Middletown Breaks Ground Tuesday On Affordable Veterans Apts.

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — On Tuesday afternoon, Middletown announced the groundbreaking for the affordable veterans housing complex the Township will build in Belford.

This is former tool rental property at 37 Leonardville Road, in the Campbell's Junction section and near St. Mary's Chapel.

Middletown Twp. purchased the property last year and plans to built affordable rental apartments there; it will only be available to U.S. military veterans.

The plan is to build 12 rental apartment units, all at affordable housing prices, for any man or woman who served in the U.S. armed forces. Rental amounts have not been determined yet, said Middletown administrator Tony Mercantante.

First Patch report: Middletown To Build 12 Veterans' Apartments on Leonardville Road (June 30, 2021)

The property was formerly owned by EZ Quick Food Stores Inc. and Middletown paid $335,000 to purchase the land. That money came out of Middletown's Affordable Housing Trust Fund, which is funded by fees developers pay to build market-rate housing in Middletown, said Mercantante.

Affordable apartments for veterans are also going up in nearby Tinton Falls: Construction is currently underway on a 70-unit apartment complex, called the Gordon H. Mansfield Veterans Village, on Essex Road in Tinton Falls.

Similarly, those apartments will only be for veterans of the U.S. armed forces, including veterans transitioning from homelessness.

Be the first to know. Sign up to get Patch emails: https://patch.com/subscribe Contact this Patch reporter: Carly.baldwin@patch.com