By Allison Perrine
ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS – Habitat for Humanity projects are becoming more common in Monmouth County; nearly 83 percent of towns in the county now have at least one Habitat home.
Gerry P. Scharfenberger, a member of the Monmouth County Board of Freeholders, is an advocate for Habitat homes because they are constructed by community volunteers with the full participation of the future homeowner. They can help satisfy affordable housing quotas imposed on municipalities.
All of the Two River communities have Habitat homes. The next may be in Atlantic Highlands, where the borough council has introduced a plan to donate property at 21 Leonard Ave. A public hearing will be held Sept. 11.
Scharfenberger, a former Middletown mayor with experience in state planning policy, said he supports Habitat projects for several reasons. He likes that houses are built with private funding and do not financially impact taxpayers. He also said Habitat homes typically rise on already developed lots that have either been abandoned, have fallen into disrepair or have been demolished. “I’d like to see those types of properties be redeveloped,” Scharfenberger said.
It is preferable to building affordable housing units on undeveloped land, which he says has “a devastating effect” on open space.
The proposed Atlantic Highlands Habitat property sits next to the Fireman’s Memorial Field in the borough. It would be the second Habitat home in Atlantic Highlands. The first is located at 8284 Memorial Parkway, a duplex constructed about two years ago.
Adam Hubeny, borough administrator, said Habitat for Humanity has been a “great partner” with the borough and it has been accommodating in property negotiations and designs. “They have always worked very well with Atlantic Highlands and we’re happy to work with them as a partner,” he said.
Photo by Allison Perrine
“The concept of a Habitat for Humanity project is really a boon to the area and we’ve seen it over and over again,” Scharfenberger said.
A recently completed house in Rumson was “wildly successful,” he said.
Scharfenberger said he has met with officials in about a dozen towns to explain the value in having Habitat homes and they have been very receptive to the idea. He said he would like to see a certain number of Habitat projects in each town, though some municipalities are more suited for it than others.
If each municipality in Monmouth County had 10 Habitat projects there would be over 500 in the county, Scharfenberger said.
Officials from Habitat for Humanity in Monmouth County said the nonprofit has two projects nearing completion in Long Branch and Keansburg. Two additional properties are being planned in Long Branch as well.
Previously, the organization built an average of one or two Habitat homes per year. On average, it takes a year to 18 months to build these homes.
Families in need of affordable housing apply for homeownership through local Habitat for Humanity chapters and are chosen depending on their level of need, willingness to participate in the project and ability to repay an affordable mortgage. They partner with the organization and work alongside the volunteers to realize a home of their own.
“You want to see affordable housing created the right way, not a court mandate,” Scharfenberger said.
