Princeton Community Housing (PCH) is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that provides, manages, and advocates for affordable, safe, and well-maintained homes, offering all people the opportunity to build more productive and fulfilling lives.
We envision Princeton as a vibrant, inclusive community that is home to people of all income levels.
PCH IS MADE UP OF:
2
Boards of Trustees, including representatives from 17 community organizations.
1,100+
Residents with very low-, low-, and moderate-incomes served annually by the PCH mission.
25
Professional, diligent, and committed employees.
59
Years of serving the
Princeton community.
1
A social services team that connects residents with supportive services, providing the PCH Difference.
491
Rental homes owned, managed and stewarded by a caring facilities team.
Since our start nearly 60 years ago as a community-based nonprofit organization, PCH has sought to promote a sense of belonging and connection among residents, volunteers, staff, partners, and the broader Princeton community.
LATEST NEWS
You can also stay connected with PCH on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, and by subscribing to our quarterly e-newsletter, News from the Neighborhoods.
“Affordable Housing allows a community to take care of itself.”
- Sheldon Sturges
THE FACTS ABOUT
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
“Affordable housing” is generally considered housing that is available to households earning between 30% and 80% of the area median income, with housing costs that do not exceed one-third of a household’s income. Yet affordable housing remains out of reach for many New Jersey residents. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), the average Fair Market Rent for a one-bedroom apartment in New Jersey is $1,742 per month, requiring a minimum-wage worker to work 86 hours per week to afford it. For half or more of New Jerseyans, housing costs are not affordable. As the cost of living continues to rise faster than wages, the need for affordable housing becomes increasingly urgent.
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Fact: Affordable housing must comply with the same zoning, construction, and habitability standards as market-rate housing and often supports or improves the neighborhood’s architectural character, scale and aesthetics.
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Fact: Shelterforce magazine (2013) analyzed dozens of studies on the effect of affordable housing on property values. They found that affordable housing developments generally do not have negative impacts on property values. On the contrary, these developments can often raise nearby home values by supporting or enhancing existing neighborhood character, scale, and aesthetics. Furthermore, affordable housing plays a crucial role in creating jobs and stimulating local economic development, raising the quality of life for the entire community (Center for Housing Policy 2011).
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Fact: People who live in or hope to find affordable housing are already a part of Princeton. They are crucial members of our community such as teachers, police officers, firefighters, health care workers, service staff in grocery stores and restaurants. In Princeton, approximately 40% of the residents have annual incomes that qualify them for affordable housing. This includes senior citizens on fixed incomes and families with low to moderate wage jobs. However, less than 12% of our housing is deed restricted as “affordable.”
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Fact: Affordable housing benefits the whole community by boosting the local economy and supporting the entry-level, public service-sector professionals. Unaffordable housing negatively affects employment growth. Addressing the housing crisis means not just helping the poor but working with the business community and the local community to ensure that those who work in Princeton have the opportunity to live here. Click here to learn about a few current residents at PCH.
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Fact: Well-constructed and designed affordable housing has been shown not to burden local municipalities (Robitaille & Bratt 2012).Concerns about the quality of life are often unfounded or addressed in the planning process. Affordable housing actively contributes to the local economy in taxes paid and, in the money, earned by residents through stable employment, which is spent locally. The bulk of PCH’s annual revenue comes from the affordable rental income paid by tenants and federal (not state or local) funds that help to subsidize this affordable housing. Additionally, PCH properties make a Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) to the local municipality.
Princeton Community Housing is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization that provides, manages, and advocates for affordable, safe and well-maintained homes, offering all people the opportunity to build more productive and fulfilling lives.
For nearly 60 years, the support of our community has made this work possible. Together, we are advancing a vision of Princeton as a vibrant and inclusive community that is home to people of all income levels.
Find ways to give with this link, or give directly by clicking the button below.
SUPPORT AFFORDABLE HOUSING
HOW DO I APPLY?
The communities featured in the section below are managed by the incorporated entities of Princeton Community Housing. Before applying, we encourage you to explore each community by clicking "Learn More" to view property descriptions, income limits, floor plans, and Tenant Selection Plans. PCH does NOT manage all affordable rentals in Princeton.
Online direct portal applications are available for Princeton Community Village (PCV) and Princeton Rentals through the links provided in the section below. Applicants may also apply to all rental communities by submitting a completed application by mail, in person, or by email:
Princeton Community Housing
1000 Herrontown Road, Suite 201 Princeton, NJ 08540
Email: info@pchhomes.org
If you are interested in only one specific community, please select only that property on your application. Please note that each community has its own eligibility requirements and restrictions, and each property maintains a separate waiting list. More info here.
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Princeton Community Village (PCV)
PCV is PCH’s first and largest neighborhood, with 263 homes throughout the community. The neighborhood includes townhouses along its "rows", two mid-rise apartment buildings (Holly House and the Jim and Fannie Floyd House), a community garden, and the Ted Vial Clubhouse. Apply directly online here.
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Elm Court
Elm Court serves Princeton’s very low-income senior residents (62+) as well as non-seniors who require the accessible features of a handicap-accessible unit, as defined by HUD. The community includes 88 homes and many communal areas, including a community garden.
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Harriet Bryan House (HBH)
Harriet Bryan House sits adjacent to Elm Court. It includes 67 homes for very low-income senior residents (62+). Residents enjoy access to the same spaces as their neighbors at Elm Court.
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Griggs Farm
PCH owns and manages 70 low-income units at Griggs Farm, an inclusionary community that includes affordable homes alongside privately owned market-rate homes, condominiums, and moderate-income ownership units.
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Hopewell Affordable Sales
PCH serves as the Administrative Agent for the Township of Hopewell’s Affordable Sales Program. When low- or moderate-income homes become available for sale, PCH works with Hopewell Township’s Municipal Liaison to identify an eligible new homeowner. The sales program has a separate application from the rentals. Find it here.
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Princeton Affordable Rentals & Merwick Stanworth
Princeton Rentals consists of scattered-site affordable rental units throughout Princeton. This portfolio includes PCH Homes, which owns and manages three townhouse units. For the remaining units, PCH serves as Administrative Agent for the Municipality of Princeton and other local property owners. Merwick Stanworth is a separate affordable housing community affiliated with Princeton University, where PCH also serves as Administrative Agent in coordination with the University. Apply directly online here.
The Incorporated Entities of Princeton Community Housing
Property Management and Development
PCH Development Corporation
Affordable Rental Communities
Elm Court
Harriet Bryan House
Griggs Farm
Princeton Community Village
Affordable Rental Homes
PCH Homes
Mission Advancement & Fundraising
Princeton Community Housing