The Township of Clark Council on July 21 adopted a resolution opposing proposed redirection of state affordable-housing trust fund monies in the 2026 state budget and heard several residents seek details about how such a redirection would affect local projects.

The resolution asks the State of New Jersey to continue using affordable-housing trust funds for the purposes for which they were originally created rather than reallocating them to other programs.

Residents at the meeting asked whether redirecting the state-held funds would reduce the towns ability to pursue community-based projects. "Is there, like, a number on how much money we might be losing?" asked John Grieves of Clark during the public comment period. Council and staff replied that the funds discussed are state-held and distributed by application, not an ongoing direct payment to Clark, and that the town had not drawn regularly on that source in prior years.

Town staff and the business administrator described past uses of Clarks local affordable-housing trust fund and obstacles to using the money for rehabilitation projects. Business Administrator Jim Ulrich said the township has used trust funds to pay first-month rent for affordable units and has approached property owners about rehabilitation programs, but that 10-year deed restrictions on rehabilitated units have made owners reluctant to participate. "We're giving you $25,000 to bring this apartment up. However, there's a 10-year deed restriction. They turn around and say thanks, but no thanks," Ulrich said, explaining the economic disincentive for landlords.

Michael Shulman, a Clark resident, pressed the council on whether the township had explored using the trust fund to rehabilitate larger apartment complexes to create more affordable units. Ulrich and other officials said they had contacted several owners and developers; they said financial and structural factors including unit configuration, costs and deed restrictions limited the feasibility of such projects in Clark.

The councils formal opposition resolution passed as part of the consent agenda. Council members did not vote to reallocate any local money during the meeting; staff said future applications to state funds would be decided on a case-by-case basis.

Residents and officials urged clearer public information about how trust fund dollars might be used. The council did not announce new programs or funding allocations in the meeting.