A joint venture of the Housing Authority of the City of Elizabeth and Genesis Cos. marked the opening of E’Port Family Homes, a new affordable housing complex at 160 First St. and 200 Third St. in Elizabeth. — Courtesy: HACE
By Joshua Burd
Local officials have unveiled a new 60-unit, two-building development in Elizabeth that will provide housing for dozens of lower-income or formerly homeless residents.
Known as the E’Port Family Homes, the complex at 160 First St. and 200 Third St. is the result of an $18 million project involving the Housing Authority of the City of Elizabeth and Genesis Cos., a private-sector developer. Both organizations were among those on hand May 17 to mark the opening of the four-story buildings, which include one- and two-bedroom units.
“We’ve been working in this neighborhood since the year 1998,” said William D. Jones, the housing authority’s executive director. “E’Port Family Homes is a brand new, state-of-the-art apartment building near the city’s bustling port community. This initiative continues our commitment to the revitalization of this neighborhood. We thank all of our partners, Genesis Companies and the city of Elizabeth, in helping to bring this project to fruition.”
Also on hand this week were the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which were both involved in financing the project. All told, the complex will have 15 project-based vouchers to be administered by the housing authority, or HACE, and the state Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services, while all units are reserved for renters at or below 60 percent of the area median income.
Fifteen apartments have been set aside for the formerly homeless, while HACE and Bridgeway Behavioral Health Services will provide supportive services. Building amenities for all residents include parking and a community room.
“If a person cannot think about anything else besides where they live or where they put their head down at night, then they can’t thrive,” said Nicole Lockett, managing director of development at Genesis Companies. “There is no opportunity for financial freedom or for all the other things that we enjoy in life if you have to worry about affordable housing.
“It was HACE’s perseverance that allowed us to get this project completed. These new homes are not just a triumph for Genesis, but a triumph for the city of Elizabeth, the Housing Authority of the City of Elizabeth, and more importantly the residents of this community.”
The partnership also built E’Port Family Homes to what’s known as Enterprise Green Communities standards for sustainability, seeking to make investments that help address climate change and prioritize residents’ health.
“Not only does this new development once again improve the city’s oldest neighborhood, but it also supports Elizabeth’s Go Green efforts, leading our residents to a more healthy, efficient and environmentally friendly life,” Mayor J. Christian Bollwage said. “I have been excited about this project’s completion and would like to thank the Housing Authority of the City of Elizabeth, Genesis Companies and all of our partners involved in this project.”
The development team financed the project with roughly $13 million from the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program, $900,000 from the Federal Home Loan Bank and $3.55 million in debt financing from Citigroup.
