Habitat for Humanity May Use Town's Housing Funds

On July 17, the approximately $3 million sitting in the township's Affordable Housing Trust Fund, if not spent, goes back to the state. With that looming deadline, the executive director of Morris Habitat for Humanity appeared before the Town Council with an offer.

"I'm here to help you," Blair Schleicher Bravo said. "[Habitat] can help you spend those funds. We feel strongly that those funds should be here for the residents of Morris County."

Bravo told the council that even if the Gov. Chris Christie administration takes the funds for use by the state, "You still have the obligation to build affordable housing in your township."

Morris Habitat, which is located in Randolph, is committed to helping municipalities offer "safe, decent and affordable owner-occupied homes" to low-income people who purchase the residences the organization builds. All of the homes are Energy Star and LEED certified to make them environmentally responsible, she added.

"We make decent housing a matter of conscience in action," she said.

Bravo noted that her organization has built more than half a million homes all around the world, providing housing for more than 1.5 million people. She said Habitat is the nation's sixth largest residential builder.

"Morris Habitat is in the top 10 of affiliates, with nearly 130 homes in the greater Morris County area," she said, mentioning ongoing construction on six single-family homes in Madison and the recent completion of a multi-family unit in Summit in Union County.

"Our homes are sturdy and they fit into the community," Bravo said, adding that the organization works within Council on Affordable Housing regulations and in partnership with municipalities and community organizations. "We build to what the neighborhood looks like. There are about 50 homes in the pipeline through 2017."

She said the homes are not handouts. Potential residents must meet income and work requirements, invest 300 hours of "sweat equity" into helping build their new houses and participate in educational seminars covering home ownership and its responsibilities. After all that, they must win a lottery to actually gain the privilege of living in a Habitat home.

She said the screening works.

"We've never had a foreclosure, even with the economic downturn."  

Bravo added that those who live in Habitat homes may be relatively low-income—"If you make $45,000 and have one or two kids, you qualify"—but they are hard-working individuals and can be found throughout the area.

"Morris County is relatively wealthy, but 28 percent in the county are in need of affordable housing because of the cost burden," she said, noting that many spend more than 30 percent of their income on rent.

She added that there is one Habitat homeowner in Parsippany, in the Lake Hiawatha area.

"You might not know that," she said. "Once they're in the home, they get to the business of living."

Bravo told the council that while the town "is in the driver's seat," there are many ideas Habitat has to help Parsippany to make use of the trust fund dollars.

"Hopefully we can help you comply with your affordable housing obligation," she said.

Apparently speaking for the council, Town Attorney John Inglesino told Bravo, "We can work with you in terms of furthering this along and finding sites."