Middletown Comes Through for Veterans

The new Veterans Village housing complex in Belford is almost ready to begin receiving its 12 tenants. According to Middletown Township, notices will be sent out within the next week advising potential tenants on when applications will be due.

Middletown officials held a grand opening last November 2, officially opening the doors with a flag raising ceremony, public tours and other highlights in anticipation of accepting applications and beginning the process of reviewing and establishing eligibility of the applicants.

However, the federal government shutdown last October caused the unanticipated delay, and frustrated Township officials who have been eager to enable veterans to move into their apartments along Leonardville Road.

At the time, federal vouchers for the 12 units would have been a key component of the overall $9.2 million project’s financing. The Township anticipated that when the shutdown ended, the vouchers would be released. However, they were ultimately advised that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) would no longer issue – meaning fund – any new vouchers.

“It’s been terribly disappointing and frustrating to us,” said Middletown Township Administrator Anthony Mercantante, “because while business in Middletown and housing for veterans might seem like a small thing to the U.S. Congress, it actually has big impacts at the local level, and in this case veterans in need of housing.”

However, the administrator continued, Township officials have worked closely with the Middletown Redevelopment Corporation, who will be managing the project, to reconfigure the financial structure to work without the HUD subsidy

Advertisements will be published to keep people informed of how and where to fill out applications, he said. A March deadline is expected, and he is hopeful the first veterans could move into their new housing by April.

Mercantante also cautioned that even though Veterans Village is ready and applications can be completed and 12 veterans approved for live-in, prospective tenants in some cases may need some time to get out of current leases or other living arrangements

“These are long processes and the delays at the federal level, have been frustrating for all of us in the township,” Mercantante said. “We are now eager to see people start to move into the homes so that we can continue to honor those who have given so much to their nation.”

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