Veterans Village Phase II Under Construction

Construction of Valley Brook Village Phase II broke ground in July 2018.  The project is expected to be completed and occupancy to commence by year-end 2019.

Lyons, NJ – Affordable Housing and Services Collaborative Inc, in conjunction with Peabody Properties, Community Hope Inc. and Windover Construction, has been awarded $1,122,000 in federal low-income housing tax credits to build Phase II of Valley Brook Village. The 50 additional units will ensure affordable housing with on-site support services for homeless and disabled veterans. Phase II will complement the existing 62-unit development completed in October 2013.

Peabody Properties Principal & Chief Operating Officer Melissa Fish-Crane said plans have been underway for the second phase for the past three years. “With a waiting list of veterans in need of affordable housing and support services, we are ready to quickly proceed with construction of this important project and expect to break ground as early as January, 2018. Once construction begins, we hope to complete the development within twelve months, the time it took to construct the first phase.”

Community Hope provides on-site case management and employment services to veterans residing at Valley Brook Village. Community Hope CEO J. Michael Armstrong said the project is greatly needed. “This project has been a life-saver for the veterans who reside here. It has been a place to call home for veterans who have served as far back as World War II to those who served in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Despite the age differences and various military experiences, our veterans have established a community at Valley Brook where they share the commonality of being veterans and the mutual experiences of having been soldiers in service to our country.”

Valley Brook Village is built on land provided through the federal Enhanced Use Lease Program on the VA New Jersey Healthcare campus in Bernards Township. The Township has also committed funding for the project from its Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Additional funding has been awarded from the County of Somerset’s Community Development Grant Program and as well as funding from the VA and a number of private foundations.