Brush with Kindness in the Gateway
In Perth Amboy’s Gateway Neighborhood, a new front porch, a working boiler, and a repaired sewer line mean more than finished projects. They mean families who can stay safely in the homes they have worked hard to keep.
Through its partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Middlesex and Morris, the Perth Amboy Redevelopment Team for Neighborhood Enterprise and Revitalization (PARTNER) is bringing free, critical home repairs to Gateway homeowners. Known to residents as the Home Harmony Home Repair Program and delivered through Habitat’s Brush with Kindness model, the effort has already completed five homes and registered 26 applicants, with 14 more households in line for repairs.
For many Gateway homeowners, aging houses come with repairs they cannot afford on their own. A failing heating system or a damaged sewer line can quickly become a health and safety emergency. The program was designed to close that gap, with no repayment required, so residents can remain safe, comfortable, and independent in their own homes.
Why This Work Matters
Perth Amboy’s homes are full of history, and many of them are showing their age. Only about 35 percent of occupied homes are owner-occupied, so every homeowner who can afford to stay in place adds stability to the neighborhood.
Older homes need more care, and that cost falls hardest on families with the least room in their budgets. Nationally, according to Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies, homeowners in the bottom fifth of incomes spend an average of 16 percent of their household income on repairs and maintenance, compared with less than 4 percent for the top fifth. In Perth Amboy, where the median household income is $61,977 and households led by residents 65 and older earn a median of about $42,000, a single boiler replacement or sewer line repair can be out of reach.
Free, quality repairs help keep the Gateway’s existing homes safe, affordable, and in the hands of the families who live in them.
A Partnership Built on Trust
The program pairs PARTNER’s deep relationships in the Gateway with Habitat for Humanity’s construction expertise. PARTNER’s Gateway team leads outreach, helps residents apply, and coordinates schedules, while Habitat processes applications, visits each home to assess its needs, and prioritizes the work.
This summer, the Gateway team made applying easier than ever. A new bilingual program flyer, in English and Spanish, now features a QR code that takes residents directly to an online application. Homeowners can check their eligibility and apply in minutes from their phones, removing a barrier that often keeps families from asking for help.
The network of support is growing as well. Gateway staff recently brought on a general contractor based in Perth Amboy to handle concrete and masonry improvements, with work on three neighborhood properties set to begin following site assessments. Hiring locally keeps investment in the community while moving resident projects forward.
Homes Transformed
As of September 2026, the program has made steady, measurable progress:
- 26 homeowners registered
- 5 homes completed
- 14 homes awaiting repairs
- 5 applications pending approval
Each completed project addressed a real need in a Gateway household:
- Prospect Street: a brand-new front porch, restoring a safe and welcoming entrance
- Market Street: upgraded countertops and new lighting fixtures
- Fayette Street: new kitchen cabinets and countertops
- Elm Street: a complete boiler replacement and heating system upgrade, ensuring a warm home before winter
- Kirkland Place: a repaired main sewer line, resolving a serious health and safety concern
These repairs do more than improve individual houses. Every porch rebuilt and every heating system restored strengthens the block around it, adds to property values, and shows neighbors that investment in the Gateway is real and growing.
Looking Ahead
With 14 homes in the queue, the work is only gaining momentum. PARTNER and Habitat for Humanity are conducting inspections for new applicants, prioritizing households with urgent health and safety needs, and advancing exterior and structural projects before the cold weather arrives. Outreach continues so that every eligible Gateway homeowner knows help is available.
PARTNER remains committed to making the Gateway a safe and sustainable place to live, work, and grow, one home at a time.
How to Apply
Homeowners may qualify if they own and live in their home within the Gateway Neighborhood, their home needs repairs, and their household meets income guidelines. Eligible repairs include exterior repairs, accessibility improvements, exterior painting, weatherization, and safety improvements. All repairs are free, with no repayment required.
For more information call Victor Tavarez at 732-442-0384 or email: victor@partnernj.org
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