Cranbury eyes housing grant

[news]

Cranbury eyes housing grant

By Maria Prato-Gaines, Staff Writer
Posted: Friday, February 22, 2008 11:19 AM EST

CRANBURY — The Township Committee hopes to receive a grant from Middlesex County that will allow it to plan an affordable housing complex on Route 130.

The township is in the process of applying to the Middlesex County Department of Housing and Community Development for a $29,700 Community Development Block Grant.

Township Administrator Christine Smeltzer said the grant application is being written by Mark Berkowsky, president of the Cranbury Housing Associates Inc., and should be submitted before the March 7 deadline.

The grant will fund an affordable housing project on the Route 130 site near Half Acre Road and will pay architectural and design work for the approximately 40 units of low- and moderate-income housing expected to be built on the site.

The township applies for the grant every year and usually receives the same amount, Ms. Smeltzer said.
...
http://www.packetonline.com/articles/2008/02/22/cranbury_press/news/doc47bef1806c40a408781395.prt

[wow]

Is anyone else concerned that we are adding 60 new homes? That can have children? Between this year and last.

In addition, we're still incurring obligations as the warehouses build up. At what point do we realize that preserving the land is the cheaper alternative in the long run. Especially, as we see revaluations occur that reduce the warehouse value at residential expense?

[wow]

sorry it should have read that can have children, between this year and last.

[Guest]

I totally agree with you. Cranbury is always concerned about overloading our school system and fights against adding estate style home. BUT - nobody seems concerned by adding the so many low income affordable homes. A whopping 60 homes! Are we nuts?

Cranbury relies on property tax only to survive. Commercial building will be aging - lower commercial values will follow and increases the residential load in property tax. I mean really, what happens when there is no more available land to build on. We will be know as a warehouse town with all that affordable housing. Our towns debt is increasing - when with it end?

What ever happened to our Cranbury longterm plan? Is it being followed? I would love to see a Cranbury Board come up with a 5 year plan that will decrease our towns debt.

[Guest]

You know alot of the people who moved into the current low income housing were young adults that had grown up in Cranbury. It's a great chance for them to remain in the town they love and get a start in home ownership, as well as starting a family that will attend the same school and even have the same teachers as they did.

[homes]

There are two separate issues- lack of affordable housing and new housing.

In terms of affordable housing, my family are long time Cranbury residents. I spent 10 years saving every dime I could to move back (driving a 15 year old car, going without things, bringing lunch to work, not contributing to my 401k, etc..) and we were able to buy back into Cranbury buying a fixer upper so my child can go to the same school I did.

I really like the fact that people can return home and if they are doing so by using affordable housing that is great. They are lucky because I know Cranbury residents turned down because the town cannot legally select Cranbury over non-Cranbury people.

However, there is a problem with creating new housing whether it is affordable or a mcmansion, whether there are new people or long term residents. There is the real non-emotional issue to deal with on this problem. With the affordable housing requirements the town has added 60 new homes and that in turn causes issues with town services and school funding. Thus, increasing taxes and increasing development.

There is no easy solution to affordable housing without increasing development. People want affordable housing for family to return, but even these individuals sell their homes for top dollar. So it's a catch 22 people want top dollar, but they also want affordable housing for their children.

What I do know is that creating more housing of any type is not something that is a long term plan for a successful town regardless of the emotional aspects.