N.J. Court Blocks Christie’s Closing of Housing Panel

As seen in this article, “New Jersey’s highest court blocked Gov. Chris Christie’s attempt to abolish an independent agency overseeing the construction of affordable-housing units in the state, a setback to the Republican governor’s efforts to reshape government through his executive powers.

The state Supreme Court ruled 5-2 Wednesday that Mr. Christie couldn’t abolish the Council on Affordable Housing, an agency charged with allocating funds for housing developments for lower-income residents.

The decision is legally significant in that the court rarely has checked the governor’s powers, said Peter Verniero, a retired state Supreme Court justice.

‘I think it’s one of the most important decisions of this court’s term,’ Mr. Verniero said.”