Union Township City Zoning Code
§ 30-28.4
New construction.
The following requirements shall apply to all new or planned developments that contain low- and moderate-income housing units.
a.
Phasing. Final site plan or subdivision approval shall be contingent upon the affordable housing development meeting the following phasing schedule for low- and moderate-income units whether developed in a single-phase development or in a multiphase development:
Maximum Percentage of Market-Rate Units Completed | Minimum Percentage of Low- and Moderate-Income Units Completed |
|---|---|
25 | 0 |
25 plus 1 | 10 |
50 | 50 |
75 | 75 |
90 | 100 |
b.
Design. In inclusionary developments, to the extent possible, low- and moderate-income units shall be integrated with the market units.
c.
Utilities. Affordable units shall utilize the same type of heating source as market units within the affordable development.
d.
Low/moderate split and bedroom distribution of affordable housing units:
1.
The fair share obligation shall be divided equally between low- and moderate-income units, except that where there is an odd number of affordable housing units, the extra unit shall be a low-income unit.
2.
In each affordable development, at least 50% of the restricted units within each bedroom distribution shall be low-income units, including that 13% of the restricted units within each bedroom distribution shall be very-low-income.
3.
Within rental developments, of the total number of affordable rental units, at least 13% of the restricted units within each bedroom distribution shall be affordable to very-low-income households.
4.
At least half of the affordable units in each bedroom distribution within each affordable housing development shall be affordable to low-income households.
5.
Affordable developments that are not age-restricted shall be structured in conjunction with realistic market demands such that:
(a)
The combined number of efficiency and one-bedroom units shall be no greater than 20% of the total low- and moderate-income units;
(b)
At least 30% of all low- and moderate-income units shall be two-bedroom units;
(c)
At least 20% of all low- and moderate-income units shall be three-bedroom units; and
(d)
The remaining units may be allocated among two- and three-bedroom units at the discretion of the developer.
6.
Affordable developments that are age-restricted shall be structured such that the number of bedrooms shall equal the number of age-restricted low- and moderate-income units within the inclusionary development. The standard may be met by having all one-bedroom units or by having a two-bedroom unit for each efficiency unit.
e.
Accessibility requirements:
1.
The first floor of all new restricted townhouse dwelling units and all restricted multistory dwelling units attached to at least one other dwelling unit shall be subject to the technical design standards of the Barrier Free Subcode, N.J.A.C. 5:23-7.
2.
All restricted townhouse dwelling units and all restricted multistory dwelling units attached to at least one other dwelling unit shall have the following features:
(a)
An adaptable toilet and bathing facility on the first floor;
(b)
An adaptable kitchen on the first floor;
(c)
An interior accessible route of travel on the first floor;
(1)
An interior accessible route of travel shall not be required between stories within an individual unit;
(d)
(Reserved)
(e)
An adaptable room that can be used as a bedroom, with a door or the casing for the installation of a door, on the first floor; and
(f)
An accessible entranceway as set forth at P.L. 2005, c. 350 (N.J.S.A. 52:27D-311a et seq.) and the Barrier Free Subcode, N.J.A.C. 5:23-7, or evidence that the Township has collected funds from the developer sufficient to make 10% of the adaptable entrances in the development accessible:
(1)
Where a unit has been constructed with an adaptable entrance, upon the request of a disabled person who is purchasing or will reside in the dwelling unit, an accessible entrance shall be installed.
(2)
To this end, the builder of restricted units shall deposit funds within the Township of Union's affordable housing trust fund sufficient to install accessible entrances in 10% of the affordable units that have been constructed with adaptable entrances.
(3)
The funds deposited under Subsection e2(f)(2) herein, shall be used by the Township for the sole purpose of making the adaptable entrance of any affordable unit accessible when requested to do so by a person with a disability who occupies or intends to occupy the unit and requires an accessible entrance.
(4)
The developer of the restricted units shall submit a design plan and cost estimate for the conversion from adaptable to accessible entrances to the Construction Official of the Township of Union.
(5)
Once the Construction Official has determined that the design plan to convert the unit entrances from adaptable to accessible meet the requirements of the Barrier Free Subcode, N.J.A.C. 5:23-7, and that the cost estimate of such conversion is reasonable, payment shall be made to the Township of Union's affordable housing trust fund in care of the municipal treasurer who shall ensure that the funds are deposited into the affordable housing trust fund and appropriately earmarked.
(6)
Full compliance with the foregoing provisions shall not be required where an entity can demonstrate that it is site impracticable to meet the requirements. Determinations of site impracticability shall be in compliance with the Barrier Free Subcode, N.J.A.C. 5:23-7.
f.
Maximum rents and sales prices.
1.
In establishing rents and sales prices of affordable housing units, the administrative agent shall follow the procedures set forth in UHAC and by the Superior Court, utilizing the regional income limits established.
2.
The maximum rent for restricted rental units within each affordable development shall be affordable to households earning no more than 60% of median income, and the average rent for restricted low- and moderate-income units shall be affordable to households earning no more than 52% of median income.
3.
The developers and/or municipal sponsors of restricted rental units shall establish at least one rent for each bedroom type for both low-income and moderate-income units.
(a)
At least 13% of all low- and moderate-income rental units shall be affordable to households earning no more than 30% of median income.
4.
The maximum sales price of restricted ownership units within each affordable development shall be affordable to households earning no more than 70% of median income, and each affordable development must achieve an affordability average of 55% for restricted ownership units; in achieving this affordability average, moderate-income ownership units must be available for at least three different prices for each bedroom type, and low-income ownership units must be available for at least two different prices for each bedroom type.
5.
In determining the initial sales prices and rents for compliance with the affordability average requirements for restricted units other than assisted living facilities, the following standards shall be met:
(a)
A studio or efficiency unit shall be affordable to a one-person household;
(b)
A one-bedroom unit shall be affordable to a one-and-one-half person household;
(c)
A two-bedroom unit shall be affordable to a three-person household;
(d)
A three-bedroom unit shall be affordable to a four-and-one-half person household; and
(e)
A four-bedroom unit shall be affordable to a six-person household.
6.
In determining the initial rents for compliance with the affordability average requirements for restricted units in assisted living facilities, the following standards shall be met:
7.
The initial purchase price for all restricted ownership units shall be calculated so that the monthly carrying cost of the unit, including principal and interest (based on a mortgage loan equal to 95% of the purchase price and the Federal Reserve H.15 rate of interest), taxes, homeowner and private mortgage insurance and condominium or homeowner association fees do not exceed 28% of the eligible monthly income of the appropriate size household as determined under N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.4, as may be amended and supplemented; provided, however, that the price shall be subject to the affordability average requirement of N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.3, as may be amended and supplemented.
8.
The initial rent for a restricted rental unit shall be calculated so as not to exceed 30% of the eligible monthly income of the appropriate household size as determined under N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.4, as may be amended and supplemented; provided, however, that the rent shall be subject to the affordability average requirement of N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.3, as may be amended and supplemented.
9.
The price of owner-occupied low- and moderate-income units may increase annually based on the percentage increase in the regional median income limit for each housing region. In no event shall the maximum resale price established by the administrative agent be lower than the last recorded purchase price. Income limits for all units for which income limits are not already established through a federal program exempted from the Uniform Housing Affordability Controls pursuant to N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.1 shall be updated by the Township annually within 30 days of the publication of determinations of median income by HUD as follows:
(a)
Regional income limits shall be established for the Region 3 based on the median income by household size, which shall be established by a regional weighted average of the uncapped Section 8 income limits published by HUD. To compute this regional income limit, the HUD determination of median county income for a family of four is multiplied by the estimated households within the county according to the most recent decennial Census. The resulting product for each county within the housing region is summed. The sum is divided by the estimated total households from the most recent decennial Census in Region 3. This quotient represents the regional weighted average of median income for a household of four. The income limit for a moderate-income unit for a household of four shall be 80% of the regional weighted average median income for a family of four. The income limit for a low-income unit for a household of four shall be 50% of the HUD determination of the regional weighted average median income for a family of four. The income limit for a very-low-income unit for a household of four shall be 30% of the regional weighted average median income for a family of four. These income limits shall be adjusted by household size based on multipliers used by HUD to adjust median income by household size. In no event shall the income limits be less than those for the previous year.
(b)
The income limits calculated each year shall be the result of applying the percentages set forth in Subsection f9(a) above to HUD's determination of median income for the relevant fiscal year, and shall be utilized until the Township updates the income limits after HUD has published revised determinations of median income for the next fiscal year.
(c)
The Regional Asset Limit used in determining an applicant's eligibility for affordable housing pursuant to N.J.A.C. 5:80-26.16(b)3 shall be calculated by the Township annually by taking the percentage increase of the income limits calculated pursuant to Subsection f9(a) above over the previous year's income limits, and applying the same percentage increase to the Regional Asset Limit from the prior year. In no event shall the Regional Asset Limit be less than that for the previous year.
10.
The rent levels of very-low-, low- and moderate-income units may be increased annually based on the percentage increase in the Housing Consumer Price Index for the Northeast Urban Area, upon its publication for the prior calendar year. This increase shall not exceed 9% in any one year. Rents for units constructed pursuant to low-income housing tax credit regulations shall be indexed pursuant to the regulations governing low income housing tax credits.
11.
Tenant-paid utilities that are included in the utility allowance shall be so stated in the lease and shall be consistent with the utility allowance approved by DCA for its Section 8 program.