RANDOLPH, NJ - Construction has officially begun on Sussex Woods, a 25-unit, 100 percent affordable residential community at 1162 Sussex Turnpike in Randolph Township designed for families and individuals with special needs.
LJS Development, led by Founding Principal Lara Schwager, broke ground on the project this week in a milestone that follows years of pre-development planning and collaboration with state, county and township officials.
Sussex Woods will feature five one-bedroom, 12 two-bedroom and eight three-bedroom apartments serving residents with incomes ranging from 20 percent to 60 percent of area median income. Six units are set aside for the New Jersey Healthy Housing program with full handicap accessibility, and three units are dedicated to populations served by the Division of Developmental Disabilities.
The project is funded through a public-private structure that includes Fulton Bank financing, state funding through the NJDCA Affordable Housing Trust Fund and NJ Healthy Housing Initiative, Morris County HOME Funds, and a $900,000 contribution from Randolph Township's Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
"Sussex Woods is more than just a construction project; it is the realization of a vision to provide stable, beautiful and inclusive homes for those who need them most," Schwager said.
Mayor Mark H. Forstenhausler praised the development, saying the township is proud to support housing that gives "families and individuals with special needs a safe, supportive place to call home in the community they love."
Janel Winter, assistant commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs and director of the Division of Housing and Community Resources, called the project a model for how "specialized support and stable housing can transform lives."
The development team includes Inglese Architecture, LeChase Construction, Bowman Engineering and EcolSciences, with Day Pitney and TUS Advisory Group providing professional services. Partners John Morrongiello, Jonathan S. Gershen and Deborah G. Gennello worked alongside Schwager on the project.
Upon completion, Sussex Woods will offer energy-efficient units and professional on-site management, with dedicated service providers supporting the special needs housing component.
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