Tucked away on a driveway north of Brookside Avenue off Route 17 North is a new building under construction behind the Porcelanosa building in Upper Saddle River. This new residential building is part of the borough’s 2020 Housing Element & Fair Share Plan approved and finalized by the New Jersey State Superior Court in 2021.
The 7.81 acres upon which the building is situated is owned by the Borough of Upper Saddle River having been purchased in 2005 by the borough for the purpose of developing affordable housing. This development helps Upper Saddle River meet its affordable housing obligation. The Housing Development Corporation of Bergen County (HDC) is the not-for-profit real estate development branch of the Housing Authority of Bergen County. “The HDC is the tenant, sole developer, and 100% general partner in the project’s tax credit ownership entity,” explained Lynn Bartlett, Executive Director of the HDC in a recent phone interview.
The property under development, referred to as “Upper Saddle River Supportive Housing” by HDC and “Porcelanosa” by the borough in its affordable housing plan, will provide 69 affordable one-bedroom, 650 sq. ft. rental apartments, with 51 units reserved for low-income seniors (age 55-plus) and 18 units reserved for special needs households with a preference for veterans, as well as a two-bedroom apartment for the building’s superintendent for a total of 70 units. The building will have elevator service, common areas including a lobby, community room with kitchen, laundry facilities, offices for property management and social services as well as on-site parking, security cameras, and secured entry.
This building is slated to be completed by the fall of 2022, according to Ms. Bartlett, although there have been some construction and supply chain delays encountered by the HDC along the way. Following completion, the Housing Authority of Bergen County will commence accepting applications for the units. Upper Saddle River is located within the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) Housing Region 1, which includes the counties of Bergen, Passaic, Hudson and Sussex in New Jersey. Applicants for these affordable residential units are restricted to current residents of those counties.
Based on the 2022 regional income limits prepared by the Affordable Housing Professionals of New Jersey, the median household income for a one-two person household will be calculated. A moderate-income household is defined as 80% of the regional median income, a low-income household is defined as 50% of the regional median income and a very low income is 30 percent or less of the regional median income. Applicants’ eligibility will be based upon those calculations, among other parameters, and will be determined upon completion of the building.
For more information, go to the Housing Authority of Bergen County at https://habcnj.org/, and https://affordablehousingonline.com/housing-search/New-Jersey/Bergen-County
The Borough of Upper Saddle River is not involved in or responsible for the rental of these affordable housing units.