Mahwah Buys Senior Living Complex To Preserve Affordability

MAHWAH, NJ — In addressing the issue of housing affordability for seniors, the Mahwah Township bought Norfolk Village, a 75-unit senior citizen apartment complex, for approximately $14.4 million on Friday to maintain it in perpetuity, township officials said.

"This is a huge win for Mahwah and our most valuable assets, our senior citizen population," Mayor Jim Wysocki said in a statement. "They can rest at ease that the township will have housing available to them as they enter their golden years. This council and administration have done an amazing thing for our township for years to come.”

Located off of Franklin Turnpike, Norfolk Village is comprised of one-bedroom, one-bath units. The purchase of the complex from Panyork Group will be "self-sustaining," with rents paying for capital construction and debt service, the township's Business Administrator Ben Kezmarsky said.

A "legacy project" for the township council, Councilman Robert Ferguson said, the purchase is "an accomplishment we can all be proud of."

"By using our resources to create long-term housing for our Township’s seniors, we have ensured that generations of families will always be able to call Mahwah home," Ferguson added.

By making the purchase, the township can ensure that ultimately all of the units will be affordable for the senior population, Kezmarsky said.

Along with providing more affordable housing for seniors, the township will earn credits toward its affordable housing obligations, Kezmarsky said. There are several vacancies that the township will look to lease very soon, he added.

“I am happy to be part of one of the most significant endeavors the Council has done in the history of the town," Council President David May said.