Affordable Housing Alliance Transforms Vacant Spring Lake Lot

Eatontown, NJ - In working with the borough of Spring Lake, NJ, the Affordable Housing Alliance (AHA) has recently completed its latest project, known as the “Warren Avenue Apartments”. The borough originally purchased this property, located at 520 Warren Avenue, in 2004. Initially, the lot was home to a two-family house in poor condition but was demolished in 2009 due to it being a fire hazard. This property has since been transformed into a multi-family dwelling, and has provided members of median income communities with the ability to relocate to a safe and family-friendly environment.

Spring Lake Mayor Jennifer Naughton spoke about the success of the project. “The Warren Avenue project is an example of a successful public/private partnership and we are very pleased with the outcome. In the place of a dilapidated building and an empty lot, we have a new residential property. The neighborhood has been enhanced and our small community was able to provide comfortable stable housing for four deserving families.”

Brian Dempsey, borough administrator for Spring Lake, was also satisfied with AHA’s work. “The process couldn’t have gone any better. From the time we hired AHA, to the time the property was complete; everything was seamless. From the actual building process, to the time the letters of selection went out to the applicants, there were no issues or delays. The borough’s main goal was to get the children in school in time for the beginning of the 2014 school year. Construction was finished the last week of August. The kids were in school the first week of September and there were no issues at all.”

The four units have one, one-bedroom apartment, two, two-bedroom apartments, and one, three-bedroom apartment. The units are also furnished with Energy Star appliances, making them more energy efficient and comfortable for the residents.

According to the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH), the units must be marketed as affordable housing with applicants selected at random to live there. “This was exactly what the council and the committee wanted”, Dempsey told AHA. “The people were accepted into the town, and the property is not known as being affordable housing. The goal was completed and the town couldn’t be happier.”

Through the hard work of the Alliance, the borough of Spring Lake, and the general contractor, Bellizzi Construction, the project was completed on time and under budget. The borough committed $600,000 to the project and has leased the building for one dollar. The remaining money was received through a loan from the municipality and through private funding. Spring Lake owns the property, while AHA manages the project.

Without the additional complication of developing an entire housing complex, the direct collaboration between the Alliance and Spring Lake fulfilled the municipality’s affordable housing obligation, while keeping with the aesthetic of the community. “The construction is beautiful; it fits perfectly in to the community. The design and development came out exactly as we first discussed a year and a half ago,” Dempsey commented.

According to Dempsey, the town plans to continue their relationship with the Alliance. “We will definitely use AHA in the future and would recommend them. From the administrator’s perspective, there have been no issues. The only thing we hear from the people who live there is that their kids love it there and they love the school. It gave residents an opportunity that they wouldn’t have had before. Everyone won.”

Affordable Housing Alliance

Since 1991, AHA has been improving the quality of life for NJ residents by developing and maintaining affordable housing, providing housing education, and helping communities meet their legal housing obligations. AHA is the leading housing provider in Monmouth County, NJ and serves the state with a mix of utility, education and counseling services. AHA has successfully developed hundreds of units into new, affordable single family homes, group homes, multi-unit rental housing, and rehabilitated housing. AHA serves as an administrative agent in 12 Monmouth County, NJ communities. Immediately after Hurricane Sandy struck, AHA received significant disaster relief funding and was able to expand its infrastructure, build capacity and streamline processes to quickly implement an array of initiatives to aid displaced residents. For more information, visit www.housingall.org.