NEWARK, NJ - Ground was broken in Newark Thursday for the Ridgewood Avenue Supportive Housing complex, 21 affordable apartments to be built at 180-190 Ridgewood Ave. The apartment complex will be a three-story that sponsors hope will give 21 homeless individuals the opportunity, stability and support needed to live a stable life. Each apartment will be fully furnished, have new appliances, a living room, kitchen with eat-in area, storage space, a bedroom and bathroom, and will cover an average of 550 square feet.
Two apartments on the first floor will be fully handicapped accessible and the rest will be designed to be handicap adaptable. The project will accommodate residents with both physical and mental disabilities so they can live with minimal assistance.
The state Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency provided $2,250,000 in funding for this development through the Special Needs Housing Trust Fund, and the state Department of Community Affairs provided rental assistance. The programs are designed to provide the financing and a portion of the rental assistance needed to develop the units and for the residents to live independently.
The project has the support of the state Department of Human Services and has also received funding from the Essex County HOME fund, the Newark HOME fund, as well as federal aid.
"This project will provide an opportunity for residents to live in quality housing that is well located and well constructed," said HMFA Director Marge Della Vecchia. "The design of the building will be an asset to the neighborhood and an opportunity for the residents to both live independently, obtain the services they need and have companionship in each other.''
Project Live, the project dev eloper, is a private, non-profit, community-based mental health services entity that provides a range of housing and social services to mental health consumers in Essex County.
Source: NJ.com