No extra time for towns to make housing plans

TRENTON — New Jersey officials denied a request from towns to extend the deadline to file their plans for providing affordable housing. The deadline for the plans remained Dec. 31. Local governments that failed to file by that date could be at risk of lawsuits from builders seeking to put up dense developments in exchange for a smaller number of affordable units. Some officials say the measure — known as the builder’s remedy — spreads sprawl but doesn’t add much housing for low-income people. Some key state lawmakers supported extending the deadline, but they were overruled by Department of Community Affairs Commissioner Joseph Doria.