office for Homes Now Inc.
By karl vilacoba
Staff Writer
BRICK — Homes Now Inc., a Point Pleasant-based nonprofit organization, received the Planning Board’s unanimous approval to build a new office site on Route 88 last week.
The new facility will be built on a property formerly owned by the township at the intersection of Route 88 and Brentwood Avenue.
Brick Business Administrator Scott MacFadden said the township and Homes Now Inc. originally considered an arrangement where the group would pay Brick a token $1 a year fee to use the property for the next 20 years.
Homes Now Inc., mindful of the possibility that it might not use the property that far in the future, instead bought the property for $10,000, MacFadden said.
Plans call for the 1,248-square-foot one-story office building to occupy the slightly less than half-acre tract. The applicant received a few bulk variances for the project.
"Each of these variances and design waivers are of limited nature, particularly given the circumstances of the desirable and beneficial work the applicants provide to the community," the board noted in its written decision on the matter. "The applicant’s willingness to modify its plan to mollify the adjoining residential uses recites a better indication of the applicant’s desire to provide its commendable and laudable service in as unobtrusive a manner as possible."
The site is expected to be used as an office and operations center for processing applications and fund-raising activities, according to the board’s resolution.
Homes Now Inc. is a nonprofit development corporation formed to provide affordable housing through public/private partnerships. The group builds, rehabilitates, finances and monitors new and existing deed-restricted affordable housing in compliance with a municipality’s Council on Affordable Housing plan.