Affordable Housing: Shades of Katrina

To The Editor:
Recently in a release about Middle Township’s affordable housing projects, we were advised of the many millions of dollars that will be funded by taxpayers at every level. Conifer senior vice president, Charles Lewis, went on to enumerate the many more millions intended for Hurricane Sandy’s victims that are expected to be used in the projects.
These buildings were conceived years ago and their financing strategies should have long been in place. It would be quite a stretch to believe these projects would serve much purpose for the victims of this tragedy. Even if one would buy into the possible long-term implications, they simply will not apply here. We have been told time and again of our committee’s success in negotiating downward the scope of these projects from the developer’s original rationalizations. They have both been telling us we needed this low income housing and more for many years.
Where do these victims fit into this picture? With all the lawyers who are touching this, (one has already walked away with windfall profits) I’m sure there will be argument about low-income housing candidates being affected by Sandy. Again, none of this should come into play with these pre-storm projects. I don’t think anyone contributing to this relief effort, whether by donation or taxes, would appreciate their monies being abused this way. By their benevolence, a profit-making business will collect rents and likely subsidies for many years to come.
At the very least, these monies should have been prioritized to the communities worst hit by this catastrophe. I am not implying our township committee had anything to do with the way the governor dispersed these funds, it’s just another grab at the taxpayer’s money that Conifer does so well. Still this could not happen here without the complicity of our governing body.
Unfortunately the affordable housing projects here in Middle as well as in many areas, are an unsavory piece of business. Communities ignoring this issue are prime targets for developers savvy in this field. For the most part, a community stands to lose current funds collected as well as future grants for their noncompliance. This type of developer knows every available trail to taxpayer’s monies. Even the investors here are enticed by tax credits, meaning more taxes for everyone else. Many various incentives can be given by a community.
In Middle Township, most every incentive was given by our governing body, including one known as a P.I.L.O.T. or payment in lieu of taxes. The developer, who is now owner / manager of the buildings built on the taxpayers’ backs, pays an agreed percentage of his gross rather than actual assessed taxes. This incentive alone can break a community’s back. Though it will be felt at every level, it’s implications at the local schools could be devastating.
Those who have participated in this process, seeing so much underhandedness, are not at all surprised with this latest piece of chicanery. Shades of Katrina with things such as this leaving the real victims stranded for years.
SAM KELLY
Swainton