MILLSTONE – As construction continues on a building in Millstone Township that will have all four of its apartments designated as affordable housing, municipal officials have conveyed the property to a nonprofit corporation.
On June 20, members of the Township Committee authorized the conveyance of a 3.4-acre lot on Burnt Tavern Road to the Affordable Housing Alliance (AHA), Neptune, a nonprofit corporation that works with municipalities in several counties to assist with affordable housing compliance.
Affordable housing is defined as housing that is sold or rented at below market rates to individuals and families whose income meets certain guidelines.
The four-unit, two-story building will contain two two-bedroom apartments, one one-bedroom apartment and one three-bedroom apartment. All four apartments will be designated as affordable housing and will be available to individuals of all ages who earn less than 60 percent of the area median, according to the AHA.
The building received approval from the township Planning Board in 2017. According to municipal officials, the Burnt Tavern Road property was owned by Millstone and reserved for and permitted to be used for affordable housing.
After the Planning Board granted final site plan approval, the Township Committee authorized a 50-year lease with the AHA for the building’s construction.
Construction on the building officially began at a groundbreaking ceremony on May 16. With the committee’s authorization, ownership of the building’s property will be conveyed to the AHA.
“Millstone has proactively supported affordable housing that makes sense for this town and will continue to do so,” Mayor Gary Dorfman said. “This will also broaden options in the community, making it better for everyone.”
“Millstone has been very favorable to working with us for affordable housing and fortunately, there has been some funding available … ” AHA CEO Donna Blaze said. “[This] allows us to do some smaller-scale projects which are more appropriate in communities that are rural and suburban, and it eliminates the need to have a huge share [of market rate housing] in order to support these affordable housing projects.”
Construction of the building is anticipated to be completed by February, according to the AHA, and a random selection of applicants will be made from individuals who have pre-qualified. Applications for the Millstone House Apartments are available at the Millstone Township municipal building, 470 Stagecoach Road. For more information, visit www.housingall.org
