The New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (HMFA) recently celebrated the groundbreaking of John O. Parker, Jr. Hall, a 77-unit affordable housing apartment building located in the Centerville Retirement Community in Camden, New Jersey. Parker Hall will be a four-story, mid-rise building of one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments for seniors and will feature wood floors in the living rooms and wall-to-wall carpeting throughout the remainder of the unit; air conditioning and gas-fired HVAC systems; emergency nurse’s pull cords and grab bars; and kitchens with a full appliance package. In addition, all apartments are designed to meet the New Jersey Green Homes Program standards. The HMFA, an affiliate of the Department of Community Affairs (DCA), and the DCA itself are providing an estimated combined total of nearly $5 million in support from various resources for the project.
The HMFA has awarded $1.38 million in Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) to the project and the DCA also committed $3.58 million from the Neighborhood Preservation Balanced Housing program, which is dedicated to creating housing opportunities in viable neighborhoods for households of low and moderate income. Other funding was furnished by the Camden Economic Recovery Board (ERB) in the amount of $385,362. The Housing Authority of the City of Camden committed 10-year Section 8 Project-Based Assistance for 16 of the housing units.
“This project is part of the Centerville Redevelopment Plan, which is aimed at overturning two decades of blight and systemic disinvestment in the Centerville community,” said HMFA Executive Director Marge Della Vecchia. “The HMFA is committed to revitalizing Camden neighborhoods by supporting terrific projects like Parker House.”
