The Bloomfield Council paved the way to move forward with the proposed senior citizens affordable housing project that would be built next to the Post Office, passing several ordinances and a resolution pertaining to the project at last night’s conference meeting.
The ordinances included the passage of a tax exemption for the project (Heritage Village at Bloomfield Urban Renewal, LLC), an ordinance amending the Bloomfield Center Redevelopment Plan Phase II, and a resolution remanding the project’s site plan approval to the Planning Board. These steps had to be taken before the township could complete its application for a tax credit program administered by the state Housing and Mortgage Financing Agency (HMFA), which the Council had agreed to apply for at the previous council meeting. The application is to be submitted by September 2.
Glen Domenick, Community Development Director, explained that this is the first year that the HMFA will be giving priority to transit villages such as Bloomfield, so there is a good chance of the application being accepted. If it is not accepted, the ordinances will be null and void.
In addition, a bond ordinance was amended to allow funding for the downtown redevelopment to be used for redevelopment projects outside the narrowly defined Center Redevelopment location. This would enable Domenick to utilize the funds for other projects, including the senior citizens housing, as well as other planned developments in town.
The affordable housing, should the tax credit application be accepted, would be developed and managed by Community Investment Strategies, a firm that has developed many similar housing projects throughout New Jersey. The proposed housing would consist of 80 apartment units, mostly one-bedrooms. Eighty percent or more of residents would be 55 and older with income limitations, with the remainder being people with disabilities.
During the public comment period, resident Lydia McDade questioned the location of the housing project and warned that the public would be losing parking spaces if the project goes forward. She pointed out that the original 80 spaces in the current surface lot would not be fully replaced by the parking garage that would be incorporated into the building, and that additional spaces would be taken up by the residents and their guests. However, Pat Farrell, of Troy Towers, stated she was excited about the project, as it would benefit senior citizens and generate jobs. She said, “No project is perfect,” but said that people should look at the glass as half full rather than half empty.
The Council covered a number of other issues at the meeting. Councilman Robert Ruane proposed a temporary rent freeze for the township, that would last until the Rent Control Advisory Committee comes back to the Council with their recommendations regarding the reinstitution of rent control in Bloomfield.
Councilman Venezia recommended that the issue be deferred until the township attorney confirms whether or not the Council has authority to take this action. Mayor McCarthy agreed, saying that passing a rent freeze without hearing from the other side (the landlords) would be “arbitrary and capricious.” Attorney Aloia said he would have an answer within the next two weeks, and McCarthy told Ruane that the item would be on the agenda at the August 8th meeting. The Council voted to defer the proposal until that time.
The Council also agreed to hire six new firefighters, to replace those who are retiring this year, keeping the full complement of 78 firefighters on staff. Bloomfield residents and current volunteer firefighters will be given priority in hiring. In addition, the Council agreed to promote one deputy chief and five captains to replace those that are retiring. Two new police officers will also be hired, bringing the staffing up to 122.
The next Council meeting will be held in the Council Chambers on August 8, 2011, at 7:30 p.m.
