New affordable home unveiled for city family Interfaith Neighbors constructs two-story home on Norwood Ave. BY CHRISTINE VARNO Staff Writer The new home on Norwood Avenue in Long Branch was constructed by Interfaith Neighbors Inc. for the Pothier family. LONG BRANCH - A Long Branch family achieved the dream of homeownership last week when they became firsttime homebuyers in a city neighborhood. The seven-member Pothier family purchased a newly constructed home at 40 Norwood Ave. through the Interfaith Neighbors Inc. affordable home-ownership program. "Those are terrific days," PaulMcEvily, associate executive director at Interfaith, said last week after the new home was dedicated to the Pothier family on Jan. 24. "[The Pothier family] was beaming," he said. "We get the opportunity every day to help the people that really need the help. The Pothier family is no stranger to the Interfaith nonprofit organization. They have been living in a two-family apartment on NorwoodAvenue for the past year in a home owned by Interfaith. "We use that [apartment] as a rent/own program," McEvily said. "We charge rent to our families and then we use the rent money to pay the utilities. New homeowners Baptiste and Marlene Pothier accept the key to their new home on Norwood Avenue in Long Branch. "The remaining money gets put into an escrow account and then we encourage the families to use that money as a down payment on a home. "The families usually live [in the rent/own apartment] for about a year and we usually end up putting away $5,000 to $6,000," he added. As of last week, Baptiste and Marlene Pothier, along with their five children, moved from the apartment into the two-story, four-bedroom home. The home marks the 17th affordable home to be built by Interfaith for low- to moderate-income families. The home is Interfaith's first project in Long Branch. "What makes this occasion so special is that it is our first new home in Long Branch," Joseph J. Marmora, executive director of Interfaith, said. "Our experience with the mayor, council and the Planning Board, right through all the necessary steps to completion, were both welcoming and encouraging. "The joy and disbelief expressed by our buyers and their children is all the reward that we at Interfaith Neighbors need. It is something we will always remember," he added. The construction of the affordable home was made possible through a partnership between Interfaith and the New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG) company, according to McEvily. Interfaith Neighbors is the developer of the affordable housing projects and NJNG is the corporate sponsor, according to McEvily. "The gas company has supported us in many ways," McEvily said, adding that a solar system device was constructed in the home to help the family save up to 25 percent on their electricity bills each month. "[NJNG] has supported us in many ways,"McEvily said. "They made the solar system possible." Approximately 60 percent of the cost of the system was covered through a grant from New Jersey's Clean Energy Program. NJNG covered the remaining costs for the system and installation as part of the company's "long-standing commitment" to energy conservation and efficiency, according to McEvily. "Working with Interfaith Neighbors, municipal leaders in Long Branch and the many others who donate their time and resources to this home ownership program provides us with a unique opportunity to support our local communities," Laurence M. Downes, chairman and CEO of NJNG, said in a press release. "We extend our congratulations to the Pothier family and hope their new home is a place where they can share many memories for years to come," Downes said. After arriving from Haiti 15 years ago, Baptiste began working at Interfaith Neighbors in Asbury Park and today is the head chef for the nonprofit's nutrition program.Marlene is a nursing assistant at John L. Montgomery Nursing Home in Freehold Township. Their children, ranging in age from 2 to 20, attend schools in the Long Branch school district. The new home on NorwoodAvenue cost between $180,000 and $200,000 to construct, according to McEvily, who said the sale price of the home was $129,000. The affordable homes are constructed using affordable housing construction subsidies from a federal agency, according to McEvily. In order to qualify for Interfaith's lowto moderate-income housing, a family must make enough money to qualify for a mortgage, but there is a cap on how much money a household can make in order to qualify for the affordable housing program, according to McEvily. The maximum household income to qualify for Interfaith's program ranges, based on where the family lives and how many members are in the family, according to McEvily. "We work with all our prospective buyers to get them to understand the process," McEvily said. "Once we close [on a home], we like to stay involved with new homeowners in case they have any questions or concerns. "We want to help them understand what they have to do to build equity in their home," he said. Interfaith Neighbors Inc. is a nonprofit New Jersey corporation founded in May 1988 and is located in Asbury Park. To date, the group has constructed 16 for-sale affordable homes inAsbury Park and Neptune, making the Long Branch home its 17th project. The home ownership program began 12 years ago when NJNG donated $25,000 in seed money toward the renovation of a home in Asbury Park. The program aims to provide home ownership opportunities for working-poor families who would otherwise be unable to afford a house. Interfaith also offers a Meals on Wheels program to seniors citizens, rental assistance, affordable housing, neighborhood revitalization, and the N.J. Youth Corps of Monmouth County. For more information on Interfaith, visit www.Interfaithneighbors. org.