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The launch of the new Boston Way’s construction and a unanimous decision to reject funding to support refurbishment at its three senior buildings has cemented the Asbury Park Housing Authority’s goal of becoming self sufficient.

On Feb. 22, Interim Executive Director Thomas Sahlin and Board Chairman Gregory Hopson Sr. attended the Boston Way closing at the New Jersey Housing Mortgage Finance Agency [NJHMFA] headquarters in Trenton.

“We’ve given notice to the contractors that they can proceed with the work,” Hopson said.

A part of that work will include working with Errol Shorter & Associates, who will coordinate with the general contractor [AJD Construction of Middletown] to ensure local hiring and local vendor contracting opportunities are available, Hopson said.

“We are hiring local residents to do the work in all our properties to help re-stimulate the economy because we are committed to doing our part for the community and its residents,” Hopson said during a recent meeting.

That commitment was a part of the reason the Board voted last month to deny Rental Assistance Demonstration [RAD] funding for its three senior building refurbishments, Hopson [at right] said.

“It was a unanimous decision to vote down the RAD,” he said. “We have elected to do it within our own five-year plan.”

Those buildings, Comstock Court, Lumley building A & B, and Robinson Towers, represent 215 units in the Asbury Park Housing Authority’s portfolio.

“If we would have gone through with the deal, we would have lost those units forever,” Hopson said.

According to Hopson, a memorandum of understanding [MOU] agreement stipulated the buildings’ sale, although the Housing Authority would maintain ownership of the land.

“There was no mention of the return of the property in the documents,” Hopson said, making reference to similar agreement for the return of the Boston Way buildings after 15 years.

Instead the property would return to Maestro, the Long Branch Housing Authority’s management and maintenance company that has been working in conjunction with the local Housing Authority.

“We want the return of the property,” he said. “To do this deal would leave us with a $400,000 deficit after the first year. We would have to lay off half our staff because we would not be able to afford to keep them and wouldn’t have anywhere to put them. If at all possible, I don’t want to lay anyone off.”

Instead, the Housing Authority is now in the midst of doing a needs assessment at the senior buildings, Hopson said. They have begun to update all the laundry rooms and will be moving on to updating the elevators before addressing the bathtubs.

In the interim, the local Housing Authority is moving forward with its plans to redevelop Lincoln Village, funded in part through the $500,000 Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant from the U.S. Housing and Urban Development [HUD].

“We have completed our relocation plan and are now doing a needs assessment,” Hopson said. “After that we will move on to a demolition disposition.”

The Asbury Park Housing Authority buildings include 358 units in its Dr. Robinson Towers [above right where its headquarters are located], Lumley Homes, Comstock Court, Asbury Park Village, Washington Village, and Lincoln Village.

The Boston Way is expected to be complete by early 2019.

The $28 million mixed-income redevelopment project features 104 rental units that include 21 one-bedroom, 62 two-bedroom, and 21 three-bedroom apartments.

Hopson said they will begin to accept application in September, giving first preference to previous Boston Way tenants.

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