A long anticipated large housing complex has finally been approved to come to Montgomery, and it aims to house seniors and veterans in need of affordable housing arrangements.

Developer Jonah Mandelbaum, who owns and operates Warwick Properties, has been in front of the Town of Montgomery Planning Board for several months alongside the project’s engineer Vincent Pietrzak. Together they’ve proposed an affordable complex named “Hawkins Apartments” that’s meant for seniors and veterans, located on 3.77 acres behind ShopRite, on Old Neelytown and Goodwill Roads.The location is supposed to be ideal because of its close proximity to local stores and other businesses.

Last Monday, May 30, Mandelbaum received site plan and architectural approval.

The complex is part of the affordable supporting and veteran supporting housing zone. To do this, they needed to receive zoning changes. This became local law: “Hawkins Floating Law,” which amends the zoning map to allow for the affordable housing to be built. The local law reads, “The Town Board of the Town of Montgomery declares its intent to apply the affordable, supportive, and veterans supportive floating zone to the parcel listed herein (No.29-1-95.2) in an effort to support the low-income, aging and veteran community of the Town of Montgomery and surrounding area.”

The rent costs and income requirements aren’t exactly known yet. Back in January, Mandelbaum told the planning board, “The Division of Housing dictates every year what the county income is, based on that there’s a formula that we can charge.”

After multiple public hearings since January with small comments here and there about lighting, garbage, traffic and more, they finally received a resolution. Within the resolution, planning board Chairman Fred Reichle read off the final details of the project, including that the apartment complex will consist of 73 one-bedroom units, six two-bedroom units, one three-bedroom unit and 84 parking spaces. The primary access will be from Hawkins Drive.

Reichle also read off the fact they’ve gone through the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR) process, their impact on town sewer capacity, the rise in vehicular and pedestrian traffic, a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan and more, including the complex’s purpose.

“Whereas the purpose of this product is to provide affordable housing exclusively for a householder meeting qualifying criteria on a continuing basis by way of age, veteran status or disability, and whereas all the rental units must be funded or income restricted under the supervision of a New York State, County of Orange department or agency to ensure that none of the units ever become market rate units,” Reichle stated.

Ongoing conditions of approval include the applicant entering a stormwater maintenance agreement with the town, as well as maintaining agreements that say they will resolve any outstanding comments including items such as engineering, traffic, lighting, landscaping and more.

Mandelbaum took to the podium to say a few words himself, including that his next steps will be discussions with the state.

“As things happen, I will keep you informed if you wish to see what’s going on. It may take six months, it may take eight months. I want to thank everybody for the support,” Mandelbaum said.