NEW JERSEY—Trenton’s low- and mixed-income housing development, HOPE VI Miller Homes, developing ahead of schedule, according to the Trenton Housing Authority (THA). Slated to open for occupancy by late 2013, the 204-unit development is getting support from many local contractors and suppliers.
Originally planned as a 182-unit development to be built on the eight-acre site of the old Miller Homes development, the project now includes 22 additional units on an adjacent property on Monmouth Street. Total cost, including last year’s demolition of Miller Homes, is $61.2 million, with approximately $40 million earmarked for new construction.
The project started with a $22 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) HOPE VI program. In February, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority granted the project’s developers $17.7 million in tax credits. Other funding sources include state and local governments and commercial banks.
In addition to assembling the money, THA has been working to get the local community involved in project work under HUD Section 3 requirements, which set guidelines for the employment of local businesses and tenants.