Housing Initiatives of Princeton (HIP)

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Our History

Because a homeless woman in the late 1990’s repeatedly sought refuge at Trinity Church in Princeton, hearts were touched and a movement was begun that led to the birth of Housing Initiatives of Princeton (HIP). Trinity Church Associate Rector Kit Sherrill launched the task force that ultimately identified a critical need for transitional housing in Princeton.

In 2001, under the leadership of Rev. Christine (Chrissy) Knight and the late Rev. Margaret (Peggy) Prescott, co-outreach ministers at Trinity Church, Housing Initiatives of Princeton was organized as a 501(c) (3) non-profit under the auspices of Princeton Outreach Projects, Inc.* Rev. Prescott was HIP’s founding chair.
She and the new organization’s Board began to lay the ground work to assist local working families facing homelessness and set as its goals to:

• Raise awareness, through education and advocacy, of the challenges facing the working poor in Princeton
• Provide a long-term transitional housing program for homeless and near homeless working families in Princeton

Founding congregations Trinity Episcopal Church, Nassau Presbyterian Church, and partner HomeFront were quickly joined by:

• Princeton Friends Meeting
• Princeton United Methodist Church
• The Jewish Center of Princeton
• Unitarian Universalist Congregation (left the board in 2005).
• Nassau Christian Center (financial contribution)
• Jewish Family & Children’s Services of Mercer County, a partner since 2007
• Crawford House, a partner since 2008

11 Mercer Street becomes Prescott House

Fall 2002, under the leadership of Trinity Church’s Rector, The Rev. Leslie Smith, Housing Initiatives of Princeton’s Chair, Rev. Peggy Prescott and co-Outreach Minister, Rev. Chrissy Knight discussions began with the vestry of Trinity Church regarding the use of a Trinity owned house located at 11 Mercer Street, Princeton.

Spring 2003, Trinity’s vestry approved the renovation of the two-family house and its lease to Housing Initiatives of Princeton for transitional housing use.

May 2004, renovations were completed to 11 Mercer Street’s first floor apartment and HIP’s first family moved in. The apartment was dedicated in memory of Ms. Tu-Anh Pham, Princeton resident and a victim of the September 11th tragedy in the World Trade Center. As a Vietnamese refugee in the mid-70s, she understood what it meant to lose everything, to struggle against the odds, and to begin again. Ms. Pham’s husband, former employer and friends believed an apartment dedicated for the homeless was a most suitable memorial for her.

May 2005, renovations to the second floor apartment were completed and HIP’s second family moved in. At that time, the house was dedicated as Prescott House in honor of HIP’s founding chair, Rev. Peggy Prescott.

The renovation of the 11 Mercer Street house was a model community project; board members, congregation members, individuals and businesses, and friends of Tu-Anh Pham provided in-kind donations, financial contributions and sweat equity to transform the old house into a home!

December 2010, HIP transitioned from a member program of POPI’s family of programs to an independent non-profit entity. HIP is now organized as a Charitable Trust. It has attained its own Employer Identification Number (EIN) and has applied to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for Recognition of Exemption under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

October 2011, Housing Initiatives of Princeton Charitable Trust (HIPCT) enters into an agreement with Princeton Township to lease a Princeton Township owned and unoccupied unit for transitional housing.

*Trinity Episcopal Church and Nassau Presbyterian Church founded Princeton Outreach Projects, Inc. in 1992. It had four programs that served and empowered the lives of thousands of people each year in Trenton and Princeton; they were: The Crisis Ministry of Trenton and Princeton, Trenton After School Program, Trenton Children’s Chorus and Housing Initiatives of Princeton, LLC.