Gov. Murphy signs law to speed up building inspection times, boost affordable housing projects

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed a bill into law Thursday meant to speed up the process for obtaining a construction permit in the Garden State.

Supporters say the bipartisan effort will help make housing more affordable and decrease construction times.

It requires building inspections be conducted within three days after they are requested, and accelerates the process by allowing local governments to contract with private companies to conduct building inspections.

Murphy said developers and contractors are now allowed to have projects checked by a private inspection agency if the three-day threshold is not met.

“Many developers and homeowners and their contractors know the frustration of having a project reach the stage where it needs inspection to move forward only to find delays in actually having that inspection done,” Murphy said. “These delays can easily add days, weeks or months, in some cases, to a project. They can mean the difference between a house being built in time for move-in or an apartment building delivering on time to meet its financial obligations.”

Neighboring cities and towns are also permitted to share resources related to inspections.

At his signing event, Murphy announced nearly $20 million in funding for 17 affordable housing projects across the state.

“As important as this law is to reducing construction headaches, it will also promote housing affordability, and keep our economic recovery going,” Murphy said. “Whether it is a business looking to move to one of our communities, or one to expand its current operations, or maybe a family looking for a new or improved place to call home, this law will keep our construction industry, and the thousands of jobs that support it, moving forward.”

The law was sponsored by Senate President Nick Scutari (D-Union) and Assemblyman Robert Karabinchak (D-Middlesex), who owns a Metuchen-based construction company.