The affirmative marketing plan is a regional marketing strategy designed to attract buyers and/or renters of all majority and minority groups, regardless of sex, age or number of children, to housing units which are being marketed by a developer/sponsor, municipality and/or designated administrative agency of affordable housing. The plan will address the requirements of N.J.A.C. 5:93-11. In addition, the plan prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, financing or other services related to housing on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, handicap, age, familial status, size or national origin. Warren Township is in the housing region consisting of Hunterdon, Middlesex and Somerset Counties. The affirmative marketing program is a continuing program and will meet the following requirements:
1. All newspaper articles, announcements and requests for applications for low- and moderate-income units will appear in the following daily regional newspapers/publications. (One major newspaper is sufficient as long as the combined outreach efforts attract sufficient applicants):
2. The primary marketing will take the form of at least one press release sent to the above publications and a paid display advertisement in each of the above newspapers. Additional advertising and publicity will be on an as-needed basis.
3. The advertisement will include a description of the:
(b) Direction to housing units;
(c) Number of bedrooms per unit;
(g) Location of applications, including business hours and where/how applications may be obtained.
4. All newspaper articles, announcements and requests for applications for low- and moderate-income housing will appear in the following neighborhood-oriented weekly newspapers, religious publications and organizational newsletters within the region:
5. Regional radio and/or cable television station(s) will also be used.
6. The following is the location of applications, brochure(s), sign(s) and/or posters used as part of the affirmative marketing program, including specific employment centers within the region:
(a) Warren Township Administrative Building.
(c) Developer's sales office.
7. The following is a listing or community contact person(s) and/or organization(s) in Middlesex, Hunterdon and Somerset Counties that will aid in the affirmative marketing program with particular emphasis on contacts that will reach out to groups that are least likely to apply for housing within the region:
(b) Hunterdon County Housing Corp.
(c) Middlesex County Housing Coalition.
8. Quarterly flyers and applications will be sent to each of the following agencies for publication in their journals and for circulation among their members:
(a) Board of Realtors in Middlesex, Hunterdon and Somerset Counties.
Applications will be mailed to prospective applicants upon request. |
9. Additionally, quarterly informational circulars and applications will be sent to the chief administrative employees of each of the following agencies in the counties of Middlesex, Hunterdon and Somerset:
(a) Rental assistance office (local office of DCA).
(c) Welfare or Social Service Board.
(f) Area community action agencies.
10. A random selection method is used to select occupants of low- and moderate-income housing. The Administrative Agent maintains listings of prequalified income eligible households and randomly selects prospective applicants as per N.J.A.C. 5:93-9.1. The Township Administrator within Warren Township is the designated housing officer to act as liaison to the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent will provide counseling services to low- and moderate-income applicants on subjects such as budgeting, credit issues, mortgage qualification, rental lease requirements and landlord/tenant law.
11. The Administrative Agent is the agency under contract with Warren Township to administer the affirmative marketing program. The Administrative Agent has the responsibility to income qualify low- and moderate-income households; to place income eligible households in low- and moderate-income units upon initial occupancy; to provide for the initial occupancy of low- and moderate-income units with income qualified households; to continue to qualify households for reoccupancy of units as they become vacant during the period of affordability controls; to assist with advertising and outreach to low- and moderate-income households; and to enforce the terms of the deed restriction and mortgage loan as per N.J.A.C. 5:93-9.1. The Township Administrator within Warren Township is the designated housing officer to act as liaison to the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent will provide counseling services to low- and moderate-income applicants on subjects such as budgeting, credit issues, mortgage qualification, rental lease requirements and landlord/tenant law.
12. Households who live or work in the COAH-established housing region may be given preference for sales and rental units constructed within that housing region. Applicants living outside the housing region will have an equal opportunity for units after regional applicants have been initially serviced. Warren Township intends to comply with N.J.A.C. 5:93-11.7.
13. All developers of low- and moderate-income housing units will be required to assist in the marketing of the affordable units in their respective developments.
14. The marketing program will commence at least 120 days before the issuance of either temporary or permanent certificates of occupancy. The marketing program will continue until all low- and moderate-income housing units are initially occupied and for as long as affordable units are deed restricted and occupancy or reoccupancy of units continues to be necessary.
15. The Administrative Agent will comply with monitoring and reporting requirements as per N.J.A.C. 5:93-11.6 and 12.1.