Council on Affordable Housing
Dear Clark Township,
This is a request for public records made under OPRA and the common law right of access. I am not required to fill out an official form. Please acknowledge receipt of this message.
Records requested:
All responses from the Council on Affordable Housing on Clark's Fair Share Plan from March 2009 to September 2017.
Yours faithfully,
James M
To: James M <[OPRA #31586 email]>
From: Edith Merkel, Township Clerk, Township of Clark
Re: OPRA - COAH
Date: May 6, 2022
Your request has been received. Please clarify what you mean by "responses from the Council on Affordable Housing". This request will require an extensive search of the archives. If you could narrow the search it would expedite the process.
Dear Clerk's Dept.,
I would like to see the what was the number of low income housing units the Council on Affordable Housing proposed to Clark.
Yours sincerely,
James M
To: James M <[OPRA #31586 email]>
From: Edith Merkel, Township Clerk, Township of Clark
Re: OPRA - COAH
Date: May 6, 2022
Thank you for the clarification.
To: James M <[OPRA #31586 email]>
From: Edith L. Merkel, Township Clerk, Township of Clark
Re: OPRA - Affordable Housing
Date: May 11, 2022
The Township of Clark received your Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request on May 6, 2022. The official Records Custodian, Edith Merkel, received your OPRA request on May 6, 2022. As such, the seven (7) business day deadline to respond to your request is May 17, 2022. This response to your request is being provided to you on the 3rd business day after the custodian’s receipt of said request.
Your request (below) sought access to: " the number of low income housing units the Council on Affordable Housing proposed to Clark"
A thorough search of the archived and current files did not produce a document from the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) stating the number of low income housing units proposed by COAH. I have provided the attached documents which give details about Clark's affordable housing obligation over the timeframe you've requested March 2009 to September 2017. You are welcome to come to my office to conduct an on-site review of all of the files during regular business hours Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm.
If your request for access to a government record has been denied or unfilled within the seven (7) business days required by law, you have a right to challenge the decision by the Township of Clark to deny access. At your option, you may either institute a proceeding in the Superior Court of New Jersey or file a complaint with the Government Records Council (GRC) by completing the Denial of Access Complaint Form. You may contact the GRC by toll-free telephone at 866-850-0511, by mail at P.O. Box 819, Trenton, NJ, 08625, by e-mail at [email address], or at their web site at www.state.nj.us/grc. The GRC can also answer other questions about the law. All questions regarding complaints filed in Superior Court should be directed to the Court Clerk in your County.