Affordable housing to be available

LAKEWOOD - Township officials have announced that 72 affordable housing units will be available for sale at Lakewood Commons I. The three-bedroom and four-bedroom units that are available in this phase range in price from $110,000 to $220,000, according to a press release.

The housing is under development by New Jersey Hand and is for eligible lowand moderate-income households. The housing development is on Spruce and Vine streets.

Although any income-eligible firsttime homebuyer may apply, residents and workers of Ocean, Monmouth and Mercer counties will be selected before residents and workers of other New Jersey counties or other states, according to the press release.

All units will be subject to a public lottery. In accordance with New Jersey Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) rules, only appropriately sized families will be placed in available units.

In order to qualify, the combined household income must be below $59,073 for a three-person household; below $65,637 for a four-person household; below $70,888 for a five-person household; below $76,139 for a six-person household; below $81,390 for a seven-person household; and below $86,641 for an eight-person household.

Applicants will be required to show proof of residency and/or employment as well as all required household income documentation in order to qualify for one of the units. All successful applicants will be required to maintain the unit as the family's primary residence.

Interested persons should call Rehabco Inc., Lakewood's affordable housing administrative agent, at (732) 477-7750 to receive an authorized application.

A deadline date of Nov. 2 is established for all applications to be filed with Rehabco. Applicants who have received notices of an incomplete application will be granted 10 days in which to fully respond. It is anticipated that units will be ready for occupancy in the spring of 2008.