The affirmative marketing plan is a regional marketing
strategy designed to attract buyers and/or renters of all majority
and minority groups, regardless of sex, age or number of children,
to housing units which are being marketed by a developer/sponsor,
municipality and/or designated administrative agency of affordable
housing. The plan will address the requirements of N.J.A.C. 5:93-11.
In addition, the plan prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental,
financing or other services related to housing on the basis of race,
color, sex, religion, handicap, age, familial status/size or national
origin. The Borough of Wharton is in the housing region consisting
of Morris, Essex, Union and Warren Counties. The affirmative marketing
program is a continuing program and will meet the following requirements:
(1)
All newspaper articles, announcements and requests
for applications for low- and moderate-income units will appear in
the following newspapers/publications: The Daily Record and the Star
Ledger.
(2)
The primary marketing will take the form of
at least one press release sent to the above publications and a paid
display advertisement in each of the above newspapers. Additional
advertising and publicity will be on an "as needed" basis.
(3)
The advertisement will include a description
of the street address of units, direction to housing units, number
of bedrooms per unit, range of prices/rents, size of units, income
information, and location of applications including business hours
and where/how applications may be obtained.
(4)
All newspaper articles, announcements and requests
for applications for low- and moderate-income housing will appear
in publications such as neighborhood-oriented weekly newspapers, religious
publications and organizational newsletters within the region. Regional
radio and/or cable television station(s) will also be used.
(5)
The following is the location of applications,
brochure(s), sign(s) and/or poster(s) used as part of the affirmative
marketing program including specific employment centers within the
region: posting of notices in the Borough Hall and delivery of notices
to the municipal clerks of all municipalities in the region.
(6)
The following is a listing of community contact
persons and/or organizations in Wharton that will administer the program
and will aid in the affirmative marketing program with particular
emphasis on contacts that will reach out to groups that are least
likely to apply for housing within the region: Land Use Administrator,
County Housing Office and houses of worship.
(7)
Quarterly flyers and applications will be sent
to each of the following agencies for publication in their journals
and for circulation among their members: boards of realtors in Morris,
Essex, Union and Warren Counties.
(8)
Applications will be mailed to prospective applicants
upon request.
(9)
Additionally, quarterly informational circulars
and applications will be sent to the chief administrative employees
of each of the following agencies in the counties within Wharton's
region: welfare or social service board, rental assistance office
(local office of DCA), office on aging, libraries, and housing agency
or authority in each of the counties within Wharton's housing region.
(10)
A random selection method will be used to select
occupants of low- and moderate-income housing.
(11)
The Land Use Administrator shall administer
the affirmative marketing program. The Land Use Administrator has
the responsibility to income-qualify low- and moderate-income households;
to place income-eligible households in low- and moderate-income units
upon initial occupancy; to provide for the initial occupancy of low-
and moderate-income units with income-qualified households; to continue
to qualify households for reoccupancy of units as they become vacant
during the period of affordability controls; to assist with advertising
and outreach to low- and moderate-income households; and to enforce
the terms of the deed restriction and mortgage loan as per N.J.A.C.
5:93-9.1.
(12)
Households who live or work in the COAH-established
housing region may be given preference for sales and rental units
constructed within that housing region. Applicants living outside
the housing region will have an equal opportunity for units after
regional applicants have been initially serviced. The Borough of Wharton
intends to comply with N.J.A.C. 5:93-11.7.
(13)
All developers of low- and moderate-income housing
units will be required to assist in the marketing of the affordable
units in their respective developments.
(14)
The marketing program will commence at least
120 days before the issuance of either temporary or permanent certificates
of occupancy. The marketing program will continue until all low- and
moderate-income housing units are initially occupied and for as long
as affordable units are deed restricted and occupancy or reoccupancy
of units continues to be necessary.
(15)
The Land Use Administrator will comply with
monitoring and reporting requirements as per N.J.A.C. 5:93-11.6 and
12.1.
