Township, CHA eye grant for affordable housing

[Guest]

CRANBURY: Township, CHA eye grant for affordable housing
Thursday, February 11, 2010 6:19 PM EST
By Maria Prato-Gaines, Staff Writer

The Township Committee will apply for a Community Development Block Grant to help pay for development of the Route 130D site for affordable housing.

The Cranbury Housing Associates, the non-profit organization that builds and manages the township’s affordable housing, hopes to the use $29,000 grant — if approved by Middlesex County — for design and professional services or for site utilities, said Mark Berkowsky of CHA.

The township has received money from the grant program for the last 20 years.

Cranbury officials said they anticipate an answer on their application within 30 days.

The 40-acre Route 130D site is situated between Route 130 and South River Road. CHA has recommended the township build 36 affordable housing units there.

An affordable housing committee will report on the site on Feb. 22, including its recommendation for the number of units that should be built and what it expects the number of units the township is likely to be responsible for under the proposed third round of housing requirements.

Municipalities are required to provide for a minimum number of affordable units, which is set by the state Council on Affordable Housing every six years. The third round of housing requirements have been delayed because of changes in the way COAH calculated local obligations, which resulted in litigation.

Gov. Chris Christie has issued an executive order halting work by COAH, essentially freezing its activities and leaving third-round obligations up in the air. He has appointed a panel to review the state’s affordable housing policies.

In addition, there are several bills in the state Legislature that would abolish COAH and shift responsibility for affordable housing oversight to the state Planning Commission.

Regardless of the outcome of these efforts, Mr. Berkowsky said the township plans to proceed with its anticipated round-three obligations.

”It comes down to the need and the need is there,” Mr. Berkowsky said. “The need will always be there and the costs will never be as cheap as they are now.”

[REGARDLESS]

[Guest]

Mr. Berkowsky is not a member of the TC and they are the only ones who can decide what is or is not implemented.

I would be surprised if they are on the same page regarding the implementation considering their efforts to reduce the COAH numbers.

[CHA Agenda]

It seems as though CHA has its own agenda which, at times, may not be in line with what is best for Cranbury.

[Guest]

CHA has an agenda of providing affordable homes in town. It is their job to be advocates for providing affordable homes and to get funding from all sources including the town.

It is the TC role to review everything that comes before them and make a judgement on the appropriateness. It is also their job to say No if there is a cost the town cannot pay.

I would want CHA to believe in their need, in the same way the Fire Co. believes in the need to respond to calls, the Historical Society feels the need to retain our historical records, etc...