Dear Editor:
How can a PILOT be given for a minimum affordable, rather than more designated affordable low-income, say. 50-100 units for example. The developers already own the land, nature/god made that, and rent, and fees are unearned income extracted from wage earners for living space.
These Developers Remedy Threats in cases like the one that took place in PTH, which are corporate coups over civil society. How can good land use be simply tossed aside? If the developments are concentrated as they should be, why then minimum affordable, this will then, contrary to what Carifi is saying, happen after all, more units in the next round, unless they lower the rents in the vacant unrented units.
Can’t help feeling this whole lame duck last minute PILOT jam, was a premeditated staged event with Inglesino as a ringleader, the appearance of the Housing Master Wizard of Oz on the screen, had to retract her PILOTs of else threat, when confronted by a direct question from Councilman McGrath. The whole courtroom like session, aided and abetted the fear the developers were instilling.
Only Political Courage could have challenged these tactics. Parsippany had done everything to meet it’s 4th round obligation, and settled for a minimum in affordable units. In my opinion this whole episode, of a sudden PILOT during a lame duck council should of been looked into as a Court Challenge. Since when does Housing Obligations depend of PILOT? In blighted areas of poverty, perhaps, but Parsippany?
Highlands Conformance does give legal shields; this may have been an opportunity to look into this option, an opportunity lost, due to a time quirk; a time quirk not given the good faith of an extension, to look into the sudden failure of the developer not to met the obligation, as was set in motion? Again, if PILOT Deals are essential in meeting housing obligations, this should have been known. Mayor Barberio has made it clear (since June) that Parsippany knew of no other PILOTs in the works, then suddenly Pearl Harbor!
* Ben Spinelli NJ Highlands Council Executive Director has trumpeted the fact that the market rate units needed to in order to meet the number of required affordable units will far exceed the carrying capacity of the Highlands. There is no magic wand that will resolve this conflict. However, the reason we succeeded in amending the recent Affordable Housing Reform Act, which finally recognized the need to limit growth in the Highlands, was because of the impacts to the Highlands resources if numbers assigned by the state applied in the Highlands.
If Parsippany has the Highest Water Deficit in the watershed, and our aquifer is already being depleted due to past poor landuse and continued consumption, and depletion, how can developers be given free reign in further impacts as they please in a developers remedy? What portion of any of the housing units are regional obligations, and what benefits can Parsippany obtain from sending municipalities? Parsippany is in overdeveloped in need of redevelopment, not blighted. This is where the corporate rateable chase has brought us. There is no escape, only obligation; however the obligation must not be one-sided. The formula ratio 20 to 4 is substandard in its need and background of the actual economy and what it brings people in their wages, benefits and overall costs.
The cry about more children also seems strange would not the increase come more from residential homes, in my neighborhood in Hiawatha, Oneida Ave, there are plenty of kids in the area, waiting for school buses. Carifi and Inglesino language like welfare, and Newark like, or Inglesino past Town Hall Housing Class, beginning with Newark “Riots”, and not the actual circumstance of the Mount Laurel Community being disenfranchised is also racist in tone.
Developers don’t do PILOTs because it benefits US.
Parsippany appears not to have considered some of the following:
To avoid these negative impacts, a number of towns
are putting plans in place where they fulfill their
AH obligation directly, using a combination of
techniques, including the following.
•Rehabilitation of existing substandard housing stock
•Creation of accessory apartments, shared senior housing or elder cottage housing;
•Special needs/group homes;
•“Buy downs” of existing housing;
•Bonus credits for family rental units;
•Regional Contribution Agreements (RCAs);
•Creation of assisted living residences.
Economy can not exist in a vacuum outside the laws of nature. As a species, and a society we are doing ourselves in. Only Political Courage can have any chance. Economy is a political decision made for the collective in it’s justice and equity.
Nicholas Homyak
