We all realize that "affordable housing" is a laudable goal. Working class people (whether the working poor or lower middle class) should have the ability to live in nice areas. Whether that means that everyone (including people who have made life decisions that lead them to earn minimum wage or no wages while having large families) are "entitled" to live in some of the most expensive towns with the best school districts in NJ while doing so without paying market rate prices or taxes is a debate for another day. For our purposes, we have to face the fact that the Township is required to build some form of affordable/low income housing in the very near future. While I believe the worst case scenario would be a public housing development of no/low income apartments of 100-200+ units that will send hundreds of new students into our school system while contributing $0 property/school taxes. Based on the information we are gathering, it appears that If the Mayor and Council are planning to approve a low/no income rental housing development that will consist of 100+ units that will pay $0 in property taxes. Assuming that is the case, I think the Council should be smart about it. I believe it does not make sense to place such a development on a piece of prime real estate at 200 Hartford Road, which is now one of the last large pieces of open farmland in our beautiful Township. Incidentally, some studies show that it also does not benefit the residents of the low income housing to be placed in an area where the housing does not blend in with the existing housing. Studies show that it is better to have the low income housing in an area of other mixed housing with access to public transportation and other amenities. Further, it does not make business sense to place a development on land that is an asset to the Township. One would think that 200 Hartford Road is an asset, a valuable parcel of land in a section of town where the nearby real estate values are good and where the residents in that area pay high property taxes, thus providing a net benefit to the entire town. While I would prefer (and I hope) that the Mayor and Council are not planning to approve a "low income" apartment complex that will place 200-500 new students into our school district while paying $0 in taxes, if that is the Council's plan and their minds cannot be changed, then at a minimum let's be smart about where that development is going to be placed. For instance, I am aware of at least 6 other large parcels of land in the Township where this type of development makes more sense than 200 Hartford Road. The first parcel that comes to mind is 118 Route 38. This is an 8 acre piece of land directly on Route 38, next to a few buildings. The land is already cleared and ready for development. And, as one drives down Route 38, one can already see a large development of houses (apparently this is a neighborhood in Mt Laurel). It is not as though this is a wooded area that enhances our community. I suspect that if it is not low income/affordable housing that is placed there, it will be some form of commercial building. The land is owned by a development company and, again, appears ready to be developed. The second parcel that makes more sense is 120 Marter Ave. This is the corner of Marter and Main Streets. This corner is on the NJ Septa bus routes. It is already cleared and ready for commercial development. There are several banks, a parking lot, a rehab center, and an auto repair business next to that corner property. And, that land is for sale with a "for sale" sign on it. This property would allow the residents to walk to the Centerton shopping center, as well as Main Street. I am sure the Mayor and Council are aware of these alternate locations. I further suspect that there are discussions already underway for at least the location on Rt 38, as it appears that the owner of that property, MRD, is already a party to the lawsuit that is pending in the Superior Court for Moorestown's affordable housing obligation. This indicates to me that there is interest in low income housing by MRD. Nevertheless, the Council is still moving forward with its plan for 200 Hartford Road. This makes one wonder whether there are multiple sites under consideration for future development in addition to 200 Hartford, and if so why the Mayor and Council have first chosen the 200 Hartford Road location, especially considering what appears to be the lack of acknowledgment that circumstances have changed since the Township bought this land in 1988, particularly that there have been several large residential developments built in that area since 1988. Some may say that my suggestion of other locations is a reflection of the "not in my backyard" position. However, that is not the case. If 200 Hartford made sense the most sense for a large, low income development, I would acknowledge that. My first choice (which has been stated previously in many occasions) would be to have not one single large low/no income development in Moorestown since I think there are better solutions to the problem, discussed in other updates on this Petition. My point is that if the Council has made up its mind and is going to do the public housing, they should place it in an area that makes the most sense for the existing Moorestown residents and the future residents of the development. And, I genuinely believe that 200 Hartford Road makes no sense for this type of development. To the extent others agree with these concepts, please feel free to share your thoughts with the Council on these important issues. The next Council meeting is Oct. 23 at 7:00 p.m. Otherwise, as I previously mentioned, I am concerned that the Council is going to make a bad decision and place a low/no income public housing project in an area where it makes no sense from both a business sense and common sense. Thank you.