TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- New Jersey's Supreme Court said Monday that Gov. Chris Christie cannot abolish the state's Council on Affordable Housing — at least not until a later court decision.
The court issued an order denying the governor's request to stay an appellate court ruling from March. That lower-court ruling, which stands for now, found it was illegal for the governor to eliminate the affordable-housing agency.
Christie eliminated the agency last year, using a law that allows the governor to reorganize parts of the government. Lawmakers last year did not intervene to try to save COAH, as they could have under state law.
Many state and local officials saw COAH as meddling in decisions best left to local governments.
The agency was created to enforce a series of landmark court rulings — known as the Mount Laurel decisions — that found New Jersey towns have to provide the opportunity for low- and moderate-income people to live in them.
In the past, COAH has issued a number of units of affordable housing that each town is responsible for — but the latest quota has been delayed by more than a decade.
