Project in West Deptford, NJ, Will Create 84 Apartments with Supportive Services

Boston (October 30, 2025) – State, county and local New Jersey officials joined today with executives from WinnDevelopment and the non-profit Soldier On, Inc., to mark the start of work on an 84-unit apartment community in West Deptford, NJ, that will deliver affordable housing and comprehensive supportive services for older veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces.

The $29 million development, to be known as the Gordon H. Mansfield Veterans and Seniors Village, will serve veterans ages 55 and older with a mix of one and two-bedroom units that will be universally adaptable to support independent living and aging in place.

The project is the third time the development arm of WinnCompanies has teamed up with Soldier On in New Jersey and their fifth partnership nationally. Their first effort in New Jersey – the 70-unit Gordon H. Mansfield Veterans Village in Tinton Falls, NJ – has won multiple awards since opening in 2021.

“The State of New Jersey has made veterans’ housing a priority, and we are proud to work with Soldier On to advance this important public policy goal,” said WinnDevelopment Senior Vice President David Ginsberg. “The support this development has received from partners at all levels of government is inspiring.”

Soldier On, a nationally recognized non-profit organization that partners with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and other agencies to provide veterans with shelter and support, will deliver complete supportive services for residents, including case management, wellness programs, life skills training, transportation and legal assistance.

“Soldier On is pleased to partner once again with WinnCompanies and the State of New Jersey in advancing our mission to end veteran homelessness within the state. This collaborative initiative has demonstrated both necessity and success, serving as an effective model for providing permanent solutions to veteran homelessness in New Jersey,” said Soldier On CEO Bruce Buckley. “We extend our sincere gratitude to the Town of West Deptford, Gloucester County, the Veterans Administration, and the Department of Community Affairs for their invaluable support in bringing this development to fruition.”

Vincent Solomeno, New Jersey’s Commissioner Designate of Veterans Affairs, was among the state officials attending today’s event. “This groundbreaking is a testament to the private and public partnerships enabling our common mission of providing housing for Garden State heroes. In a state where our official motto is liberty and prosperity, we will continue our efforts to ensure that every New Jerseyan who served our great country has a roof over his or her head when they lay their head on a pillow each night. This new community takes us one step closer to realizing that goal. Our work continues,” Solomeno said.

Funding for the project is being supported by a variety of public and private institutions.

The New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA) provided construction and permanent financing, as well as a Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) allocation and subsidy. "As the mother of two veterans, I know that the best way to honor the brave individuals who have served this country is to ensure that they have access to resources they need upon transitioning back to civilian life. Housing is chief of amongst those needs," said NJHMFA Acting Executive Director and Chief of Staff Terry Tucker. “Gordon H. Mansfield Veterans and Senior Village is a $46 million, state-of-the-art community that will provide affordable housing units and social services to senior veterans. We are deeply proud that NJHMFA was able to provide more than $23 million in LIHTC, Special Needs Housing Trust Fund, and loans to help bring this project forward.”

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) awarded state credits through its Aspire Program. “Under Governor Phil Murphy’s leadership, New Jersey is making historic investments into affordable and supportive housing in communities across the state, improving quality-of-life for residents and contributing to the vitality of neighborhoods,” said NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan. “With support from the NJEDA’s Aspire Program, this project will create housing and expand support services for veterans and seniors in West Deptford, opening pathways to equitable economic opportunity for residents.”

U.S. Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey secured a $900,000 Community Project Fund Grant for the project from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD). “I’m honored to have helped secure necessary funding for the construction of 84 affordable housing units for our community’s most vulnerable veterans. It’s vital we continue to invest in the programs and services that support our veterans – from housing to health care – so that we may start to repay the debt we owe our nation’s defenders,” said Senator Booker, who has represented New Jersey in the Senate for 12 years.

The Township of West Deptford approved funds from its Affordable Housing Trust and a PILOT agreement. “West Deptford is proud to host this project honoring our veterans with the safe, affordable, and supportive housing they deserve,” said West Deptford Township Mayor James Mehaffey. “It’s a powerful example of what can be achieved when all levels of government work together with dedicated partners like WinnCompanies and Soldier On to strengthen our communities and care for those who have served.”

The Housing Authority of Gloucester County has allocated Project Based Vouchers for future residents. “In continuing the Housing Authority of Gloucester County’s proud history of providing and administering assisted housing for veterans residing in Gloucester County, the Housing Authority is honored to support WinnDevelopment’s West Deptford project providing needed housing and supportive services to our selfless veterans through the award of 21 Project-Based Vouchers. On behalf of the Housing Authority, and its Board of Commissioners, I would like to thank WinnDevelopment, Soldier On, Inc., and their development partners for their continued support of our veterans,” said William W. Bain, Jr., the housing authority’s chairman.

Liberty Mutual Insurance provided capital and bridge financing, while Gloucester County, NJ, delivered HOME program funds.

In addition, The Home Depot Foundation made an award to support the project. "Giving back to veterans and their families is personal to The Home Depot, as tens of thousands of the company’s associates are veterans, active-duty service members or military spouses,” said Erica Headlee, manager of national programs and partnerships for The Home Depot Foundation. “We at the Foundation are honored to partner with WinnDevelopment and Soldier On to continue our mission of helping to provide support and housing for this country's honorable veterans."

Scheduled to open in October 2026, the community will provide 21 apartments at or below 30 percent of Area Median Income (AMI), 21 units at or below 50 percent AMI and 42 units at or below 60 percent AMI. Amenities in and around the four-story, 84,720-square-foot building will be designed to support wrap-around services for senior veterans facing physical and mental health challenges.

The community will include a space for telehealth appointments equipped to address virtual doctors' visits or special consultations, and private meeting space for meeting with case managers or outside service providers. Common area amenities include communal spaces to foster a sense of camaraderie, including a community room with cafe and kitchenette, indoor and outdoor gathering areas, laundry rooms, a small community room to host special events and lounges on different floors.

Exterior features will be tailored towards the special needs of the veterans, including a Columbarium for final resting place arrangements, an eternal flame, and a memorial flag area, along with robust green space and landscaping, ornamental fencing, garden area and patio, and BBQ gathering area.

The West Deptford project will be designed and built to be Passive House certified, the most rigorous science-driven, building energy performance standard in the world. It will also be the first time a WinnDevelopment/Soldier On project is built with a geothermal system that delivers renewable heating and cooling. Additional energy sustainability features will include a rooftop solar array, super-efficient building envelope, low flow plumbing fixtures, LED lighting and Energy Star appliances.

Del-Sano Contracting of West Long Branch, NJ, is serving as contractor with PS&S Architects and Engineers of Warren, NJ, as architect. Berman Indictor served as transaction counsel.

ABOUT WINNCOMPANIES

As the development arm of Boston-based WinnCompanies, WinnDevelopment focuses on creating or revitalizing high-impact, mixed-income apartment communities through award-winning new construction and adaptive reuse techniques. Focused on quality over quantity, the company has earned a reputation as a trusted, stable community development partner among local planners, public sector housing agencies and private sector financiers. A longtime advocate of workforce housing, WinnDevelopment offers integrated asset management services and pioneering environmentally sustainable design and construction. Learn more at https://www.winncompanies.com/.

ABOUT Soldier On

Organized in 1994, Soldier On, Inc. is a private non-profit organization based in Pittsfield, MA, providing a continuum of programs to ensure that homeless veterans and their families have access to immediate and long-term housing with an array of support services delivered to them where they live. Soldier On’s ultimate goal is to provide formerly homeless veterans with permanent, supportive, sustainable housing – assisting them in their transition from homelessness to homeownership. Learn more at https://wesoldieron.org/.

MEDIA CONTACT

Ed Cafasso
edcafasso@gmail.com
Call or Text: (617)455-9651

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