The 31st Annual Metropolitan Builders & Contractors Association Awards Dinner was recently held at the Sheraton Hotel in Parsippany. The annual event, with almost 200 attendees, recognizes professionals associated with building, design, remodeling, promotion, and achievements in real estate. Morris Habitat for Humanity was honored for a third time by the Metropolitan Builders & Contractors.
Under their Builder’s Category, Morris Habitat was selected for the Best Affordable Mt. Laurel Home for the 13 Strickland Place Project in Madison, New Jersey. The development of the Strickland Place site in Madison was welcomed since it eliminated an unsightly and deteriorating vacant lot, the former location of an asphalt paving business.
The lots, to build three homes, were acquired by the borough in 2004 in a foreclosure. The Madison Housing Authority purchased the property from the municipality at a public land auction in November 2011. Then working with Morris Habitat for Humanity and their hundreds of volunteer builders, the foundation work began in November 2012 and the family then moved in by Thanksgiving 2014.
One of three homes built on this property, 13 Strickland is a new 3-bedroom, two bathroom single-family home sold to the Artale family-Mike, Dina and their two children. Testing for ENERGY STAR certification revealed that this house will use 50% less energy than homes of comparable size. Green or reusable building materials were used whenever feasible.
The home has a 30-year deed restriction that allows modest equity upon resale, but mandates that they be sold at an affordable price to other income-eligible families. Madison contributed funds from its Affordable Housing Trust Fund (provided by developers, not taxpayers) for property acquisition and clean-up to partially satisfy their affordable housing obligation mandated by COAH. Additional funding included a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), a HOME grant through Morris County and a (SHOP) grant from HUD. House sponsorships came from the New York Life Foundation , Bank of America , Wells Fargo , the Provident Bank Foundation , Whole Foods , Investors Bank , Madison Rotary Club and the Richard & Mary Ann Sleece Foundation . Tishman Speyer donated two-by-four lumber milled from the 2012 Rockefeller Center® Christmas Tree.
To learn more about Morris Habitat and how you can help, please go to www.MorrisHabitat.org or call 973-891-1934.
Morristown FYI 