Housing analysis recommends the Princetons share services

With four principal housing organizations, the system is overly decentralized and confusing, report concludes

By: Nick Norlen
Staff Writer
   Despite praise for the success of the organizations and committees that deal with Princeton’s housing issues, a study of those entities recommends increased centralization and sharing of services.
   The $30,000 report, “Princeton Housing Opportunities: An Organizational Analysis,” was funded by $20,000 from the Princeton Area Community Foundation and $5,000 from both Princeton Borough and Princeton Township and was compiled by housing and community development consultant Vito Gallo.
   In his executive summary, Mr. Gallo states that the perfect storm of “two recent decisions affecting Princeton’s local housing organizations have coincided to create present opportunities to significantly improve the overall administration of Princeton’s local housing programs.”
   Those decisions, he says, are the State Council on Affordable Housing’s mandate for communities to restructure the administration of their COAH-compliant housing boards and the Princeton Community Housing Board decision to create a new “centralized administrative structure” in 2008.
   He said the “detailed analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of Princeton’s present four principal housing organizations” leads to the conclusion that the current system is “overly-decentralized and unnecessarily confusing to potential applicants.”
   Among other things, Mr. Gallo recommends that governing bodies in both the borough and the township should “consider opportunities to achieve cost savings and to improve the delivery of both rental and homeownership housing programs and services” by sharing staff and centralizing offices.
   More specific suggestions include formally restructuring the Princeton Borough Housing Authority as a regional housing authority, and the formation by Princeton Community Housing of a “‘one-stop’ housing application portal for all four its housing developments” — Elm Court, Griggs Farm, Harriet Bryan House and Princeton Community Village.
   Borough Mayor Mildred Trotman said she supports the creation of such a central spot where affordable housing information would be available.
   In general, she called the report “a good compilation of bits and pieces of information that have been studied and gathered and put together over a period of years.”
   She added, “I agree with some of the recommendations. Others I am kind of absorbing.”
   Mayor Trotman said she has been in contact with PCH Executive Director Sandra Persichetti, who distributed the report, and has indicated that “council members are anxious to have some kind of public presentation.”
   Ms. Persichetti said she expects the interested parties to come together for a discussion after Labor Day.
   ”Our board really initiated this and I think the report speaks for itself,” she said. “Now, it’s pretty much up to the governing bodies of the two municipalities to take the next step.”
   That step could come in the form of compliance with the recommendations or more questions, she said.
   Despite the report’s criticisms about the decentralization of the many organizations that deal with housing issues, Mayor Trotman said the prevalence of those agencies at least “shows people in Princeton really do care.”
   She added, “But it isn’t always the most efficient way to get things done. If there is a more efficient way to get things done and reach the same goal, then that, to me, has to be a plus.”