WEST WINDSOR – A 72-unit affordable apartment rental complex, which will include 18 units for residents with special needs, broke ground Wednesday at a ceremony attended by New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA) executive staff, local officials, and representatives of developer Project Freedom.
Freedom Village at West Windsor, developed at a cost of just over $20 million, will include six, two-story buildings housing one- to three-bedroom apartments for residents earning less than 60% of Area Median Income. Ten apartments will be set aside for residents with developmental disabilities and eight for residents who are consumers of mental health services.
“Freedom Village at West Windsor represents our continued commitment to expand housing opportunities that are affordable for New Jersey residents and working families,” said NJHMFA Executive Director Charles A. Richman. “At the same time, NJHMFA is committed to providing supportive housing throughout the state for all of our most vulnerable residents.”
NJHMFA awarded the housing development competitive 9 percent federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits, which are expected to generate $13.3 million in private equity. Additional funding includes $500,000 from Mercer County HOME Funds and $262,000 from West Windsor’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
The apartment complex is located on a 10-acre tract on Old Bear Brook Road surrounded by a mix of homes and businesses and is close to Princeton Junction train station, several NJ Transit bus stops, parks, and Quakerbridge Mall. Project Freedom provides scheduled bus trips to area shopping centers and other nearby amenities, and also works with residents to secure transportation via NJ Transit’s Access Link.
Construction is anticipated to be complete by the summer of 2019, with rents ranging from $724-$1,277. All apartments will be wheelchair accessible with wide doorways and hallways, and roll-in showers. The complex will also include a clubhouse center for residents.
Each developmentally disabled resident will have a service provider for necessary support. Service providers are selected by the consumer, and the services are individualized to meet the needs of each resident. Catholic Charities of Mercer County will provide supportive services for residents with mental health disabilities. Project Freedom will be providing educational training and employment opportunities to all tenants at no cost through the Opportunities for All program.
This is the eighth project for which NJHMFA has provided Project Freedom financing, resulting in the development of nearly 500 affordable units throughout Mercer, Ocean, Burlington and Salem counties. Project Freedom is a Mercer County-based nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with disabilities to live independently through housing and related support services. Leasing information will be on the website when it becomes available at www.projectfreedom.org or call (609) 278-0075.
For additional information on NJHMFA programs, visit njhousing.gov.