High Housing Demand Shows Need for Age-Friendly Planning

     Housing is a hot topic now in Teaneck, and two recent Township-sponsored forums on the subject serve as good illustrations of the themes that Age-Friendly Teaneck has been sounding in its effort to raise awareness of the challenges of aging in place in a suburban community.

     The first forum on Feb. 19 offered residents a chance to hear more about new developments that combined would yield more than 700 new apartments in Teaneck.
     Prominent among the new construction projects now underway are a 128-unit building nearing completion on Palisade Avenue, a 248-unit building quickly rising on Windsor Road and a 224- unit building begun on Teaneck Road.
    Interim Township Manager Dean Kazinci outlined those new developments as well as other residential, commercial and municipal projects completed recently or planned for the future. (His full presentation can be found by clicking here Development Forum)
     Many residents at the forum raised concerns about the potential impact of these new developments on transportation systems, Township services and overall quality of life.
     Age-Friendly Teaneck Project Coordinator Jackie Kates was among those who rose to speak, urging those in attendance to consider how the Township’s population is evolving.
“This time of building and change in Teaneck can be a time of opportunity to examine how well our infrastructure meets the needs of residents of all ages today – and in the future,” Kates said.

     Age-Friendly Teaneck is advocating for the Township’s master plan to be updated, not only to address a growing older population, but also the changing lifestyles of a populace that wants more walkable neighborhoods, less dependence on cars, and a more affordable and diverse housing stock.
     “Teaneck’s population is aging, and we’re not prepared for it,” Kates said. “Many older people can no longer take care of or afford their large homes, or they need amenities to make their homes safer and more comfortable, as well as greater community outreach and social opportunities to prevent isolation.”
     “Additional housing and transportation options would serve more than the older adult population,” Kates added. “Studies show that fewer people between the ages of 16 and 34 are driving – or even getting their drivers’ licenses. Millennials are increasingly priced out of the rental apartment market and instead are continuing to live in their parents’ homes for longer periods of time than previous generations did.”
     Age-Friendly Teaneck recommends the Township seek to attract more mixed-use development, to fill the housing gap and to help revitalize our business districts, and embrace other innovative housing solutions such as home-sharing, accessory dwelling units and the adoption of universal design standards, which promote barrier-free building. 
To view the full statement that Kates submitted to Township leaders on behalf of Age-Friendly
Teaneck, click HERE

Standing-room-only at affordable housing application seminar
     The second Township-sponsored forum, held on March 3, was an informational seminar held to explain the application process to apply for one of the dozens of affordable units that are being set aside in these new buildings.
       More than 150 people filled that meeting room in the Rodda Center, many standing in the aisles and in the hallway outside, as township officials hurried to make additional copies of the application for 25 soon-to-be-available affordable units for the overflow crowd.
     Frank Piazza, whose firm serves as Teaneck’s affordable housing administrator, urged those in attendance to get their applications in soon for the five-story apartment building on Windsor Road known as Avalon Bay. The deadline to submit a preliminary application is April 30.
     Applicants will receive a letter confirming they meet the eligibility criteria and then be entered into a random lottery. Those selected will then have to submit documentation proving their eligibility, including three years’ worth of tax returns and other income verification.
     Piazza said he expects to receive more than 1,000 applications for the 25 Avalon apartments being set aside for residents whose incomes are deemed very low, low, or moderate. Monthly rents for those specially designated one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments will range from as low as $328 to as high as $1,162, depending on household income and apartment size.
For more eligibility information and a copy of the application, click AvalonAffordableApplication

     At the seminar, Piazza & Associates also distributed applications to be on the wait list for the new 128-unit Queen Anne Tower development at 1475 Palisades Avenue. A lottery for the 10 new moderate-income units associated with that project was held last year, and the wait list will soon reach capacity and close.
That application and other details can be found by clicking 1475PalisadesApplication

     Township officials say they expect that applications for the affordable units in the Teaneck Road development, still in the earlier stage of construction, won’t be available until later this year.
     Age-Friendly Teaneck plays no role in the affordable housing application process but, as a service to residents, will continue to send alerts on its website and social media as new applications become available. Teaneck residents can also sign up to be notified of new opportunities by logging on the Piazza & Associates website and signing up for its newsletter.

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