Plan To Tear Down Mt. Holly Homes

MOUNT HOLLY, N.J. -- A plan to tear down hundreds of homes in a south Jersey town has people worried about where they'll end up living.

It's happening at Mount Holly Gardens in Burlington County, a neighborhood known for its high crime rate and absentee landlords.

The plan to tear down the units that make up Mount Holly Gardens and replace them with a mix of duplexes, low- and moderate-income housing and a commercial section is bringing the ire of residents. Initially built as government housing, Mount Holly Garden units were sold to private owners 53 years ago. Today, many of the units have become victims of neglect.

Township officials say that two-thirds of the units are owned by absentee landlords.

Officials say the plan is to provide affordable housing that people can own and live in.

"It allows those property values to be maintained because you're interested personally in the how it looks, as opposed to an absentee landlord who doesn't," said Don Scattergood, Mount Holly's mayor.

The people who live in Mount Holly Gardens say they can't afford the units that are being proposed.

"The lowest one is $105,000. Who can afford that, especially in this neighborhood? Nobody can afford that. My mom is on Social Security, where's she going to go? I'm trying to fix her house up and they're trying to tear it down," said Denika Smith.

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