MOUNT LAUREL — A new affordable housing complex on Centerton Road will offer 103 apartments to area residents, including 12 set aside for homeless veterans, according to officials with the Volunteers of America, the nonprofit organization behind the Centerton Village project.
On Tuesday morning, VoA representatives, Burlington County officials and Mount Laurel officials, including Mayor Stephen Steglik, cut the ribbon on the shiny, two-building complex that sits across the street from the Centerton Square shopping district.
Both buildings at Centerton Village are filled with one and two-bedroom units that are about 750 and 850 square feet, respectively. Each building also has a community room downstairs where tenants can hang out or host gatherings.
Between 40 and 50 apartments have already been filled, according to Dan Lombardo, the president of the VoA’s Delaware Valley branch. The waiting list has about 750 people on it, Lombardo added. But individuals and families can still apply by calling the complex at 856-446-3400.
Applications are open to those making about $50,000 a year or less, according to the president.
Steglik said the complex will help families get into a community with jobs across the street at places like Costco, Target and Topgolf, as well as a town with the usual suburban benefits like consumer convenience and good public schools.
“This is a great location in terms of jobs,” the mayor said. “Every single one of these places here is hiring.”
The complex, called Centerton Village, cost between $15 million and $16 million to build, according to Lombardo. Funding was contributed by the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, Enterprise, the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York, Fulton Bank, TD Bank, the TD Foundation, VoA National Services/Capital Magnet Funds and Mount Laurel Affordable Housing.
Rental prices for one-bedroom units range from $423 a month to $574, according to Steglik. Two-bedroom units cost between $852 and $1,049.
Officials expect Centerton Village to house seniors, too, in addition to young individuals and families.
And officials with the VoA said the organization usually reserves units for homeless vets in its housing complexes. The nonprofit runs five homeless shelters for veterans in the Garden State, including one in Gloucester County and three in Camden.
“After we get them stabilized, after we get them back into services and programs, after we get them re-linked with the Veterans Administration, housing is their biggest need,” Lombardo said. “So that’s why we dedicate.”
Jarrad Daniel Saffren covers the COVID vaccination process, education and business for the Burlington County Times, Courier Post and Daily Journal. Please help support local journalism with a digital subscription.
Source: burlingtoncountytimes.com
