HACE Celebrates the Opening of Newly Built, $18 Million E’Port Family Homes Apartments

Rehabilitation of Elizabethport Area Advances with Two New Buildings
Constructed to Enterprise Green Communities Standards for Sustainability

ELIZABETH – May 17, 2022 – On Tuesday, May 17, the Housing Authority of the City of Elizabeth (HACE) was joined by community leaders for the ribbon-cutting ceremony of E’Port Family Homes Apartments. The ceremony took place in partnership with the City of Elizabeth, Genesis Companies, New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA), and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

The E’Port Family Homes at 160 First Street and 200 Third Street are the result of a joint venture between HACE and Genesis Companies. HACE is responsible for more than 1,350 units of public housing and delivers a broad range of services ranging from social, economic, educational, and redevelopment across the City of Elizabeth. Genesis Companies is a full-service real estate development firm that specializes in financing, developing, and operating mixed-income and mixed-use residential projects.

“We’ve been working in this neighborhood since the year 1998,” said William D. Jones, Executive Director of HACE. “E’Port Family Homes is a brand new, state-of-the-art apartment building near the city’s bustling port community. This initiative continues our commitment to the revitalization of this neighborhood. We thank all of our partners, Genesis Companies, and the City of Elizabeth, in helping to bring this project to fruition.”

“Not only does this new development once again improve the City’s oldest neighborhood, but it also supports Elizabeth’s Go Green efforts, leading our residents to a more healthy, efficient and environmentally-friendly life,” said Elizabeth Mayor J. Christian Bollwage. “I have been excited about this project’s completion and would like to thank the Housing Authority of the City of Elizabeth, Genesis Companies and all of our partners involved in this project.”

“If a person cannot think about anything else besides where they live or where they put their head down at night, then they can’t thrive. There is no opportunity for financial freedom or for all the other things that we enjoy in life if you have to worry about affordable housing,” said Nicole Lockett, Managing Director of Development at Genesis Companies. “It was HACE’s perseverance that allowed us to get this project completed. These new homes are not just a triumph for Genesis, but a triumph for the City of Elizabeth, the Housing Authority of the City of Elizabeth, and more importantly the residents of this community.”

“The Elizabeth Housing Authority, to me, is the number one housing authority,” shared Wynona Ancrum, Chairwoman and Resident Commissioner of the HACE Board of Commissioners. “I’m proud of being part of the Elizabeth Housing Authority, I’m proud of all of the staff in the Elizabeth Housing Authority, and my residents, because we do have great residents that live in public housing.”

“The Elizabeth Housing Authority, to me, is the number one housing authority,” shared Wynona Ancrum, Chairwoman and Resident Commissioner of the HACE Board of Commissioners. “I’m proud of being part of the Elizabeth Housing Authority, I’m proud of all of the staff in the Elizabeth Housing Authority, and my residents, because we do have great residents that live in public housing.”

The $18-million project was completed in late September and features two new 4-story elevator buildings. Fifteen units have been set aside for the formerly homeless and supportive services will be provided by HACE and Bridgeway Behavioral Health Services.

Each building has a combination of one-and-two-bedroom apartments, with 15 project-based vouchers to be distributed across both sites to be administered by HACE and the State of New Jersey Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services. All of the units are affordable and set at 60 percent of the area median income or below. Building amenities for all residents include parking and a community room.

The project is also built to Enterprise Green Communities standards for sustainability. Residents at E’Port Family Homes will be part of an initiative that results in investments to address climate change and prioritizes the health and well-being of every household.

The project was financed with approximately $13 million from the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program, $900,000 from the Federal Home Loan Bank, and $3.55 million in debt financing from Citigroup.

For more information about E’Port Homes, visit www.hacenj.com/housing/new-projects.

About the Housing Authority of the City of Elizabeth

Since its formation in 1938, the Housing Authority of the City of Elizabeth has worked diligently to meet the housing needs and improve the quality of life for all the residents it serves. The Housing Authority of the City of Elizabeth is responsible for over 1350 units of public housing and delivers a broad range of services ranging from social, economic, educational, and redevelopment. For more information about HACE, visit www.hacenj.com.

About Genesis Companies

Genesis Companies is a full-service real estate development firm that specializes in financing, developing and operating mixed-income and mixed-use residential projects. Since its founding in 2004, Genesis has been committed to strengthening communities across New York and New Jersey through disciplined real estate analysis, investment and innovative approaches.