First Congregational and First Montclair Housing

First Montclair Housing Corporation,  sponsored by First  Congregational  Church,  is  incorporated under  the laws  of New Jersey  for  the  express  purpose  of  building an apartment house  for  people  62  years  of age  and  over —  Senior  Citizens  — having  low or moderate  incomes. The  project  is  in no way connected with any  other housing  group  in Montclair  or  elsewhere.    It will  be funded  by  the New Jersey Housing Finance Agency  and rents  will  be  subsidized under  the  Section  8  program by HUD.

Work on  the  project,  which  started  in February, 1975,  now has  three  firm accomplishments.    1.  A  site on Walnut  Street,  below Grove  Street;    2.  Architects' plans  for a  handsome  building  containing  131  dwelling units,  some  of which are  "efficiencies,"  some  2  bed¬room apartments,  and  the major  portion,  one  bedroom apartments;    3.  Approval  of  these  plans  which  are  now in  the  "schematic"  stage,  by  the  New Jersey  Housing Finance Agency.    This means  work may now proceed through  two more  stages  to  the  final  working  drawings and when  these  are  approved,  to  funding  for  the  project.

The  Board of Trustees  of FMHC which  began as  a committee  of  ten,  all  from First  Congregational  Church, has  now expanded  to  26.    Of  these,  11  are  from  the church,  5  from  the  community at  large,  5  from  the  site neighborhood and  5  from various  organizations  in Montclair  interested  in housing  or  the  elderly  or  both.
Given the many uncertainties that seem to be part of such a project as this, it is impossible to predict when the building will be completed. Hopefully, within  two years.

Marion Amelung
President