The new affordable housing property at 8 Liberty Place is now officially open, following an official opening ceremony on June 19.

Project leader Arthur Isaacson said there are 21 apartments total at the location, a mix of two-bedroom units with a maximum capacity of three or four people, and single bedrooms for one or two people. The property features an exercise room, off-street parking, a community center, 24-hour surveillance, a laundry facility, and on-site management. The building will also have a bus stop close to the apartments.

Following the ribbon cutting ceremony, there were several tours around the property which Isaacson said were met with a very positive response.

“The units are very well done,” Isaacson said, highlighting the aesthetics of the new apartments. “We’re processing applications every day.”

The units officially qualify as affordable housing, and there are guidelines that govern the availability of the units. Rent is fixed at $870 per month for a one-bedroom apartment and $1,033 per month for two bedrooms.

For a single occupant, the maximum income limit is $37,200; for two people it is $42,500; for three people, it is $47,800, and for four people it is $53,100. Isaacson said that the property has already had three people move in as of press time, and that filling the remaining units will be an ongoing process. The Liberty Place project was officially approved in the summer of 2016. The Planning & Zoning Commission voted to create a floating zone for the purpose of developing affordable housing, and to land that zone at 8 Liberty Place. At that time, some residents expressed reservations about what they felt was a lack of sufficient parking, the distance of the bus stop from Route One, and the creation of affordable housing at the expense of senior housing.

Applications are now open for interested occupants. For more information, call Michelle Rodrigues at 203-892-3307 or email michelle@nwnh.net.