Brian Laird on WNYC.

Now we continue our election year series, 30 issues in 30 days.

Issue number four, who's best to create more affordable housing in New Jersey?

For decades, Jersey has been under a court mandate to make sure every town does its fair share to build affordable housing.

It's called the Mount Laurel Doctrine, and it was largely meant to stop wealthier towns from keeping out lower-income families,

as well as developing enough supply to meet demand.

But here, more than 40 years later, the state is still wrestling with the same questions.

How much affordable housing is enough? Where should it go? And who should make those decisions?

The courts, the legislature, or local governments?

Now, with housing costs among the highest in the

country, the next governor will have to decide how to enforce those rules and maybe make new ones.

Municipalities are filing plans, advocacy groups are filing lawsuits, and both major candidates

for governor, Democrat, Mikey Sherrill, and Republican Jack Chitorelli, are offering very different answers.

In a minute, we'll play some of what each of them said about the issue at Sunday night's debate at Rider University.

As we talk about all of this with Mike Hayes, WNYC and Gothamist reporter, covering equity and access in New Jersey.

And some of you know Mike is also author of the

book, not focused on New Jersey, called The Secret Files, Bill de Blasio, the NYPD, and the broken

promises of police reform. Hey, Mike, always good to have you on the show. Hey, Brian, thanks for having

me on to talk about two of my favorite things, New Jersey Housing and the New Jersey Governor's Race.

Ha, and listeners, the phones and the text threads are open for you, especially if you live in Jersey.

What's your lived experience of the housing affordability crisis?

Have you struggled to find a place that you can afford, especially recently?

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