Home Dedication

Last Wednesday, March 30, a new single-family home was dedicated in town, constructed through Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newark. Work on 24 Burnet Street began several years ago and is now home to the Winston family, mother, Keisha, and her three children.

Over the past few years, affordable housing has been a contentious issue in town, as an agreement with Fair Share Housing Center (made to satisfy Livingston’s affordable housing obligation under the Mt. Laurel Doctrine) has resulted in the approval of several housing developments that are largely unwanted by neighbors of these areas. The agreement was reached to save the township from future unwanted development as a result of “builder’s remedy” lawsuits, where a developer cites the ability to create affordable housing as a way to force construction of a much larger project, and the township’s Council, Planning, and Zoning Boards lose control over what is built.

In past years, the township has been forced to permit substandard and unwanted housing complexes due to these “builder’s remedy” lawsuits. The worst of these occurred a few years ago, when township officials begged developers to include elevators for the multi-level affordable units that were being built in a larger housing complex. The developers refused, because it was not required by law; the affordable housing was only being built so that more profitable units could be built alongside it, and the developers apparently had no interest in spending any more money than necessary on those units.

Last year’s agreement reached with Fair Share Housing appears to have been a smart, forward-thinking decision for the township, as it prevents future “builder’s remedy” lawsuits from being thrust on the town and limits the (still large) amount of housing complexes that are to be built in town. But it has left many residents understandably unhappy with sizeable projects that will still be built near their properties. In fact, nearly every 2021 Township Council meeting featured public comment from residents in opposition to one of many overlay district ordinances that would permit one of these projects to be built in their neighborhood.

But this Burnet Street project, though it involves the construction of affordable housing, is not like that at all. Here, we are talking about a single home that will allow for a deserving family to live in Livingston, something that is increasingly difficult for families to do in this current housing market. The home fits in perfectly with the others on its street. This is affordable housing at its best.

Back in 2018 the township awarded nearly $600,000 to help fund the construction of two (the other, 11 Grand Terrace, was completed first) homes. They are Habitat for Humanity’s first homes to be built in Livingston. The work was expected to be completed many months ago, but the pandemic had at times prevented the nonprofit from hosting volunteers at worksites, significantly slowing construction.

But what started as an empty lot several years ago is now a three bedroom, three bathroom colonial-style home, featuring an open front porch and attached garage. The single-family, 1,500-square-foot Habitat homes also meet LEED standards for environmental and energy sustainability.

Construction of the homes was funded, in large part, by a grant from Livingston’s affordable housing fund, not tax dollars. In all, the township gave Habitat for Humanity $582,000 for the two homes, which included $360,000 for the lots, $200,000 to help with construction, and $25,000 to replace the trees that had to be removed. Habitat for Humanity also relied on donations, grants, and volunteers to complete the project. The construction on the Burnet Street home was fully funded by J.M. Huber Corporation.

Volunteers from the corporate, faith, and civic communities worked on construction with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newark for more than 13,000 total hours. Of course, a good amount of work came from the “partner family,” who provided over 200 hours of “sweat equity” into the construction. Winston, the pre-qualified homeowner, was chosen through a lottery-based system.

To cover the down payment and closing costs for the home, the Township Council also approved a ten-year forgivable loan to the homeowners under Livingston’s affordable housing assistance program. Should the owners sell the home within five years, they are responsible for the full loan. During years six through ten of the loan, it will be forgiven at a rate of 20 percent each year, being fully forgiven after year ten.

Not every implementation of affordable housing is perfect, as anyone who has attended a Township Council or Planning Board meeting can attest to. Despite the good intentions at its roots, it is a flawed system that can be manipulated. But when it is being used not to force unwanted development, but rather for its basic purpose of helping those in need afford the living spaces they deserve, it is an example of good governance at work.

There is a lot of time, effort, and goodwill that went into the construction of 24 Burnet Street, and finding the right family to benefit from it. This process shows the good that can come from affordable housing, when done well and responsibly. And now, as a result, we have another new Livingston family to embrace in the community! So, we warmly welcome the Winston family to town, and wish them well in their beautiful new home.