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Housing authority cites mayor's support for Section 18 demolition at Schwartz Homes, urges redevelopment committee formation
Summary
Board members said they received a strong letter of municipal support for a Section 18 demolition/disposition application for Schwartz Homes in Robeson Village and urged forming a redevelopment committee to move the project forward; staff and consultants have prepared site plans and financing pathways.
The New Brunswick Housing Authority on July 25 said it has municipal backing for a proposed demolition and redevelopment of Schwartz Homes in Robeson Village under a Section 18 disposition plan, and urged the board to form a redevelopment committee to advance planning and financing.
"We got a very strong letter of support from the municipality from Mayor Cahill's office endorsing the Section 18 disposition of Schwartz and Roberson," a commissioner said, noting the mayor's letter and a preliminary development deck sit on the mayor's desk. "All that's sitting on his desk and all of that was factored in when we got the letter."
Board members said consultants have prepared massing diagrams, potential unit counts and financing approaches, and that the authority already has engineers and a consultant onboard. One board leader said the authority must move promptly: "From this moment today, 07/25/2025, forward, it's real." The speaker added that substantial coordination with the city will be required, including street and common-area changes.
Why it matters: Section 18 is a HUD disposition pathway that allows public housing demolition and replacement with new housing; municipal support can be critical to site changes and infrastructure adjustments. Board members framed the project as a necessary step to replace aging units and reduce operating costs.
Supporting details: authority leaders said the project team has engineers and consultants under contract, and that redevelopment can be executed within roughly one to two years if timelines hold. Commissioners cited the project's potential to improve living conditions and reduce the authority's annual public-utility expenditures, which one official said amount to about $1,300,000 per year.
Next steps: board members said they intend to create a redevelopment committee to oversee planning and financing, coordinate with the mayor and city council, and pursue the Section 18 application process through HUD and related approvals.
Notes: Speaker remarks referenced earlier public events — a groundbreaking for a different project — and encouraged board members to attend community outreach events such as National Night Out.
