Max, what exactly is your problem. I live in affordable housing ( a fact that I am sure will be used against me). Montville Township's affordable housing was not built by taxpayers. It was built under the Builders Remedy as a set aside to market units they were building. It cost the taxpayers nothing. There is a small administrative cost to the Township. My neighbors are people on fixed income or people trying to get a start or a new start. I know some that are there because medical costs have ruined them. I know some who are there because of circumstances they couldn't control. You really need to educate yourself on some of these issues before you sit in front of your keyboard.

To the both of you. First the Taxes paid are proportional to the value and on a rate per hundred are exactly the same as any property in Montville Township. They are price fixed and even if the market did manage to get better these units are price controlled and can not appreciate. It is also a fact that there would not be the number of market units without having a twenty percent set aside for affordable housing. There is also no truth to the fact that affordable housing produces more children. Some of that housing is senior housing and has no children and I really don't see many children where I live at all. Max I don't know how many children you have in school but you have made refference to children so if you have two you would need to pay $24,000 per year just to break even on the cost of education for them, never mind the other service you get from the Township. I would guess that you don't so you yourself is living off of someones else's dime.

Who validates an individual/family's need for AH on an ongoing baisis? Do they do an income verification to ensure that the homeowners continue to meet the financial criteria for this housing?

In my development the AH units only pay 1/3rd of the monthly maintenance. The other unit owners pay the other 2/3rds in addition to their own monthly maintenance fees. I certainly don't mind making up the difference for those that truly need the help however if people's annual income is not being verified on a regular basis and I'm paying more for someone who can pay their own way then that's a bit annoying.

A couple of points, income verification is supposed to be yearly. That is a question for the Housing Committee but remember that monthly maintenance based on a sq. ft. basis is fair. Snow Plowing, Garbage Collection, Street lighting, ect are paid for by the Township so that doesn't enter into the maintenance fees. I know that where I live there are many more units in a much smaller space so far as exterior work required. It would depend on where you live I guess but I don't believe you actually do pay over and above the cost of those units. In any event that was the agreement since day one and the only changes have been the passage of the Kelly Bill that has forced the township to bring more tax equity to Multi family complexes as it should.

Please feel free to enlighten me. Who/What/Where is the Housing Committee?

Snow Plowing falls under the Kelly Bill and is by law supposed to cover the same service provided to the single family streets. This law has been in effect for years. It doesn't cover association owned areas. The associations hire private contractors who also do driveways and sidewalks. The rate of payment received from the Township is the same rate (or should be) that the Township pays per mile on every other street in the Township. These rates are agreed upon every 5 years. If the Associations choose private contractors at a higher rate then your questions need to be addressed to the Associations. The Housing Committee is a standing Committee of the Township and is supposed to have monthly meetings. You can go to the Township website to find out when those meeting are. COAH aside, I fought for years to include street and water and sewer repairs into the Township's costs as a matter of law. These are in fact public streets and public improvements. Townhouse and multi-family housing should receive no less in services than any other property tax payer. Equal services for equal taxes.

Hi Dan,
Thank you for your response. The more I learn the more concerned I become about my condo association and how it conducts business. I have been looking for an entity that oversees the actions and financial transactions of these associations but have not found anywhere to go with my concerns. In this era of regulation I find it hard to believe that there is no agency in place that governs what an association can and can't do especially with our money. When I have attended unit owner meetings to ask questions my inquiries are met with ridicule. Perhaps that is their strategy since I noticed that the I'm the only unit owner that asks questions, but I've stopped going since I'm tired of being belittled in public. However I still have concerns about a potential conflict of interest between board members and property management and the lack of transparency and due diligence when hiring contractors like landscapers, etc. Are you aware of an agency that these associations must answer to? I hate feeling helpless. I'm paying a lot to live here - I'd just like to have some peace about the way my money is being spent. I've tried to read through my bylaws but I'm not an attorney so I'm not really sure how they should be interpreted but I'm getting the feeling that since no one is looking over their shoulders they're bending the rules a bit. If you have any ideas to share with me it would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Over the years I was in office I found that most of the Associations had good people on their Boards. In fact it is sometimes hard to get people to run for the Board . It is an even more thankless job than Political Office. I searched on line and there is governing law covering how Associations operate and what a unit owner is entitled to and that includes an ethics requirement on the part of the Board members. I have worked with a number of people on Boards and found them to be only interested in helping their communities. That said I believe you as a homeowner are entitled to all the financial records, budgets, contracts including bid proposals and management agreements. I know it isn't easy. Government is subject to the Open Public Records Act but I don't know if private Associations are but I do know there is law that applies.

Either you were extremely lucky over the years, or your knowledge and/or intelligence are lacking. I've seen my share of the co-op and condo boards who were heavily into pocket-padding business. Unlike governmental organizations, most associations are not mandated to accept the lowest bid; that alone is good for an unholy amount of mischief.

Thanks Dan. I know I have spoken with many homeowners who are pleased with their boards and property management, but I have spoken with several who have completely given up. My sister having the opportunity to "get out" of condo living took it because she couldn't tolerate the meetings and the agression between owners and board members. I know it sounds bizarre but it's true. And my sister is one of the kindest, most patient people I know but she was done when she got her chance to move into a single family home. Unfortunately that's not an option for me. But if I do move into another community you can be sure that I will examine the association more closely before making that move. Sounds like you may have found a little more online than I did. Unfortunately everything seems to address it as though we live in a perfect world or there is some oversight but no one particular agency to call upon. I have seen bloggers advising not to challenge management/boards because they can make your life a living you know what. It's not my style to refrain from asking questions but weighing pros against cons, aggravation vs. outcomes, I guess I'll just leave well enough alone. Thanks again.