Cranbury seeks applicants for new affordable housing units

By Maria Prato-Gaines, Staff Writer
   CRANBURY — Cranbury Housing Associates Inc. is taking applications for its Four Seasons’ affordable housing project, which should be completed and ready for occupants by March.
   CHA began accepting applications for the project Nov. 1 and will continue to do so until Dec. 30, at which time the company will hold a lottery to establish a list of potential income-qualified households, said CHA President Mark A. Berkowsky.
   ”It gives everybody an equal opportunity to get one of the units,” he said.
   Mr. Berkowsky said construction began in February on the 20 new units on Old Hightstown Road, a 3-acre site adjacent from the Four Seasons housing development.
   Three buildings on the property will house one-, two- and three-bedroom townhouses and apartments for qualified families and individuals, he said.
   These individuals or families must fall under a certain income bracket to be eligible, for example an average family of three’s income cannot exceed $66,816.
   The range of income eligibility in reference to family size is based on the state’s formula, Mr. Berkowsky said.
   Depending on whether a resident has low or moderate income, monthly rental rates on the units vary from the lowest fee of $395 for a one-bedroom unit to the highest rate of $1,259 for a three-bedroom unit.
   Residents can find a more detailed table of income and price ranges at www.HousingQuest.com under the CHA link.
   Mr. Berkowsky said the framing on the units is complete and construction is running on schedule with crews in the process of finishing the external site work and putting up drywall.
   The units have wood framing, vinyl siding and asphalt shingle roofs and will be equipped with washers and dryers, he said.
   The projected completion date for the project was pushed back from December 2007 to March 2008 because of difficulties in getting final approval needed for issuing the building permits.
   The 20 units are part of the third round of Cranbury’s mandated affordable housing obligations, which requires the township to account for 160 new units.
   Affordable housing requirements were calculated by estimating how much construction will occur in the township from 2004 to 2014.
   According to COAH, the township was required to build one affordable housing unit for every eight market-value units constructed during that time.
   In addition, for every 25 jobs created as measured by new or expanded nonresidential construction, the township would need one affordable housing unit.
   However, those requirements could change because of a Jan. 25 state appellate court case that invalidated some of COAH’s affordable housing regulations. The state has until the end of the year to revise the regulations.
   CHA, is a nonprofit organization made up of local volunteers that provides affordable housing in the township.
   Some of the organizations other projects include Parkside Development at Bennett Place and Village Senior Housing at Park Place West.
   For more information on CHA’s Four Seasons’ affordable housing project e-mail [email protected] or call 609-786-1102, ext. 300.
   For an application visit www.HousingQuest.com.