New Community Corp.
Newark, N.J.
Represented by Monsignor William Linder
Description of Contribution
NCC's Community Hills is located on thirteen acres in Newark, NJ's Central Ward, the neighborhood where the infamous 1967 riots occurred, burning much of the area to the ground. The site was formerly occupied by Hayes Homes, a failed high rise city housing project, which was razed to make room for this project. These eyesores were replaced by 206 two and three bedroom townhouses, which are both stylish and affordable.
Financed with a $25 million HOPE I grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the housing has also involved an array of public and private partners. The average selling price of a Community Hills home is about $50,000, but the actual sales price is based on the buyer's income so that the total of housing-related costs, excluding mortgage payments, real estate taxes, insurance and utilities cannot exceed 25-30% of a family's annual income.
Phase I of Community Hills is totally occupied and Phase II are now being shown and sold. Virtually all the buyers are first-time home owners.
Innovation
1. Community Hills townhouses were built by New Community Corporation's own Chelsea Construction, using wall panels and floor and roof trusses made by NCC Technologies, which provides much-needed jobs for inner-city minority males. [NCC Tech builds pre-engineered components for affordable homes.]
2. Each home has been smart-wired by NCC-trained workers so that residents can bridge the technological divide and take advantage of information technology.
3. Communiity Hills is also the site of a partnership with New York Giants cornerback, Jason Sehorn and his Sehorn's Corner Foundation. Since April 2001, Mr. Sehorn has provided five single mothers purchasing townhomes with $5,000 checks towards their downpayments. He also totally furnishes the unit, even stocking the kitchen cabinets and freezer with food. Mr. Sehorn is so familiar with Community Hills that when an ESPN crew interviewed him there, he volunteered to guide the cameraman and producer around the neighborhood. "You rebuild a community," Mr. Sehorn says of Community Hills and the Central Ward rebuilding sparked by NCC. "You don't just put people in a house. You rebuild where a rebirth needs to take place."
4. Community Hills also boasts a large and inviting 18,000 square foot, $3 million Community Hills Early Learning Center, an early childhood education facility that serves 164 pre-school children, largely funded by NJ's Abbot Program. The center's second floor contains classroom spce for adult continuing education, and community meetings. It serves as the home of NCC's Education Department and Teen Program.
5. Bankers and other community-based organizations have visited Community Hills to learn how to secure funding and nurture first-time homebuyers through financial literacy and other NCC programs.
Minority Focus
In 2001, NCC Community Hills was named the Platinum Award recipient in the Housing and Urban Development Secretary's Award for Excellence category of the 17th Annual Best in American Living Award [BALA] competition. The award was sponsored by the National Association of Homebuilders, Professional Builder Magazine and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The project was chosen because of the excellent Urban Townhouse design and its ability to provide housing opportunities to low and moderate income home owners from the Newark area. The development provides a step up for 206 minority families who might not otherwise achieve home ownership. All residents of Community Hills are minorities.