TRENTON, NJ—The state's Council on Affordable Housing released its court-ordered draft of new rules on the number of affordable housing units that should be available for low-income residents of each New Jersey municipality.

The long-awaited set of regulations was mandated by an order of the state Supreme Court. If approved, the rules would replace thresholds that expired 15 years ago and call for an additional 110,000 affordable housing units across the state. The proposed rules also call for zoning changes to permit construction of 40,000 new homes and rehabilitation of more than 60,000 others by 2024, according to The Star Ledger.

Housing advocates were critical of the new proposal by the Christie administration, which has staunchly resisted setting up new COAH regulations. "I don't really think this is a good-faith attempt at doing what the courts asked," says Kevin Walsh, associate director for the advocacy group Fair Share Housing Center. Walsh says the rules do not comply with what the court had requested.

However, Walsh said his organization has not made a determination as to whether it will challenge the newly proposed rules in court.

Tim Doherty, the sole member of the six-member Council on Affordable Housing to vote against the proposal, says the rules did not "go far enough to really provide a realistic opportunity for housing.” Doherty, the executive director of the non-profit affordable housing organization Project Freedom, adds, "This certainly waters down the requirements and the need. They really don't accomplish anything." See story in The Star Ledger.