EDISON — Years in the making, the affordable housing project at the township’s former Camp Kilmer military base is coming to fruition.
A groundbreaking ceremony on June 30 commemorated the recent kickoff for construction at the site, located at the corner of Truman Road and Road 2.
The 120 new affordable apartments will include 30 permanent and supportive housing apartments for homeless families as part of the redevelopment of the former Camp Kilmer site.
The development partners include Edison Affordable Housing Inc.; The Alpert Group, a for-profit developer; and Monarch Housing Associates, a statewide nonprofit.
The Alpert Group and Edison Affordable Housing will provide ongoing property management services and Triple C Housing Inc., the supportive services partner, will provide case management for the homeless units and coordinate support services, which will be provided by a wide range of community groups partnering to serve the homeless populations, according to Monarch Housing Associates.
Kilmer Homes is a mixed-income, mixedpopulation rental project serving a wide range of households and promoting community integration of homeless households. A total of 88 apartments will be reserved for households with incomes at or below 60 percent of area median income, up to $50,400 in annual income for a two-person household.
An additional 30 apartments will be reserved for homeless households, including disabled veterans. Veterans and victims of superstorm Sandy will receive priority across the entire development.
Construction began in May, and the apartments are expected to be leased beginning in May 2015.
The project is being developed on 6 acres of vacant land on the north tip of the former Camp Kilmer military base.
“We are so pleased to use the state’s Sandy recovery funds to finance both phases of Kilmer Homes, which truly represents HMFA’s [the state Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency] core mission to provide safe, decent and affordable housing in New Jersey,” HMFA Executive Director Anthony L. Marchetta said. “This project will transform a vacant military base into a vibrant housing community that better meets the needs of Edison, while creating jobs, enhancing the town and attracting further economic development to the area.”
Funding partners include HMFA, which is providing Sandy Community Development Block Grant funding, and Middlesex County. Additional funding comes from the equity from the sale of low-income housing tax credits approved last year by HMFA.