Plainfield council advances multiple housing projects and redevelopment plans including deed-restricted home sales

The Plainfield City Council moved forward with a slate of housing and redevelopment items at its meeting, advancing projects that include deed-restricted for-sale units, tax-exemption agreements and amendments to redevelopment plans.

The council designated developers for two separate for-sale housing programs. At 520—732 South Avenue the council designated Equamax Development Company to build 14 affordable townhomes for sale. As part of the public-private partnership, the city will direct a portion of proceeds to a down-payment assistance fund estimated at least $230,000; that fund is intended to provide at least $30,000 per eligible Plainfield household. The administration said the units are expected to be priced between $450,000 and $490,000 and that income eligibility for the down-payment assistance will range roughly between $150,000 and $250,000. The units will be deed-restricted and subject to a pilot agreement of five to 10 years during which the homeowner may not flip the property, the administration said.

The council also advanced a designation of Plainfield Homes LLC (a partnership of TD Plus Partners and Gon Sosa) to develop seven city parcels into six single-family homes and one two-family home. Officials described those homes as modern new construction, four-bedroom units ranging from about 1,800 to near 3,000 square feet; initial price estimates for these units were given in the $500,000 to $650,000 range. The administration said deed restrictions and down-payment assistance of at least $30,000 for Plainfield residents will apply to those projects as well.

On the agenda the city presented several professional contracts tied to a 55,000-square-foot "Center of Excellence," a recreation and cultural center that the administration estimated could have construction costs in the tens of millions. Professional services contracts discussed include owners representative, architect and engineering scopes. The administration estimated professional-services budgets could approach $4 million as design proceeds.

Council discussion included questions about timelines, affordability definitions and community outreach. Council members repeatedly asked whether development plans would include Special Improvement Districts and whether there would be community input; the administration said outreach meetings were planned and noted an Urban Enterprise Zone plan meeting scheduled for Feb. 18 at the senior center.

The council also held first readings on several ordinances related to housing and redevelopment, including an ordinance adopting the Myrtle Avenue redevelopment plan and amending the TOD South redevelopment plan to add a proposed 250 affordable units.

Several council members expressed concern about market-rate rents cited in a separate development memo (studios at around $2,031 and one-bedrooms at $2,380), asking how those figures align with area median income and resident affordability. The administration said affordable tiers are being calculated by area median income and by percentages (30%, 50%, 60%, 80% AMI) and that certain deeply affordable projects are being pursued using state programs such as the New Jersey low-income housing tax credits and related financing.

Ending: The council added the housing items to the voting meeting for formal approval and asked the administration for follow-up on final unit sizes, deed-restriction language, pilot terms and outreach dates.