Cherry Hill is a progressive city. One of the 5 defining characteristics of suburban cities is that jobs outnumber bedrooms within the community. With this designation, Cherry Hill has the opportunity to grow its economy by also having city workers live within the township. To realize this opportunity, Cherry Hill has a responsibility to provide affordable housing to the working class and working poor. Through a public agency that facilitates private partnerships, Cherry Hill can develop housing solutions that streamline processes and maintain compliance. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Currently, Cherry Hill has 797 “affordable housing units,” including Section 8, low-income housing tax credit-eligible properties, and the like. There are currently 4 properties available on the market suitable for purchase and 1 unit for rent. However, to use a Section 8 voucher for home purchasing purposes, the recipient must go through the New Jersey Department of Consumer Affairs. There is no protocol or system in place to handle these requests or any other questions or concerns related to Section 8 vouchers and at the municipality level. In Cherry Hill, housing management is currently part of the community development office. This office has a single housing director who is responsible for all community development grants, housing rehabilitation and rental inspections, as well as affordable and moderately priced housing. Under this system, issues related to affordable housing and public housing do not receive adequate attention, and some issues have gotten out of hand. The municipality currently says it reserves 20% of the units in each planned development for affordable housing. However, the luxury apartment complex at Garden State Park opened in 2012 without any units designated for affordable housing. The developers were required to work with the city on zoning, but appear to have failed to work with the housing department regarding affordable housing plans and related required set-aside areas. With the climate surrounding affordable housing in Cherry Hill rapidly evolving, processes at the municipal level must change. Historically, Cherry Hill has fought to prevent enforcement of the Mount Laurel doctrine, which imposes an allowance for low-income housing with the development of each new residential community. Two settlements were reached in 2015 requiring Cherry Hill to comply with the Mount Laurel rulings. Under the agreement, Cherry Hill must create or permit the construction of 813 new low-income housing units between now and 2026. While the city is not solely responsible for the physical construction of these units, it is responsible for ensuring compliance with the ruling . To best achieve full legal compliance, Cherry Hill should create a public housing agency within local government that will be responsible for coordinating these projects. A public housing agency (PHA) can act under the auspices of the township government to develop certain housing projects, designate municipally owned land for residential development, and partner with private entities to ensure compliance with the terms of the 'agreement. Private groups like Cherry Hill Land Associates (CHLA) would, through this.