FREEHOLD – Hudson Manor, which provides housing for individuals age 62 and older and gives priority to military veterans, is celebrating 40 years of operation in Freehold Borough.
A celebration of the milestone was held at Hudson Manor on May 24. On June 3, the Borough Council passed a resolution recognizing and honoring the residence.
Hudson Manor is managed by Coughlin Management Inc. and the Freehold Citizens’ Housing Corporation Board of Directors.
The current Board of Directors consists of President Ronald Griffiths, Vice President Kevin Freeman, Secretary Roger Kane, Treasurer William Maushardt, Director Nolan Higgins and Director Robert Warrington. Kerry Higgins serves as the board’s attorney.
Hudson Manor was built in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in 1979. The six-story building on Hudson Street has 57 studio style and 106 one-bedroom apartments, according to the council’s resolution.
In addition to the apartments, there is a laundry room, a craft room, a library, a recreation room, a convenience store and an outside patio. Social programs for residents include bingo, monthly parties, ceramics and more.
“We celebrated 40 years with some of the original board members and Coughlin Management together giving senior residents a beautiful place to live,” said Amy Coughlin, site manager, who has been with the building for 20 years.
“Since the inception in 1978, when Marianne Coughlin was at the helm of the management company along with Mayor Roger Kane, board members August Daesener, Andrew Dale Sr., James Higgins, John Watson, Ronald Griffiths and attorney Richard O’Connor, who got together to create Hudson Manor, a place where aging Freehold Borough residents could call home when they would no longer care to live alone or take care of a single-family home to live comfortably on a fixed income,” she said.
Coughlin said rent at Hudson Manor is adjusted according to a resident’s income. She said there is a social service coordinator on site “to provide our residents with the most beautiful parties and picnics, outings and much, much more.”
“Hudson Manor receives awards from the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency and HUD,” Coughlin said. “We receive above excellent on our annual inspections and community of quality. This senior building is unique in the care and services that are provided to our residents. We are like family and the staff goes above and beyond every day.”
She said the Board of Directors wants the best for the residents, the building and the community.
Griffiths, a charter member of the Freehold Senior Citizens’ Housing Corporation and its president since 2010, will be leaving the borough this month. He will be succeeded as president by Nolan Higgins, who currently serves as Freehold Borough’s mayor.
“Over the years we have lost board members and gained many great additions, as well as Marianne Coughlin retiring and having her sons Daniel, Edward and Michael take over where she left off,” Coughlin said. “Ronald Griffiths will be leaving as we welcome Nolan Higgins as our new president. Ronald will be greatly missed by all.”
Borough Council members passed a resolution honoring Griffiths for his contributions to Hudson Manor, which included lobbying federal and state officials for funds from HUD to build Hudson Manor.
“Ronald Griffiths has always advocated for senior citizens and works to ensure Hudson Manor is a place where they feel safe, at home and have all the benefits and amenities possible,” the resolution reads. “The mayor and council honor Griffiths for his dedicated and distinguished service to the residents of Hudson Manor and all the senior citizens of Freehold Borough.”