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Tiny Homes Pilot Program

New Jersey lawmakers are considering legislation to encourage the development of tiny homes to help meet the needs of the homeless and low-income residents.

Under the plan, towns in three regions of the state would be tapped for a pilot program that awards grants to qualified applicants who build homes with less than 300 square feet of interior floor space.

The towns would be get two credits toward their affordable housing obligation for each of tiny houses built.

Staci Berger, who leads the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey, says that would help meet the need for affordable housing.

"We've had about $500 million or so taken out of the production system that develops affordable homes for New Jersey residents over the last seven years. So, anything that goes back into the pool of creating homes that people can afford is helpful."

Michael Cerra, the assistant executive director of the New Jersey League of Municipalities, says the pilot program could help determine how to deal with local zoning regulations and community opposition that might block the construction of tiny affordable homes.

“If there’s resistance from the community or if there’s planning issues, a pilot program allows you to identify them, to sort of rethink how to do it, and how to do it best. So this could be a learning experience to expand it statewide and perhaps even outside of the state.”