On September 9, 2019, the Housing Development Corporation of Bergen County (HDC), the non-profit development arm of the Housing Authority of Bergen County (HABC) hosted a Ribbon Cutting event at the Saddle Brook Senior Housing Development.
The Ribbon Cutting included elected officials, government offices, local businesses, community leaders and non-profit colleagues that celebrated the opening of thirty (30) beautiful new apartments for senior citizen households. Six of the new apartments are set aside for senior citizen special needs households.
“The demand for affordable housing is extremely high and has always exceeded supply,” said Lynn Bartlett, Executive Director of the Housing Authority of Bergen County & Housing Development Corporation of Bergen County. “In fact, the waiting list for these 30 units was full and closed within an hour of opening up the application process. I know I speak on behalf of the HABC Board of Commissioners and HDC Trustees when I say that we are happy to bring viable senior housing to Saddle Brook, and we look forward to making similar housing options available throughout the County.”
HABC/HDC served as the developer for the project, as well as the property manager. Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark will provide supportive services to the residents. Monarch Housing served as the development consultant for the project. The balance of the Development Team included:
Huntington Bailey, LLC – Project Attorney
RSC Architects – Architect
Costa Engineering – Engineer
Langan – Engineer
MAST Construction Services, Inc. – Construction Manager
Del-Sano Contracting Corp. – General Contractor
Matina and Sons, Inc. – Site Work Contractor
Simplex Industries, Inc. – Modular Construction Contractor
Icon Legacy Custom Model Homes, LLC – Modular Construction Contractor
The Project Financing Team included:
The Township of Saddle Brook
New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA)
Federal Home Loan Bank of NY
SB One Bank
HDC
The Ribbon Cutting event included remarks by:
Lynn Bartlett, Executive Director, Housing Development Corporation and Housing Authority of Bergen County
The Honorable Robert D. White, Mayor of Saddle Brook
The Honorable James J. Tedesco, III, Bergen County Executive
Diane Scriveri, Vice President, Board of Trustees, Housing Development Corporation of Bergen County
Steven Weinstein, Vice Chairman, Board of Commissioners, Housing Authority of Bergen County
U.S. Representative Bill Pascrell (D-NJ-9)
“Seeing the ribbon cut on this beautiful new housing for seniors, including seniors with special needs is wonderful!,” says CEO of Monarch Housing Associates Taiisa Kelly says. “Monarch is always happy to partner with housing authorities, developers, service providers and other partners willing to think creatively about how to create housing opportunities for all in need. The project’s plan to help new residents, including those with special needs, make linkages to community health care services remind us that Housing is Healthcare for New Jerseyans of all ages.”
The property, owned by the Township of Saddle Brook, is leased to the HDC under a long-term lease provision. RSC Architects designed the 2-story building complex. Del-Sano Contracting and Simplex Homes constructed the building which features 30 one-bedroom prefabricated modular apartments for senior citizens with incomes less than 50% of Area Median Income. Matina and Son completed all of the project work site.
The building contains a common area space that includes a bright and airy community room, laundry facilities, office space for management, and a tenant service coordinator. The entire building is American Disability Act (ADA) adaptable. Each apartment has a complete kitchen with Energy Star appliances. Of the 30 apartments, 6 have been set aside for households experiencing homelessness or who are precariously housed.
The supportive services that Catholic Charities will provide to resident households include onsite case management, connections with community organizations for health care and other services as needed.
Applications for the apartments were accepted after public advertisement and several listening sessions were held at the Saddle Brook Senior Center to inform interested members of the community about the application and leasing process
NJCounts 2019 found that the gaining population makes up 20% of New Jersey’s homeless population. Of the 8,864 identified homeless persons counted in the Point-in-Time, 1,799 (20%) were over the age of 55. This 20% is a small increase from the 1,751 identified in the 2018 count.
Monarch Housing Associates has 29 years of experience working with clients to develop affordable and mixed-income rental housing for seniors, families and persons with special needs. For more information on the Saddle Brook project or the Housing Production team at Monarch Housing Associates, please email Asish Patel at [email protected].
Click here for our facebook photo album of the Saddle Brook Senior Housing Development Ribbon Cutting. Photo credit to Asish Patel.
Click here for more from the Housing Authority of Bergen County.
Click here for more from SB One Bancorp.