New Jersey is the latest state to look into ways to make the basement plan a standard feature in a new development.
The state is working with developers and homeowners to craft a basement plan, which is meant to help developers design the area around a project.
New Jersey will begin a two-year process this fall, starting with a pilot program to look at how to help homeowners get more information about a basement and how to get more people into the basement, according to a news release.
The state also plans to work with the New York City Department of Developmental Services to develop a plan to help residents with basement issues.
For now, New Jersey residents will have to figure out how to find out what they need to know about a project before buying a basement, said Michael Haggerty, the state’s project manager for the program.
He said the state wants to help people understand what to expect before a project is started.
There’s a lot of interest in how people can make a decision on a basement at this point, said Dan Littrell, executive director of the State Building and Development Commission.
Littrel said the commission is working to develop recommendations for what to call a basement plan, as well as what kind of information the state will provide to homeowners, as it moves forward.
To get the basement planning process moving, Haggerly said, the commission has been working with the state to develop its Basement Development Plan, which includes a draft of what people need to understand about a development before a development can be completed.
He described the Basement Plan as a roadmap, and said he hopes the commission will make changes as the program progresses.
A basement plan can include things like whether or not a building has a fire sprinkler system, where the ground level is and what type of materials are used, Littsell said.
If you’ve never used a basement before, he said, it’s important to be sure what you’re building is safe and sound before you start.
