One-of-a-Kind Program Salutes the Service of those who have Sacrificed
PISCATAWAY, NJ – July 20, 2012 – Veterans groups are saluting an unprecedented initiative from a Piscataway-based developer to slash rents for ex-soldiers who opt to live in a luxury apartment complex now under construction on Stelton Road.
“Villas at Piscataway,” developed by Edgewood Properties, now has 22 one- and two-bedroom apartments with rents 30 percent lower than o ther units in the complex. These units are reserved for veterans and their families.
“The cost of living in New Jersey has gotten to the point where veterans can’t afford to live here,” said Jack Morris, president of Edgewood Properties. “We expect these men and women to sacrifice their lives for us. But when they return, there is no decent place for them to live. It’s offensive; we are doing our part to change that.”
When the Villas at Piscataway is built out by 2015, there will be a total of 88 units reserved for veterans, out of the 166 units planned. Each of the units will have all the amenities of new construction, including loft-like ceilings, walk-in closets, and deluxe kitchens. Veterans will have access to a clubhouse, swimming pool and o ther amenities. Morris said there are specific plans for the clubhouse to host veterans’ meetings and speakers. He also envisions the clubhouse can host informational fairs and exhibits, in which veterans can easily link with service providers, as well as officials from the Veterans Administration.
Jack Fanous, executive director of the GI Go Fund in Newark, which provides a host of services to returning veterans, said he has never before heard of a developer willing to provide affordable housing to returning soldiers.
“It is amazing that the owner of this project is willing to do this without being pushed and prodded,” Fanous said. “It’s actually pretty incredible when you think about it. I’ve never seen this done before. Wow.”
Fanous said affordable housing is one of the three most significant issues facing veterans returning from duty; the o ther two are finding a job and securing benefits through the federal Veterans Administration. “This developer is offering brand-new housing to veterans at an affordable rate,” Fanous said. “That simply doesn’t happen.”
Piscataway Mayor Brian Wahler noted there is no one more deserving of a break than veterans – both men and women – who step up to the plate, sometimes many more times than once, to make sure all of our citizens remain safe and secure.
“Offering affordable housing to veterans at the “Villas at Piscataway” is a unique opportunity to let our veterans know, in a tangible way, how much their service is long-remembered and much-appreciated,” Wahler said.
Learn more at 732-839-3700 or www.fairwaytownecenter.com.
