Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed an executive order Monday aimed at accelerating housing production and expanding access to housing opportunities in New Jersey.
Executive Order No. 17 creates a whole-of-government effort to review state processes, regulations, budgets and land use tied to housing. The administration expects to deliver recommendations for a housing plan by September.
“We can’t make New Jersey more affordable without making housing more affordable,” Sherrill said.
Gov. Sherrill was joined at the announcement by Jamie Ding, a state housing administrator who is currently on an historic win streak on Jeopardy!
“As someone who has spent a lot of time solving problems of my own creation, I know that how you set things up makes all the difference,” said Ding, who is a Multifamily and Tax Credit Program Administrator at the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency.
"When we remove unnecessary barriers, we create more opportunities for families to find places to call home in our great state,” he said.
The order sets three deadlines. A Housing Governing Council must be convened within 45 days, by June 11. Within 60 days, by June 27, state agencies and authorities must submit written housing affordability reports to the Governor’s Office.
By Sept. 24, the council must issue recommendations on housing goals, production tracking, use of surplus state property, financing coordination and access to affordable housing opportunities.
Officials said the effort will focus on cutting red tape, building on state-owned land, improving coordination among agencies and increasing transparency in state housing processes.