§ 143-28. Use of funds.

A. 

The expenditure of all funds shall conform to a spending plan approved by COAH. Funds deposited in the housing trust fund may be used for any activity approved by COAH to address the Township's fair share obligation and may be set up as a grant or revolving loan program. Such activities include, but are not limited to, preservation or purchase of housing for the purpose of maintaining or implementing affordability controls, rehabilitation, new construction of affordable housing units and related costs, accessory apartments, market-to-affordable, or regional housing partnership programs, conversion of existing nonresidential buildings to create new affordable units, green building strategies designed to be cost saving and in accordance with accepted national or state standards, purchase of land for affordable housing, improvement of land to be used for affordable housing, extensions or improvements of roads and infrastructure to affordable housing sites, financial assistance designed to increase affordability, administration necessary for implementation of the Housing Element and Fair Share Plan, or any other activity as permitted pursuant to N.J.A.C. 5:97-8.7 through 5:97-8.9 and specified in the approved spending plan.

B. 

Funds shall not be expended to reimburse the Township for past housing activities.

C. 

At least 30% of all development fees collected and interest earned shall be used to provide affordability assistance to low- and moderate-income households in affordable units included in the municipal Fair Share Plan. One-third of the affordability assistance portion of development fees collected shall be used to provide affordability assistance to those households earning 30% or less of median income by region.

(1) 

Affordability assistance programs may include down payment assistance, security deposit assistance, low-interest loans, rental assistance, assistance with homeowners' association or condominium fees and special assessments, and assistance with emergency repairs.

(2) 

Affordability assistance to households earning 30% or less of median income may include buying down the cost of low- or moderate-income units in the municipal Fair Share Plan to make them affordable to households earning 30% or less of median income. The use of development fees in this manner shall entitle the Township to bonus credits pursuant to N.J.A.C. 5:97-3.7.

(3) 

Payments in lieu of constructing affordable units on site and funds from the sale of units with extinguished controls shall be exempt from the affordability assistance requirement.

D. 

The Township may contract with a private or public entity to administer any part of its Housing Element and Fair Share Plan, including the requirement for affordability assistance in accordance with N.J.A.C. 5:96-18.

E. 

No more than 20% of all revenues collected from development fees may be expended on administration, including, but not limited to, salaries and benefits for municipal employees or consultant fees necessary to develop or implement a new construction program, a Housing Element and Fair Share Plan, and/or an affirmative marketing program. In the case of a rehabilitation program, no more than 20% of the revenues collected from development fees shall be expended for such administrative expenses. Administrative funds may be used for income qualification of households, monitoring the turnover of sale and rental units, and compliance with COAH's monitoring requirements. Legal or other fees related to litigation opposing affordable housing sites or objecting to the Council's regulations and/or action are not eligible uses of the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.