We need to seriously start looking at redevelopment on a statewide scale – not just in Newark, Trenton, and Camden. There are already built locations that are abandoned and could be liveable if only rehabilitated – even in the rural and suburban areas. Sure, it’s not a sexy issue (rural rehab) for politicians, but it’s needed.

Having witnessed the effects of this legislation, all I can say is that it is flawed and does nothing for property rights. It is draconian in how it has stripped the value of the land in reality while pretending that it still has value. Farmers who borrow against the value of their land have found themselves uunable to borrow.

At the same time we have the second most expensive (statewide) housing costs in the country and there has been no real affordable housing be built due to the self interests of localities who are usually looking for ratables and low impact housing options like agerestricted housing and McMansions. In the north and northwestern counties large lot zoning is the norm so the impact of the highlands legislation is minimal.