Elizabeth Wolfe, Princeton
Princeton Community Housing looks forward to helping Princeton meet the significant need for affordable homes. PCH has worked in collaboration with both the former borough and township government over the last 50 years to bring affordable rental homes to our community. We have built Princeton Community Village, Elm Court, Harriet Bryan House, and participated in developing Griggs Farm. We support the spirit, as well as the letter, of the Mount Laurel decision that requires every New Jersey municipality to include homes for those with low and moderate incomes.
We know that the need is real and that it has even grown since Princeton presented its last plan for affordable housing in 2008. For the past two years, New Jersey has held the dubious distinction of being the second least-affordable state in the country, and we field daily requests from people seeking affordable homes. Our waiting lists hold over 1,000 households, most of which have Mercer County connections through employment, residency, or relatives. Our partner organizations, the Princeton Housing Authority and the municipality, have several hundred additional households on their lists.
We are deeply disappointed that together, Princeton’s Council and Planning Board have only seen their way to proposing a net of 339 affordable rental homes between 2015 and 2025. Certainly, the citizens who spoke so eloquently and passionately at the meeting on Nov. 24 testified to the need to do more than this. We hope the Council and Planning Board will ultimately respond with a creative and effective plan, developed in a public process that truly reflects our community vision.
True to our mission, history, and community focus, we stand ready to work collaboratively with local institutions, businesses, residents, and government to extend Princeton’s proud tradition of welcoming diverse households at all stages of life and of all income levels to enjoy the opportunities Princeton presents.
Elizabeth Wolfe
Chair, Public Relations and Advocacy Committee
Princeton Community Housing
