Town plans to amend zoning for Hawkins Apartments

By Jared Castañeda
Posted 1/22/25

The Town of Montgomery board, in response to inquiries from a few residents, announced during its January 8 meeting that it would soon make changes to Hawkins Apartments’ zoning. While the …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Town plans to amend zoning for Hawkins Apartments

Posted

The Town of Montgomery board, in response to inquiries from a few residents, announced during its January 8 meeting that it would soon make changes to Hawkins Apartments’ zoning. While the development would still be aimed toward the town’s seniors and veterans, the board seeks to add workforce housing and remove supportive housing from the project.

Hawkins Apartments is an 80-unit housing complex proposed for Old Neelytown and Goodwill Roads, right behind ShopRite. Submitted by Developer Jonah Mandelbaum, this project aimed to provide affordable housing to seniors and veterans and is located within a floating zone established for senior, veteran, and supportive housing. The project was approved on May 30, 2023, and has been under construction since.

During the town’s public comment, resident Joan Buck Smith told the board that she saw a sign at Hawkins Apartments labeling the complex as “multifamily” housing, which confused her as she thought the development was designated for seniors and veterans only. She also heard that a one-bedroom apartment would cost $1,800, which she did not consider affordable.

“There’s a sign up on Hawkins Drive in front of the apartments going up that says the apartments are multifamily, but it was approved for seniors and veterans. And when someone inquired, they said a one-bedroom apartment is now $1,800, and that does not sound affordable to me,” Smith said. “It will consist of 73 one-bedroom units, six two-bedroom units, and one three-bedroom unit for the person taking care of the apartments. How are you going to have multifamily in 73 one-bedroom apartments? There are only six two-bedroom units. Why did you change the affordable seniors and veterans to include anybody?”

Town Supervisor Steve Brescia stated that seniors and veterans are still the target tenants for this development, but he and the board are planning to make a few changes to the project’s zoning. Specifically, the board wants to add workforce housing and remove supportive housing from the zoning’s local law. Brescia added that $1,800 is considered affordable, even if it may not seem so to many.

“We’re taking supportive housing out of that, and I believe workforce housing was included before. They have to advertise it as multifamily, for all intents and purposes,” Brescia said. “Multifamily more than one individual I believe. I don’t believe there’s going to be children but I’m not sure.”

“Workforce housing is for people that work in the area that can’t afford to live in the area, so there is a need for that as well. It’s not just all seniors and all veterans, it’s also for those who work in the area,” he said later in the meeting, providing more context for workforce housing. “I have people calling me all the time for apartments and think they can pay $1,200 or $1,300, there’s none available in the area for that kind of number. The average place is $1,800 or $1,900, in both the Village and Town of Montgomery.”

Smith asked for the definition of supportive housing and why the board wanted to remove it from the development’s zoning. No one on the board could fully answer her at that time, but Brescia asserted that supportive housing included “quite a few different meanings” and that Smith would not be happy if the board left it in. Later in the meeting, Resident Ken O’Brien pulled up the definition of supportive housing, describing it as “a combination of affordable housing and services to help people live more stable lives.” He stressed that the board should keep affordable housing in the project’s zoning for residents facing home and financial insecurities.

“It’s a cost-effective way to help people recover from homelessness, incarceration, hospitalization, or to help youth aging out of foster care, O’Brien said. “It’s usually government assistance programs, and those things should absolutely stay here. We should be helping those who are disadvantaged in our community.”

“We have a 10% poverty rate in the Town of Montgomery. Do you know how many people didn’t have Thanksgiving meals or Christmas presents?” he continued. “We need to support the people who most need it in our communities no matter where they come from. They’re humans.”

Brescia assured residents that the board will have a public meeting in about a month for the project’s zoning changes. During the hearing, the board members will clarify supportive housing and why they want to remove it, and residents will have the chance to comment and ask questions about said changes. Brescia added that Hawkins Apartments will not be ready to take tenants in for at least another eight or nine months.

Smith, meanwhile, was unhappy with the revelations and asserted that she would voice her concerns on the matter at the hearing.

“There’s definitely something wrong here, you people are not looking out for your seniors and veterans in this town if you’re going to add workforce housing,” Smith said. “Not all seniors and veterans can work, and that’s what this was proposed for. You’re all wrong to change this, and I will definitely be at the meeting.”