Monroe Township (Gloucester County), NJ Accessory Structures: ADU Owner Occupancy (2026)

The owner-occupancy rule for accessory dwelling units sits in § 175-157J of the Monroe Township Code, which governs Monroe Township in Gloucester County. Subsection J(1) defines an accessory dwelling unit as a small apartment that is part of an existing single-family owner-occupied home and is clearly secondary to it. The occupancy requirement is therefore built into the definition, not added as a later condition.

Subsection J(2) defines the term. Owner-occupied means that either the principal dwelling unit or the accessory dwelling unit is occupied by a person who has a legal or equitable ownership interest in the property and bears all or part of the economic risk of decline in value of the property. The test looks at ownership interest, legal or equitable, together with exposure to all or part of the economic risk of a drop in value.

Subsection J(3)(e) turns the definition into a duty: the property owner must occupy either the principal dwelling unit or the accessory dwelling unit as his or her principal residence, and at no time receive rent for the non-owner-occupied unit. The owner picks which unit to live in, and the other is the non-owner-occupied unit.

Subsection J(3)(d) explains the policy behind the rule. The subsection is intended to create year-round housing, so the accessory dwelling unit may not be utilized for short-term (fewer than 12 months). The Zoning Officer issues the zoning permit under J(3)(c), and Planning Board approval is not required. A building permit needs proof of potable water and an adequate septic system under J(3)(f) and (g), and the unit must comply with all applicable health and construction codes before occupancy under J(3)(h). A home occupation can be conducted as an accessory use to either the accessory dwelling unit or the principal dwelling unit, but not both (J(3)(l)).