Affordable Housing: Understanding West Windsor’s Fourth Round Plan

Affordable housing is one of the most complex and highly regulated responsibilities facing New Jersey municipalities, and West Windsor is no exception. The Township is legally required under state law and decades of court rulings to plan for and provide its “fair share” of housing affordable to low- and moderate-income households. The current effort, known as the Fourth Round, covers the ten-year period from 2025 through 2035.

Under the state-established framework, West Windsor has a Fourth Round obligation of 480 affordable housing credits. This number was ultimately set through a settlement process involving the Township, the Fair Share Housing Center, and state-level dispute resolution following significant changes to New Jersey’s affordable housing law in 2024. These obligations are not optional; municipalities that fail to adopt a compliant Housing Element and Fair Share Plan risk losing zoning control through so-called “builder’s remedy” lawsuits.

To meet this requirement, the Township has prepared a detailed Housing Element and Fair Share Plan, which is a required component of the municipal Master Plan and was adopted following public hearings by the West Windsor Township Planning Board. The plan documents both West Windsor’s long history of meeting prior affordable housing obligations and the strategy proposed for the Fourth Round.

For the 2025–2035 period, the plan identifies eight specific development sites that together would generate 411 affordable housing units. Because several of these developments qualify for bonus credits under state rules, the total credit count reaches 507 credits, exceeding the Township’s obligation by 27 credits and providing a modest compliance buffer.

The proposed Fourth Round sites include a mix of housing types and locations:

• BMS Site: 650 total units, including 163 affordable units

• Woodmont Commercial Site: 35 total units, including 9 affordable units

• Obals/LaPlaca Site: 80 total units, including 20 affordable units

• Carnegie Center – 400 Series: 326 total units, including 82 affordable units

• Carnegie Center – 901 Series: 275 total units, including 69 affordable units.  This sites has the potential for age restricted (55+) units.

• K. Hovnanian (Ellsworth Center): 37 total units, including 10 affordable units

• ALR (Tractor Supply) Site: 216 total units, including 54 affordable units

• Eden – Oak Lane: 1 unit, designated as alternative living for residents with disabilities

In total, the plan anticipates approximately 1,620 new residential units, reflecting the scale of development needed statewide to address New Jersey’s long-standing housing shortage. Importantly, the plan includes age-restricted housing and alternative living arrangements, including housing tailored for individuals with disabilities, recognizing that affordable housing is not a one-size-fits-all solution.

The Housing Element also provides extensive demographic and housing analysis explaining why these obligations exist. West Windsor’s population has grown steadily over decades, the median age has increased significantly, and housing costs have risen sharply. While the Township has higher-than-average household incomes overall, these trends still create affordability challenges for seniors, young adults, people with disabilities, and families working in essential occupations.

A full public copy of the Housing Element and Fair Share Plan is available on the Township website as part of the Planning Board agenda materials for the 2/4/2026 meeting, and residents are encouraged to review it and participate in public hearings as the process moves forward.