Salute to service: Developer Morris says veterans deserve 1st chance at new Edge apartments

Jack Morris speaks at the grand opening for The Edge in Freehold.

The display apartment was much nicer than many of the multifamily projects that are still popping up all over the state. Two (legitimate-sized) bedrooms (and full bathrooms), kitchen, eating area and a living room that felt like it actually could be lived in.
But that’s not what makes The Edge in Freehold, the latest venture from Edgewood Properties, unique. It’s who will be living there: veterans.
If Jack Morris, the CEO of Edgewood, has his way, veterans will move to the front of the line of all 209 of the one-, two- and three-bedroom offerings, both affordable units and market rate units.
“They should be first in line,” he said. “They should get preference. I don’t think anybody would debate or would disagree with that.”
He may be right. But it’s also factual to say few people are actually doing anything to create such scenarios.
Morris is. And he feels so strongly about it that he even had a grand opening event Thursday night, an unusual occurrence for someone who likes to do his good work behind the scenes.
“I’m not one who likes to stand up in front of the camera or a microphone,” he said. “But if it helps the men and women who fought for this country and gives us the freedom that we have, then I’ll do it.”
Morris said he knows the problems veterans face. Knows not only the tens of thousands who are homeless in this country, but the thousands of more living in substandard dwellings. He’s determined to do something about that.
Read more here: http://www.roi-nj.com/2019/08/23/opinion/salute-to-service-developer-morris-says-veterans-deserve-1st-chance-at-new-edge-apartments/