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THE LOCAL REDEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING LAW - SUMMARY

The Local Redevelopment and Housing Law (N.J.S.A. 40A:12A-1 et seq.) requires local governments to follow a series of steps before they may exercise powers afforded under the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law. The process is designed to ensure that the public is given adequate notice and an opportunity to participate in the process. Further, the redevelopment process requires that the Township’s Governing Body and the Planning Board interact to ensure that all redevelopment actions consider the Harding Township Master Plan.

Required steps:

The Governing Body must adopt a resolution directing the Planning Board to perform a preliminary investigation to determine whether a specific area is in need of redevelopment according to the criteria set forth in the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law. That investigation is referred to as the Redevelopment Study.
The Planning Board must prepare and make available a map delineating the boundaries of the proposed redevelopment area and specifying the parcels to be included in the investigation.
The Planning Board must conduct the investigation and prepare a report of the findings. That investigation and report is referred to as the Redevelopment Study. A duly noticed public hearing must be held to present the results of the investigation and allow interested parties to give comments and testimony. The Planning Board then may adopt a resolution recommending a course of action to the Governing Body.
The Governing Body may accept, reject, or modify the Planning Board’s recommendation by adopting a resolution designating parcels as an area in need of redevelopment. The Governing Body must further make the final determination as to the non-condemnation redevelopment area boundaries.
A Redevelopment Plan may be prepared establishing the goals, objectives and specific actions to be taken with regard to the area in need of redevelopment.
The Governing Body may then act on the Redevelopment Plan by passing an ordinance adopting the Redevelopment Plan as an amendment to the municipal zoning ordinance.
Only after the completion of this process is a municipality able to exercise the powers under the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law.