2 minutes reading time
Affordable housing in New Jersey: what is it?
A quick look at affordable housing in New Jersey, from racist housing policies to shortages to Section 8 and Mt. Laurel.
Paul Wood Jr. and Ashley Balcerzak, NorthJersey.com
RAMSEY – Groundbreaking has taken place for a six-unit apartment complex on North Central Avenue.
The development was proposed by the nonprofit Ramsey Housing Inc., led by former Mayor Chris Botta and overseen by Bergen County United Way/Madeline Housing Partners LLC.
“This is the same group that built the autism housing at Airmount Woods,” Botta said Tuesday. “The property will be given to them and they will oversee the construction and operation for people with developmental disabilities.”
The complex at 13 N. Central Ave. will be built on the 0.34-acre site of an abandoned single-family home acquired by the municipality, Botta said.
North Central residents do not require supervision and can live independently, Botta said, adding that the difference from Airmount Woods is that it is the country’s first assisted living complex for adults with severe autism and requires on-site supervision by staff.
“Six adults with developmental disabilities will have one-bedroom apartments with kitchens, outdoor and community space,” Botta said. “We are grateful to the Town of Ramsey and Bergen County for financially supporting the project. Lakeland Bank is also a financing partner.”
Botta said the project is expected to take 12 to 14 months. Applications for the complex have not yet been released by United Way.
Tom Toronto, president of the Bergen County United Way, said he expects applications to open when the project is about 50% complete, sometime in February or March.
“We will post notices on the Ramey website and notify our database of parents and guardians,” Toronto said. “We have been working on this site for a long time, since 2014, and it is a perfect location close to shopping and transportation, it ticked all the boxes.”
Mayor Deirdre Dillon praised the complex for its contribution to addressing the shortage of quality housing for adults with special needs.
“Residents will have access to all that Ramsey has to offer because of the location of this project,” Dillon said. “United Way and Ramsey Housing Inc. are wonderful partners and we are excited to work with them again.”
