To the editor:
Three major Affordable Housing problems were brought to the attention of the Hopewell Township citizens on February 15. The problems were:
- The property behind ShopRite was purchased for millions of dollars using the Affordable Housing fund, it was now sold to a developer by our township for less than $25,000. However only 78 of the 379 homes that will be built there will be affordable units. Not only has the developer acquired the property at a huge discount, now he will be making huge profits on the sale of 301 market rate units.
- The developer is planning a road through their massive development. That road will go from Pennington-Washington Crossing Road through the planned development and intersect with Diverty Road. The road will continue on to Denow Road West and end at Route 31 South. Were the people living on Diverty Road contacted about making their quiet street a connecting road for State Highway 31 and County Road 546. Will their children be safe on this new thoroughfare?
- The developer is proposing a Community Center with a pool near the intersection of Pennington-Washington Crossing Road. The township committee has decided this is an acceptable offset for the millions of dollars they gave away in the above mentioned land
deal. What happened to the existing building on the east side of Scotch Road that was already promised to us for a Senior Center/Emergency services building? Will we be selling that? Who will maintain the proposed community center/pool? Who will pay for staffing, insurance, and all the other costs involved in such a project? Have any traffic studies been made to see how this new building will impact the citizens living near it’s entrance?
In 2017, the majority of the Hopewell Township committee made this land deal. Was the public invited to meetings about it? Were the people in the impacted area contacted for their input?
The committee has also signed contracts for housing on Federal City Road, Route 31 north and Scotch Road east and west. Approximately 4,000 new homes will be added to our community. Our mayor and committee were elected on a promise to control development. Instead they contracted for the largest development program in the history of Hopewell Township.
These new developments are all planned for the already burdened southern tier of our community. When the construction begins will the benefiting developers be offering the beleaguered residents free sewer and public water hookups? Will the developer be making payments to the township for the increased public works, police, employees in the tax and construction office that will be needed to handle these projects? Will they be building and funding the required new schools?
Thursday, March 8 at 7 p.m. in the Hopewell Township municipal building there will be a meeting regarding one of these developments. The township committee also meets February 26 at 7 p.m. Voice your outrage. Attend these meetings, demand answers.
Jim Burd
Former Mayor Hopewell Township
