On Friday, the Appellate Division rejected a request pending since last year from the Fair Share Housing Center to appoint a special master to to facilitate the drafting and implementation of regulations to guide the state’s affordable housing policy. The New Jersey State League of Municipalities had opposed the request for a special master. As a result, litigation challenging the latest iteration of the affordable housing regulations as arbitrary and not backed by sufficient factual data will continue. The appellate panel did not address a similar request for a special master which is being pursued by other litigants in their challenge to COAH’s regulations.

A press release from the Department of Community Affairs hailed the ruling as a “positive step forward”.

For more, information, read the Star Ledger article on nj.com here.

Note: This entry was corrected to clarify that the League has not requested the appointment of a special master, and has actively opposed such an appointment. We thank Michael Cerra, Senior Legislative Analyst at the League, for clarifying this point.