Developments in suburban NJ get fed affordable housing credits

The state has distributed $27 million in federal low income housing tax credits to help create 1,300 low income apartments in 21 developments, many in suburban locations.

"With awards in areas such as Holmdel, Princeton, and Saddle River, and a combination of mixed-income and 100% affordable projects, these awards help drive the NJ Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency's goals of deconcentrating poverty and encouraging development in communities of high opportunity," the agency said in a written statement.

The Princeton project at 900 Herrontown Road is right off Route 206 and will open up 65 affordable housing units and access to afterschool mentoring and "play time" at the YMCA.

Fifty new units will be available at the Holmdel Family Apartments with five set aside for homeless individuals and families. In Saddle River, which the agency says is one of the highest income small municipalities in the country, half of the units at Saddle River Family Housing will be made available to very low-income and low-income households.

Tavistock at Greenwich will dedicate five units for honorably discharged and homeless veterans.

The credits could also in a way deflate a claim President Donald Trump made on his Twitter account about the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing program that he canceled in July.

"I am happy to inform all of the people living in their Suburban Lifestyle Dream that you will no longer be bothered or financially hurt by having low income housing built in your neighborhood," the president tweeted. "Your housing prices will go up based on the market, and crime will go down. I have rescinded the Obama-Biden AFFH Rule. Enjoy!"

A month later Trump claimed that Joe Biden would appoint New Jersey U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, he former mayor of Newark, to lead a program that he said would threaten neighborhoods.

"The 'suburban housewife' will be voting for me. They want safety & are thrilled that I ended the long running program where low income housing would invade their neighborhood. Biden would reinstall it, in a bigger form, with Corey Booker in charge," Trump wrote.

Family developments

Project	Town	Affordable Apts.
Genesis Metropolitan Paramus	Paramus	44 out of 104
Brittany Woods	Gloucester	29 out of 29
Tavistock At Woolwich	Woolwich	71 out of 72
Saddle River Family	Saddle River	111 out of 111
Willows at Greenwich	Greenwich	66 out of 66
Apartments at Clinton	Clinton	84 out of 84
Gerards Riverview	Bordentown	65 out of 66
900 Herrontown Road	Princeton	64 out of 65
Holmdel Family Apartments	Holmdel	50 out of 50
Cramer Hill Family	Camden	74 out of 75
Stirlingside Residences	Middlesex	53 out of 53

Senior developments

Project	Town	Affordable Apts.
Fair Share Senior Housing Ph I	Mount Laurel	70 out of 71
Branchburg Senior Phase II	Branchburg	75 out of 75
1425 Teaneck Road	Teaneck	39 out of 40
Newcomb Senior Phase II	Vineland	68 out of 68
Hilltop Senior	Irvington	69 out of 94

Supportive housing developments

Project	Town	Affordable Apts.
Henderson Road	South Brunswick	60 out of 61
Little Ferry Senior	Little Ferry	84 out of 85
Maple Shade Senior	Maple Shade	59 out of 60

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ