Habitat for Humanity South Central New Jersey recently celebrated the ribbon-cutting ceremony for six brand-new affordable housing units. Six hard-working families — seventeen people in total — now have a place to call home in Cinnaminson, marking a life-changing new chapter filled with hope, stability, and opportunity.

“Having this blessing for me is huge. One of my goals is to have my own place. I’ve always lived in apartments. I’ve always prayed to God to have my own place,” said Sylvia, one of the new homeowners. While walking through her new home with her daughter, Sylvia looked around and said she couldn’t believe it was real.

Another family that earned their new home was Melissa and her three children. “I’ve been renting for years and years, sometimes working two full-time jobs to make it work… and now, after I sign, I can officially say I’m a homeowner,” said Melissa. She has been on her own since she was 17 and has lived in nearly ten different apartments.

Developments like these are made possible through our work enforcing New Jersey’s Mount Laurel Doctrine — the strongest legal framework in the country for requiring affordable homes in historically exclusionary communities. In New Jersey, the constitutional obligation for each municipality to allow its fair share of affordable homes is recalculated every 10 years in cycles known as Rounds. This new development was part of Cinnaminson’s Third Round affordable housing plan, which covered 2015-2025.

With the Fourth Round starting this year, bolstered by New Jersey’s new affordable housing law strengthening the Mount Laurel Doctrine, far more towns than ever are planning to create affordable housing over the next decade. Cinnanminson has agreed to create at least another 89 new affordable homes to fulfill its Fourth Round obligations.

This latest ribbon-cutting represents the collaborative efforts of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, Habitat for Humanity of South Central New Jersey, the Township of Cinnaminson, Fair Share Housing Center, Senator Troy Singleton, developers, staff, and volunteers — all united by a shared goal: to give New Jersey families the opportunity to achieve the dream of homeownership.

The properties were developed by PHNX Development Partners and consist of six residential units: three three-bedroom units and three two-bedroom units. Of the three-bedroom homes, two are designated for moderate-income households and one for a low-income household. Among the two-bedroom homes, two serve low-income households and one is designated for a moderate-income household. This project was made possible in part by the generous land donation from the Township of Cinnaminson and the substantial support of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, which invested nearly $2 million to help bring it to fruition.

Unfortunately, nonprofit developers like Habitat for Humanity are facing challenges due to recent cuts to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund — which is often New Jersey’s only source of public funding for smaller, community-driven developments.

Strong housing funding would be particularly valuable this year, as municipalities are working to develop plans for how to meet affordable housing needs for the Fourth Round. But in the latest New Jersey state budget enacted in June, this funding was redirected to other programs like rental assistance and first-generation homeownership. These crucial programs were previously funded in addition to — not instead of — housing production.

Fair Share Housing Center, Habitat for Humanity, the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey, and over 100 other nonprofit organizations are demanding a full restoration of these funds.

Click here to share your voice and tell Governor Murphy and the legislature to restore the Affordable Housing Trust Fund so more New Jersey residents can have a safe and affordable place to live.

Together, we can build more than just homes — we can build brighter futures for all New Jerseyans.