Affordable Housing Spending and Marketing Amendments Made to Master Plan in Hopewell Township

The Hopewell Township Planning Board passed an amendment to the Hopewell Township Master Plan at its September 27 meeting.

The amendment included two attachments, a spending and a marketing plan for the Housing Element and Fair Share Plan. The spending plan states that 30 percent of the plan would be used on affordability assistance, and there would also be a 20 percent cap on administrative expenses.

“We’re reserving the balance of available funds so that we can pay down the debt principal and interest on the Zaitz property,” said Hopewell Township Planner Frank Banisch. “You can’t spend redevelopment fee revenues without one. It’s been adopted by the governing body which means that the people who are in charge of the money have set this as their plan.”

The marketing plan is put in place in order to alert people of any new available units, rentals, or sales. The developer of the affordable units is responsible for adhering and paying for any additional costs required by the Township’s marketing plan.

“The purpose of this is, when someone needs to do affirmative marketing, everybody does it according to the same random selection approach that has been enforced,” Banish said.

The plan states that there are multiple entities that are to be notified of available units, some of which are libraries and churches.

The Board also approved two applications, one for a minor lot subdivision and another for a parking expansion at the Unitarian Universalist Church at Washington Crossing.

The church’s amended plan implemented grass parking paver modifications to the lot in order to add 37 spaces to the property.

The Board’s next meeting is scheduled for October 25 at 7 pm.