SCR 52 New Jersey Senate · 2026-2027 Regular Session

Proposes amendment to New Jersey Constitution to prohibit exclusionary zoning and clarify municipal obligations regarding affordable housing construction.

SCR 52 proposes a constitutional amendment to ban exclusionary zoning in New Jersey, which prevents municipalities from blocking housing development for low and moderate income residents. The amendment explicitly states that towns are not required to build or fund affordable housing units, removing the "affirmative obligation" that fueled costly lawsuits. This change aims to end "builder's remedy" cases where courts forced specific housing projects, while still allowing courts to strike down discriminatory zoning practices. The amendment must be approved by New Jersey voters in the next general election.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 13, 2026 Last action Jan 13, 2026
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Jan 13, 2026
Introduced
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Holly Schepisi
Holly Schepisi
RRepublican
NJ
39