Who says that you can’t ever go home again? Newark HIV/AIDS patients finally can thanks to Jon Bon Jovi, the Jersey born rocker.

Today Bon Jovi officially helped to open the HELP Genesis JBJ Soul Homes. It’s a 51 unit affordable housing complex in the North ward of Newark. Fifteen of the units are solely dedicated to HIV/AIDS patients. It’s the first project for that in the state of New Jersey.

In front of a full lobby of the new building Bon Jovi said, today I think the sun is definitely shining brighter down on New Jersey. We have realized a dream today.

Approximately eighteen months ago, Bon Jovi and Maria Cuomo Cole, HELP USA chairwoman, approached Cory Booker, Newark Mayor, with the idea of providing affordable housing featuring community services along with state of the art construction and design. Despite poor economic conditions, Bon Jovi and Cole along with the political backing of Booker, got the $10.4 million project funded through tax abatements and charitable donations.

Following the event Booker said, a great deal of philanthropy was brought together in order to create New Jersey’s nicest affordable housing.

The project developer, HELP USA, was established in 1986. They have built approximately 30 housing projects and 2400 units all over the country. This is the group’s first New Jersey project. Cole gives Bon Jovi credit for bringing figures together from the political, fashion and music worlds in order to see the project to its fruition.

Cole said, Jon always emphasize how important the “we”is. This private/public partnership has been on of the most productive for HELP in 20 years.

Kenneth Cole, Cole’s husband, worked together with Bon Jovi. He created a jacket line along with a fragrance for generating revenue to fund the building. The JBJ Soul Foundation, Bon Jovi’s group, donated $1 million for the project.

The LEED certified building features three, two and one bedroom apartments. They come with hardwood cabinets, coriander counter tops and Energy Star appliances. The building also has two different homework labs furnished with computers for the children, along with a lab for job counseling, a fully stocked art studio complete with easels, as well as a dozen new Mac computers for community members and residents.

The fifteen apartments that have been dedicated for HIV/AIDS patients are furnished with tables and chairs, a dresser, a bed as well as grab bars and modified sinks for accommodating handicapped residents. Broadway House, which is a facility that provides long care services for adults with HIV/AIS will help residents with managing their medications as well as linking to addiction counseling and other outside services.

According to Hyacinth AIDS foundation officials, one of New Jersey’s first advocacy groups for AIDS, this project is crucial and also very unique.

Kim Hunter, who is Hyacinth’s correctional services manager, said this is very much needed. There is really an absence of projects of this kind in our area.

With the exception of health care, Hunter says that housing is the most important issues that affects HIV patients.

Hunter said, I specifically work with HIV-positive female and male offender populations. There is always a big barrier trying to find stable housing for them.

Vouchers are being provided by the Newark Housing Authority for the fifteen HIV-positive residents along with eight others. They were all taken from the Authority’s affordable housing waiting list.

A lottery with 500 income eligible Newark citizens was used to choose the remainder of the residents. The residential units are priced at a level for families that earn under 50 percent of the area’s median income. For a one bedroom the rent is $551 up to a three bedroom renting for $773.

The first official resident of the building, 37 year old Reuben Napper, was there to thank all of the groups who had helped to bring the project to its fruition.

Napper, an HIV patient who when he became sick lost his trucking job said, I am very excited that I get to transition into my very own apartment. Now I can work towards moving on in life. It really is a dream come true for me.