Garden State Times

Senator Holly Schepisi, representing New Jersey's 39th District, participated in a town hall meeting in Montvale to discuss state-mandated housing and its effects on the region. The event took place on Monday evening and included Montvale Mayor Mike Ghassali and Attorney Mike Collins from King, Moench & Collins LLP.

Bergen County, part of Schepisi's district, is one of the most densely populated areas in New Jersey. The state itself holds the title of the most densely populated in the United States. Addressing these challenges, Schepisi stated, “While we all want to ensure that the Garden State has enough housing for those in need, commonsense reforms are needed to preserve our quality of life and to improve affordability.” She emphasized her commitment to seeking bipartisan solutions for affordable housing needs within her community.

Northern New Jersey has been grappling with significant overdevelopment due to fair share housing mandates. These mandates have resulted in some of the highest obligations from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA). Schepisi expressed concerns about these developments: “Municipalities are rightfully concerned about the fourth round of housing obligations being fast-tracked by the Governor,” she said. She criticized recent figures released by the DCA as "unrealistic and unaffordable," noting that they create unsustainable densities for municipalities.

Schepisi is a member of the Senate Community & Urban Affairs Committee and has long advocated for reforming what she describes as a broken affordable housing system.

The town hall was streamed live on Mayor Ghassali’s Facebook page for public viewing.

For further inquiries or to speak with Senator Schepisi, Jennifer Collins can be contacted at [email protected].