Demonstration Site: Sustainable Development and Affordable Housing
Final Report April 2002
PATH has found a receptive and fully engaged ally in the Garden State, and is setting out to build some of the most innovative multifamily housing on the East Coast. The Sustainable Development/Affordable Housing Pilot Program is an initiative of New Jersey’s Department of Community Affairs (NJDCA), which is working in collaboration with the state’s largest utility, Public Service Electric and Gas (PSE&G).
The purpose of the program is to promote sustainable development in the context of affordable, energy efficient housing. Primary funding comes from the Balanced Housing Program, administered by NJDCA’s Division of Housing and Community Resources. Also participating in this effort are the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the State Energy Office and the New Jersey Commerce and Economic Growth Commission.
R-3.5 fiberglass windows in the factory building.PATH is working with NJDCA on these projects by providing technical support for advancing technology innovation. Norwalk, CT-based building systems consultant Steven Winter Associates, Inc. (SWA) is providing technical assistance in materials research and selection, energy analysis, and logistical support during design and construction. SWA is also managing a volume-purchase bidding process to assure optimum value at lowest cost.
The Balanced Housing Program will provide project subsidies of up to $11 million. Up to $5 million in low-interest mortgages will be available through the Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency. The New Jersey State Energy Office has pledged an additional $200,000 to fund the integration of passive and/or active solar technologies, and PSE&G’s Energy Efficient Home 5 Star-Program will help offset the incremental costs of energy-efficient upgrades in amounts ranging from $1,200 to $2,500 per unit, depending on the size of the property and the configuration of innovative products and systems deployed.
Developers seeking participation in the project were asked to submit preliminary design proposals during the initial phase of project selection, and more detailed project designs during Phase II of the competition. In addition to the selection criteria described above, proposals were also evaluated for their viability as urban infill, their potential for effective site reuse/rehabilitation, and for their creative application of market-ready building technologies that support energy efficiency, durability, ease of maintenance, and resource conservation. All projects are anticipated for completion by the end of 2000, and together, will yield 422 units of affordable housing in the New Jersey neighborhoods that need them most.
2001-2003: The pilot is now a full-fledged program known as New Jersey Green Homes Program. For more information, visit: http://www.state.nj.us/dca/dhcr/njgreenhomes.htm.
Visit New Jersey’s Balanced Housing Program Web site.
