“Affordable unit” means a housing unit proposed or developed pursuant to the Act, including units created with municipal affordable housing trust funds.

“Age-restricted housing” means a housing unit that is designed to meet the needs of, and is exclusively for, an age-restricted segment of the population such that: 1. All the residents of the development where the unit is situated are 62 years or older; 2. At least 80 percent of the units are occupied by one person that is 55 years or older; or 3. The development has been designated by the Secretary of HUD as “housing for older persons” as defined in Section 807(b)(2) of the Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. § 3607.

“Agency” means the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency established by P.L.1983, c. 530 (C.55:14K-1 et seq.).

“Assisted living residence” means a facility licensed by the New Jersey Department of Health to provide apartment-style housing and congregate dining and to ensure that assisted living services are available when needed for four or more adult persons unrelated to the proprietor. Apartment units must offer, at a minimum, one unfurnished room, a private bathroom, a kitchenette, and a lockable door on the unit entrance.

“Barrier-free escrow” means the holding of funds collected to adapt affordable unit entrances to be accessible in accordance with N.J.S.A. 52:27D-311a et seq. Such funds shall be held in a municipal affordable housing trust fund pursuant to N.J.A.C. 5:99-2.6.

“Builder’s remedy” means court-imposed site-specific relief for a litigant who seeks to build affordable housing for which the court requires a municipality to utilize zoning techniques, such as mandatory set-asides or density bonuses, including techniques which provide for the economic viability of a residential development by including housing that is not for low- and moderate-income households.

“Certified household” means a household that has been certified by an administrative agent as a very-low-income household, a low-income household, or a moderate-income household.

“Choice” means the no-longer-active Choices in Homeownership Incentives for Everyone Program, as it was authorized by the Agency.

“COAH” or the “Council” means the Council on Affordable Housing established in, but not of, DCA pursuant to the Act and that was abolished effective March 20, 2024, pursuant to section 3 at P.L. 2024, c. 2 (N.J.S.A. 52:27D-304.1).

“Commissioner” means the Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs.

“Compliance certification” means the certification obtained by a municipality pursuant to section 3 of P.L.2024, c. 2 (C.52:27D-304.1), that protects the municipality from exclusionary zoning litigation during the current round of present and prospective need and through July 1 of the year the next round begins, which is also known as a “judgment of compliance” or “judgment of repose.” The term “compliance certification” shall include a judgment of repose granted in an action filed pursuant to section 13 of P.L.1985, c. 222 (C.52:27D-313).

“Construction” means new construction and additions, but does not include alterations, reconstruction, renovations, conversion, relocation, or repairs, as those