Princeton Community Housing

???? Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving from your friends and neighbors at Princeton Community Housing! This year, we continued our well-loved tradition of gathering with Elm Court and Harriet Bryan residents, staff, Trustees, and volunteers from Princeton Police Department for a warm, delicious Thanksgiving lunch catered by our friends at Parker. The afternoon was full of joy, and included a fair amount of dancing thanks to the lovely tunes provided by our friend, musician Carmen Marranco. We look forward to this annual gathering every year—a heartwarming reminder to celebrate all the amazing things we’re grateful for!???

Struggling to find affordable housing or know someone who is? Start here! Our website now includes a page dedicated to linking anyone in need to a growing list of financial counseling & support resources. To find this page, visit the following: https://lnkd.in/drYdsx6x Share this post to help spread the word! ????

“What are we doing to increase the amount of affordable housing in New Jersey?” Our thanks to?Jewish Center Of Princeton?for hosting a panel event last week on Wednesday, November 13th, 2024, featuring?Fair Share Housing Center?‘s Adam Gordon. The event drew in many participants in-person and virtually to listen to panelists discuss bill S50/A4, signed into law by Gov. Murphy on March 20, 2024, that creates a permanent legislative-based system that will assign housing obligations to municipalities in New Jersey. Adam was joined on the panel by Senator Troy Singleton, the bill’s Senate sponsor and Senate Majority Whip, and Princeton Community Housing’s long-time friend, trustee, and former Community Board President, Valerie Haynes! If you missed this event, you could still watch it on YouTube linked here:?https://lnkd.in/e_gDizMm To keep the discussion going, let us know your thoughts in the comments below?????

?? Thank you to our friends at Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) for organizing the Princeton, NJ debut of the Manhattan-based Ivalas Quartet with a special concert for senior residents at Elm Court and Harriet Bryan House! The performance dazzled its audience, and one Elm Court resident remarked that it was the most thrilling event she had experienced in her 10 years of living with the Princeton Community Housing (PCH) community! Since 2017, the Ivalas Quartet has been dedicated to spotlighting BIPOC composers and musicians as performers and educators, while sharing classical music with new audiences. They’ve nurtured young students new to their musical journeys and coached collegiate groups, including at The Juilliard School. To learn more about these tremendously skilled and talented musicians, visit their website at ivalasquartet.com ??

Resident Spotlight: Meet Enmanuel! ?? Enmanuel Guzman Zambrano is a Rider University student pursuing a career in immigration law, and a Princeton local who found a home at Princeton Community Housing (PCH) along with his mother in 2022. With determination and a love for his community, Enmanuel has earned scholarships due to Princeton Community Village and Griggs Farm properties' affiliation with NAHMA (National Affordable Housing Management Association) and JAHMA (New Jersey Affordable Housing Management Association) the past two years. He joins 160 PCH students who have been celebrated with scholarships over the years. At this year’s scholarship event, Dr. Bruce Johnson of NAHMA/JAHMA emphasized that while individual hard work is necessary, it’s the commitment of a supportive community that empowers residents to thrive. In September, at PCH’s "Community Roots, Opportunity Blossoms" event, Enmanuel shared his journey immigrating from Venezuela to Princeton, inspiring us all with his gratitude for his mother, his neighbors, and the opportunities he’s embraced. We’re honored to celebrate Enmanuel—and the 1,100+ vibrant stories that make PCH a place where residents can take root and flourish! ????

?? Affordable Homes for Sale in Hopewell Township! Did you know that Princeton Community Housing serves as the Administrative Agent for the Hopewell Township's Affordable Sales Program? From time to time, affordable low- and moderate-income homes and condos may become available for purchase, in communities located in: ?? Brandon Farms ?? Pennington Pointe ?? Select properties on Wrick Avenue and Minnietown Lane As the Administrative Agent, PCHDC follows applicable NJ State affordable housing guidelines, assisting sellers in selling their affordable home, supporting potential buyers with completing a preliminary application, determining applicant eligibility, managing the sales waitlist, and working closely with the Municipal Housing Liaison on all affordable housing matters. Ready to learn more? Find available homes in Hopewell Township today at https://lnkd.in/enNFnsKM and reach out to [email protected] for more details.

What an honor! Thank you to the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey for recognizing Princeton Community Housing’s Jim and Fannie Floyd House with the Outstanding Project Award in the Healthy Homes and Communities category at #Under1RoofNJ on October 29, 2024! ?? The Floyd House project couldn’t have been completed without our fantastic partnership with Thriven Design, whose work was essential in bringing this vision to life. We’re also deeply grateful to our friends, neighbors, and community partners for their invaluable support. Completed in August 2023, the Jim and Fannie Floyd House added 25 new rental homes with one- to four-bedroom options for very low- to moderate-income families and individuals to the Princeton Community Village. Built to Enterprise Green standards and entirely electric, the new building also preserves nearby woodlands and watersheds by utilizing existing parking areas. Thank you, HCDNNJ, for recognizing our commitment to sustainable, accessible housing and affirming that housing is a human right! ????

Resident Spotlight: Meet Beth! ? Beth Plankey is a local writer, artist, and volunteer who's been part of the Princeton Community Housing family for nearly 12 years. At our recent Community Roots, Opportunity Blossoms event, Beth kindly shared a snapshot of her life and encouraged her audience to laugh along with her as she spoke positively about her life as a local, the ease of getting around town to shop for groceries and attend doctor visits with the FreeB bus and Princeton’s Crosstown program, sense of safety, and affordable rent—all of which allow her passion for art, culture, diversity, and community to flourish. In our community, we know Beth for her love for flowers, especially those arranged by the Stony Brook Garden Club of Princeton, her humor, and fondness for cow paintings. Beth is one of our 1,100+ residents with a unique story, and we are grateful to each of them for making our community better ??????

?? Exciting news, PCH residents! ?? Zumba classes created thanks to our partnership with Princeton YMCA, A Branch of Greater Somerset County YMCA are now available weekly! Our residents have access to another hour-long session each week at Princeton Community Village’s Ted Vial Clubhouse, where they will move and dance their way to better cardiovascular health, increased flexibility, and a strengthened core. This is just one example of how we’re committed to providing more than just affordable housing — we’re connecting our residents with the many resources right here in town.

A big thank you once again to Matt Hersh from the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey (HCDNNJ) for delivering a powerful keynote at Princeton Community Housing’s Community Roots, Opportunity Blossoms event! His speech emphasized the critical role of safe, affordable housing in building stronger, healthier, and more inclusive communities that will pave the way for more equitable generations to come. Matt’s call to action—advocating for housing as a human right—is one we are committed to every day. ? In just one week, HCDNNJ will host its annual Under One Roof conference, where PCH’s Jim and Fannie Floyd House will be honored with a 2024 Outstanding Project Award in the Healthy Homes and Communities category. We are incredibly proud of this recognition and grateful to be part of “The Network”!? ? Let us know in the comments if we will see you there!