One of the major issues facing the new Christie Administration is putting an end to the states ridiculous COAH mandates. Not too long ago, I posted on this very subject wondering what Christie would do once in office.

Now, the rubber is hitting the road.

A bill is making its way through the Legislature (Senate Bill S1) which purportedly would end COAH. Purportedly.

The problem is when you actually read the bill, it does anything but end COAH. In fact, it makes things worse. A LOT worse.

In a press release from Americans for Prosperity, Steve Lonegan called the bill "COAH on Steroids" and said that the bill created a "Low Income Housing Czar":

Lonegan described the new entity created by the legislation to be “a hybrid super bureaucracy that combines the State Planning Commission, the Economic Development Authority, the Home Mortgage Finance Association and the Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs into a super bureaucracy that puts COAH on steroids”.

The legislation, according to its own words, plainly states [“The Council on Affordable Housing established by the “Fair Housing Act,”… is abolished, and all of its powers, functions and duties are continued in the State Planning Commission…except as herein otherwise provided.] Further, [“All appropriations and other moneys available and to become available to the Council on Affordable Housing are hereby continued in the commission, and shall be available for the objects and purposes for which such moneys are appropriated subject to any terms, restriction, limitations or other requirements imposed by State or federal law.”]

The legislation grants the Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs the powers of what amounts to a “Low Income Housing Czar”. Additionally, the legislation further elevates the role of the Economic Development Authority and the Home Finance Mortgage Association to even more involvement in the planning and funding functions behind the advancement of a radical “progressive” public housing policy” Lonegan said. “This bill does not “gut” COAH -- it shifts its power to a more complex and authoritarian bureaucracy.”

Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll quipped:

[The bill] could be made perfectly acceptable by simply deleting all of the language which follows the following sentence.

An Act concerning affordable housing, amending, supplementing, and repealing various parts of the statutory law.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. (New section) The Council on Affordable Housing established by the “Fair Housing Act,” P.L.1985, c.222 (C.52:27D-301 et al.) is abolished.

Unfortunately, the bill doesn't end there which just about tells you all you really need to know.

Governor Christie, though, promised us he would “gut COAH”. He has it within his power to defund COAH tomorrow. And he has it within his power to speak out and put a stop to this bad bill which, to this point, he has been utterly silent about.

In my view, he owes us more than he has given so far. And he owes us nothing less than putting an end to the COAH abomination.

Note: The opinions in this post are my own and in no way reflect the views of Americans for Prosperity.