 35-units (from 24 units);
  • PENNROSE RFP and fund needed from Tewksbury: required funding for these 35-units per RFP: ~$7M (~$200k per unit, net of tax credits) This $7M will be funded with debt.
  • PENNROSE Development selected to build (TC minutes:1/26/2021);PENNROSE mortgage fell through as NJ Mortgage Agency required TOWNSHIP to get ‘docketed settlement agreement” with Fair Share Housing Council(FSHC). PENNROSE contract terminated (TC minutes May 14, 2024)
    See https://www.tewksburytwp.net/10-24-2024%20-%20Redacted.pdf?t=202411201525330
COAH Round 4: Commenced 2025 and runs through 2035.
  • Tewksbury remains committed to 11/30/2021 Tewksbury Housing Element & Fair Share Plan which selected the Oldwick Wine/Hildebrant/Stavola property for our COAH ROUND4 obligations; a/k/a Block 44, Lots 21,24.01,24.02
  • Density of 12units/Acre and total of 305 units with 61 Units as affordable (20% set aside);
  • April 1, 2025: new Builder RFP responses due; 3/11/25 https://www.tewksburytwp.net/3-11-2025_Redacted.pdf?t=202504211510420
  • Town budget impact: $Unknown
  • Oldwick Sewer impact: $Unknown
  • Per TC Minutes 01/28/2025 ROUND 4 HOUSING NEED: In October 2024 the NJ-DCA determined Tewksbury now has a Round 4 need of 76 affordable units
COAH Affordable apartment at Peapack Bank.
OLDWICK SEWER at CAPACITY/ INFRASTRUCTURE upgrade:
Will sewer districts need to merge for new sewer plant required for WINE STORE/STAVOLA?