ROBBINSVILLE – A groundbreaking today kicked off the construction of Freedom Village at Robbinsville, which will provide 72 apartments affordable to families as well as supportive housing for special needs residents and was funded in part by the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA). NJHMFA executive staff attended the ceremony.

The development, built by Project Freedom across from Robbinsville Town Center North, will include four three-story buildings and a community center to provide one- to three-bedroom apartments for families with incomes up to 50% of the area median income.

Project Freedom, a Mercer County-based nonprofit organization, develops and operates barrier-free housing to enable individuals with disabilities to live independently. Ten apartments will provide homes for residents with developmental disabilities, and eight apartments will be for residents with mental health challenges. The apartments will feature wider doorways and hallways, and all will be accessible to individuals who use wheelchairs.

“We are very pleased to once again be working with Project Freedom to create affordable homes for families and for residents with special needs,” said NJHMFA Executive Director Charles A. Richman. “The development of supportive homes that provide for independent living is a key component of NJHMFA's mission to enable residents with special needs to fully integrate in the community.”

NJHMFA awarded the $20 million development highly competitive 9% Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), which are expected to generate nearly $13 million in private equity. NJHMFA administers the federal LIHTC program in the state which is a key tool in the creation of affordable housing for working families, seniors and residents with special needs. The project also includes $600,000 from Robbinsville’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund; $500,000 in Mercer County Home funding and $1.7 million from the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York.

Freedom Village at Robbinsville is the tenth project for which NJHMFA has provided Project Freedom financing, resulting in the development of over 500 affordable apartments throughout Mercer, Ocean, Burlington, Camden and Salem counties.

The  new Robbinsville development joins Project Freedom’s original Robbinsville 30-apartment community which opened in 1991. It is close to restaurants, a bank, pharmacy and other retailers as well as an NJ Transit bus stop.  

Last December, NJHMFA took part in a groundbreaking ceremony for Freedom Village at Gibbsboro which will provide 72 apartments affordable to families, with 18 for residents with special needs. An October 2018 groundbreaking marked the construction start of Freedom Village at West Windsor which will also provide 72 affordable apartments including 18 for special needs residents. Both developments were financed in part by NJHMFA. The West Windsor community will be completed by February 2020 and the Gibbsboro community by April 2020.

Freedom Village at Robbinsville is expected to open in October 2020.

Leasing information will be on Project Freedom’s website when it becomes available at www.projectfreedom.org or call (609) 278-0075.

For more information on NJHMFA and its programs, visit njhousing.gov.