Affordable housing

Bernards' Fourth Round affordable-housing plan

Bernards' 2025-2035 obligation is 24 homes to rehabilitate and 198 new affordable homes, a figure the Committee accepted in a 3-2 mediation vote in March 2025. The court certified the township's plan in April 2026, giving protection from builder's-remedy suits through June 30, 2035; Ridge Oak IV's 29 senior units won site plan approval in May 2026.

Checked against the primary record on . Every figure on this page is sourced at the foot of the article.

Certified by the court April 2026; repose to June 30, 2035 Last moved

What happens next

No housing hearing is scheduled. Westgate Village (477 Martinsville Road), the plan's largest site, would need Planning Board site plan approval at a noticed hearing; none had been filed in the board minutes reviewed. Under the court order, a midpoint review can be sought as of July 1, 2030.

Every New Jersey town had to set its affordable-housing obligation for 2025-2035, the “Fourth Round,” and adopt a plan and zoning to meet it. Bernards’ case is docket SOM-L-157-25 before Judge William G. Mennen in Somerset County.

The numbers. 24 is the Present Need: existing homes to rehabilitate. 198 is the Prospective Need: new affordable homes to plan for. The state’s estimate was 24 and 218; in January 2025 the Committee committed to 24 and sought 171; Fair Share Housing Center objected and asked for 225. On March 25, 2025 the Committee approved a mediation agreement at 198, 3-2 (aye McNally, Tancredi, Fields; nay Asay, Duarte McCarthy), and the court set 24 and 198 on April 8, 2025.

The plan. The Planning Board adopted the Housing Plan Element and Fair Share Plan on May 20, 2025. It counts 209.5 credits toward the 198: Ridge Oak IV (29 senior rental units at 95 Manchester Drive), Westgate Village (115 affordable family rentals in a zone for up to 574 units at 477 Martinsville Road), an Our House group home (4 bedrooms) and surplus credits. The zoning for Ridge Oak IV and Westgate (Ords. #2573 and #2575) was adopted April 15, 2025, each 4-1 (Asay no).

Certified. The court’s Consent Order Final Compliance Certification, filed in April 2026, approves the plan and grants repose from exclusionary-zoning and builder’s-remedy suits from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2035. To meet its conditions the Committee adopted an affirmative marketing plan (Feb. 10, 2026), a spending plan (Feb. 24) and Ord. #2593 (March 10, 4-0). The records give three dates for the earlier conditional order (Dec. 17 and 19, 2025, and Jan. 8, 2026); the explainer sets them side by side.

Ridge Oak. On Feb. 24, 2026 the Committee extended affordability controls on Ridge Oak’s 247 existing senior units to Oct. 31, 2072, the condition for a Ridge Oak IV site plan. The Planning Board approved Ridge Oak IV’s 29-unit building 7-0 on May 19, 2026.

What residents can do. Westgate Village, if filed, will have a Planning Board hearing. Township Committee meetings take public comment. The court record is on the NJ Courts Somerset affordable-housing page. Corrections can be emailed to info@localwhy.org.

The housing plan, explained

Timeline

Each dated event on this issue, oldest first, linked to the full sourced entry.

  1. Resolved Committee commits to 24 rehabilitation units and seeks a Fourth Round obligation of 171Res. #2025-0107 accepted the state's present need of 24 and sought to lower its prospective-need estimate from 218 to 171, based on the township planner's land-capacity review, and authorized the court filing. It reserved the right to adjust its position under the Highlands Act.
  2. Resolved Committee approves a mediation agreement setting the Fourth Round obligation at 198, 3-2Res. #2025-0195 approved the mediation agreement with Fair Share Housing Center, which had asked for 225. Aye McNally, Tancredi, Fields; nay Asay, Duarte McCarthy. The court set 24 and 198 on April 8, 2025.
  3. Resolved Committee adopts the Ridge Oak IV and Westgate Village housing zones, 4-1Ord. #2573 created the SH-4 Senior Housing Zone for 29 units at 95 Manchester Drive and Ord. #2575 the MX-1 Westgate Village zone for up to 574 family rentals, 115 affordable. Each passed 4-1, Asay voting no, after the Planning Board found both not consistent with the Master Plan.
  4. Resolved Planning Board adopts the 2025 Housing Plan Element and Fair Share PlanThe plan counts 209.5 credits toward the 198-unit obligation, from Ridge Oak IV, Westgate Village, an Our House group home and surplus credits. The Committee endorsed it on May 27, 2025 (Res. #2025-0233).
  5. Resolved Committee adopts the housing spending plan and extends Ridge Oak affordability to 2072Res. #2026-0177 adopted the Fourth Round Spending Plan and Res. #2026-0189 an agreement keeping Ridge Oak's 247 senior units affordable from Nov. 1, 2032 to Oct. 31, 2072, the condition for a Ridge Oak IV site plan. Both 5-0.
  6. Resolved Ord. #2593 adopted to apply the state's Fourth Round housing rulesOrd. #2593 adds Code § 21-87 so the state's new affordable-housing rules govern where older sections conflict, a condition of the court's conditional compliance order. Adopted 4-0 (Asay, Hodges, McNally, Duarte McCarthy); no public comment.
  7. Resolved Court certifies Bernards' Fourth Round plan, with repose to June 30, 2035Judge William G. Mennen's Consent Order Final Compliance Certification (stamped April 15, filed April 17, 2026) approves the plan and grants repose from exclusionary-zoning and builder's-remedy suits from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2035.
  8. Resolved Planning Board approves Ridge Oak IV, 29 affordable senior apartments, 7-0PB26-001, Ridge Oak Management, Inc.: a two-story building of 29 one-bedroom age-restricted affordable units at 95 Manchester Drive. Aye Agarwal, Eorio, Mastrangelo, Seville, Smith, Subervi, Tompkins; Schaefer ineligible.
  9. Resolved Ridge Oak's payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement extended 40 yearsRes. #2026-0301 approved a second amendment to Ridge Oak's 1976 tax abatement agreement (6.28% of annual gross revenues in lieu of property taxes), which was to expire Aug. 17, 2026, extending it 40 years. Consent agenda, 4-0.

Explainers

Documents

The township's own records on this issue. Each links to the official copy.

Meetings

  • Township Committee — August 11, 2026

    The Committee introduced Ordinance #2603, a property maintenance ordinance for non-residential properties, appointed seven Class III special officers for school security under agreements with the Board of Education and Saint James School, and awarded crossing guard services for 2026-2027 (not to exceed $201,000.00), all 5-0. Five people spoke.

  • Planning Board — July 21, 2026

    The Board memorialized its approval of Ridge Oak's 29-unit affordable senior building (PB26-001, 5-0) and the Aucta Pharmaceuticals extension (PB23-001A, 7-0), and adopted a change order to the Board Planner's contract. Fellowship Village's third request to extend its site-plan deadlines (PB22-005C) was carried to September 8 so its engineer could calculate the effect of the township's 2024 stormwater rules.

  • Township Committee — June 23, 2026

    With McNally absent, the Committee adopted Ordinance #2599, as amended with the Planning Board's recommendations, prohibiting data centers in all zones, and #2598, a new construction fee schedule, both 4-0. It certified the 2025 audit, extended Ridge Oak's tax abatement 40 years, awarded Pleasant Valley Park court improvements and introduced salary Ordinance #2601. Thirteen entries naming 15 people commented on the former Lord Stirling School property.

  • Planning Board — May 19, 2026

    After a third hearing on the fire service plan, the Environmental Commission's comments and architectural updates, the Board granted preliminary and final site plan approval, 7-0, to Ridge Oak Management (PB26-001) for a 29-unit, 100% affordable, age-restricted apartment building at 95 and 150 Manchester Drive. No members of the public asked questions or commented.

  • Planning Board — May 5, 2026

    The Board extended Aucta Pharmaceuticals' deadline for a permanent certificate of occupancy to January 16, 2027, with an as-built survey required, 9-0. The second hearing on Ridge Oak's 29-unit affordable senior building (PB26-001) covered operations, traffic and a redesigned lighting plan, with four residents questioning witnesses; it was carried to May 19.

  • Township Committee — April 14, 2026

    After a closed session on potential litigation over the Reivax road improvements contract, the Committee awarded Renda Roads up to $1,025,000.00 for road repairs, hired Boswell for MS4 stormwater mapping ($94,000.00), approved a Speed Sentry radar display loan from RideWise and two police vehicles, and introduced Ordinance #2595, all 4-0 with Asay absent. Two people spoke.

  • Planning Board — April 7, 2026

    The Board deemed Ridge Oak's 29-unit affordable senior building (PB26-001) complete, 8-0, and opened its public hearing with engineering, environmental and architectural testimony; the hearing was carried to May 5. It deemed the Kearns/Vaccaro amended conditional use application (PB24-002A) complete, 7-0, and adjourned Aucta Pharmaceuticals' extension request to May 5.

  • Township Committee — March 10, 2026

    With Tompkins absent, the Committee adopted Ordinance #2593, the Fourth Round affordable housing compliance rules, and capital Ordinance #2594 ($1,449,000.00), and awarded synthetic turf replacement at Mountain Park ($960,826.00), a pavement condition assessment and a $250,000.00 federal funding request for stormwater planning, all 4-0. One person spoke.

  • Planning Board — March 3, 2026

    The Board found Ordinance #2593, which incorporates the State's Fourth Round affordable-housing rules into the township code, not inconsistent with the 2023 Master Plan, 9-0. It appointed Allison Fahey Board Planner and heard Ridge Oak's completeness request (PB26-001), granting most waivers but holding the application incomplete until updated sewer and water will-serve letters are filed, 8-0.

  • Township Committee — February 24, 2026

    The Committee adopted the 2026 Fourth Round Spending Plan for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and an agreement extending affordability controls on Ridge Oak's 247 age-restricted units for 40 years to 2072, introduced capital Ordinance #2594 ($1,449,000.00) and received the Tax Collector's 2025 report, all 5-0. Two people spoke.

  • Township Committee — February 10, 2026

    The Committee recognized the Police Department's reaccreditation, adopted an Affirmative Marketing Plan for affordable housing required by the court's conditional compliance order, and introduced Ordinance #2593, which incorporates the state's Fourth Round housing rules into the land development ordinance, all 5-0. One person spoke, about snow on sidewalks.

  • Township Committee — January 6, 2026

    The 2026 reorganization. Brett Hodges and John Tompkins took office, and the Committee elected Ana Duarte McCarthy Mayor and John Tompkins Deputy Mayor. A 5-0 consent agenda appointed the 2026 professionals and board members, set the meeting rules, temporary appropriations and the 2026 meeting dates, and moved legal notices to the township website from March 1, 2026.

Sources for this overview

  1. Consent Order Final Compliance Certification, SOM-L-157-25 (filed April 15 and 17, 2026)
  2. 2025 Housing Plan Element and Fair Share Plan and appendices
  3. Res. #2025-0107 (Fourth Round numbers), Jan. 28, 2025
  4. Township Committee minutes, March 25, 2025 (Res. #2025-0195, mediation agreement, 3-2)
  5. Township Committee minutes, April 15, 2025 (Ords. #2573 and #2575)
  6. Township Committee minutes, Feb. 24, 2026 (spending plan; Ridge Oak agreement)
  7. Township Committee minutes, March 10, 2026 (Ord. #2593)
  8. Planning Board minutes, May 19, 2026 (Ridge Oak IV, PB26-001, approved 7-0)
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