Celebration barbecue for all residents hosted by project developers planned for November 20Â
Braintree, MA, Basking Ridge, NJ and Lyons VAMC (November 13, 2019) – The New Jersey Health Care System of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Affordable Housing and Services Collaborative Inc. in conjunction with Peabody Properties, Community Hope Inc. and Windover Construction, are pleased to announce that construction of Phase II of Valley Brook Village has been recently completed and the community is now fully occupied. In celebration of the opening, the project developers are hosting a barbecue lunch for all new residents of Phase II as well as current residents from Phase I, which will be held Wednesday, November 20, at 1 p.m. on site. Representatives from the varying funding sources of the project will be on hand to help serve the barbecue lunch, and meet the people benefitting from their efforts and support.Â
The project contains 50 additional units of rental affordable apartments with on-site support services, providing permanent supportive housing for formerly homeless Veterans. Expansion of the Valley Brook Village, located on the Lyons campus of the VA’s New Jersey Health Care System, adds to the existing 62-unit development completed in October 2013. Phase II was completed earlier this fall; residents started moving in late September and was fully occupied by the end of October.  The new three-story building is oriented around a common village green to compliment Phase I, creating an inclusive community.
“We’re thrilled that the Veterans have moved in and are enjoying the Valley Brook community, as well as recognizing as a result of this project there are now 50 more formerly homeless Veterans who have permanent, stable homes,” said Peabody Properties Vice President of Development Betsy Collins. “We’re looking forward to the barbecue lunch to celebrate the completion of the community and to provide a great way for everyone to get to know each other.”
“We’re especially grateful to the project’s funders – not only for the financial support they committed to the project to make it happen, but to their participation in the BBQ, and their genuine interest in meeting the Veterans and project staff,” Collins added.  Â
Valley Brook Village is built on land provided through the federal Enhanced Use Lease Program on the VA New Jersey Health Care campus in Basking Ridge, Bernards Township.  In 2017, the project was awarded $1,122,000 in federal low-income housing tax credits from the NJHMFA.  TD Bank, which purchased the tax credits through NEF Inc., also provided construction and permanent funding for the development. Bernards Township also committed funding for the project from its Affordable Housing Trust Fund.  Additional funding was awarded from the County of Somerset’s Homeless Trust Fund Program and as well as funding from the VA and a number of private foundations, including the HOME Depot Foundation.