Apartment Complex for Special-Needs Residents Breaks Ground

Families of those with special needs got to see a dream come true as ground was broken for Freedom Village at Toms River, an apartment complex geared to help those with disabilities live independently.

The complex, at 2215 Massachusetts Ave., will have 72 units of affordable housing in one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments for not only the disabled but for working families who were displaced by Hurricane Sandy.

The project is partially funded by federal Sandy Recovery funds and led by Project Freedom, a nonprofit organization that develops and operates barrier-free housing to enable individuals with disabilities to live independently. The six two-story buildings will have a total of 14 one-bedroom, 40 two-bedroom, and 18 three-bedroom units, all of which will be wheelchair accessible, according to a Patch report when the Sandy Recovery funding was announced.

“Superstorm Sandy drastically reduced the availability of affordable housing in New Jersey and created significant challenges for many families, especially those displaced by the storm,” said New Jersey Department of Community Affairs Commissioner Richard E. Constable, III. “Sandy recovery programs like the Fund for Restoration of Multifamily Housing program and Sandy Special Needs Housing Fund are instrumental because they create affordable housing opportunities for families, including those affected by the storm, and they help to stabilize Sandy-impacted communities by mobilizing capital investment for major projects.”

“The groundbreaking for Project Freedom, while a long time coming, was an extremely happy event for all of the people who worked so hard on behalf of our disabled residents,” Toms River Mayor Thomas Kelaher said. “It was gratifying for me to hear from so many people who are passionate about providing independent living for the handicapped and special-needs.”

During the first three months of leasing, priority will be given to Sandy-impacted individuals who registered for Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance or who rented an apartment or owned a primary residence that was no longer habitable because of Sandy damage.

Renters must meet the federal income limits, and pre-qualifying applications will be sent out to interested parties in the summer of 2015. The Freedom Village at Toms River apartment complex is expected to open in October 2015. For more information, visit their website at www.projectfreedom.org.

PHOTO: Fay Wilson speaks about the importance of special-needs house as she and members of the PUSH group (Parents United for Special-Needs Housing) are recognized at the Project Freedom ceremony. (Credit: Debbi Winogracki)