Middlesex County

Legal resources available

The New Jersey Digital Legal Library

Posted by Damika Webb on February 16th 2011

Here’s a good source of information for people interested in affordable housing in NJ. The Rutgers University Library for the Center for Law and Justice hosts the New Jersey Digital Legal Library which provides public access to materials of New Jersey law and legal history. It is a good source for understanding the legal history and current events in affordable housing. In the Affordable Housing Archive you can find the history of Mount Laurel, the Mount Laurel opinions, related statutes and current developments.

From Larry, Feb. 20
The Ocean County Library also has two databases that might prove helpful to you.
Legal forms are available online from the library's Web site: http://www.theoceancountylibrary.org/ . This database is available 24/7 and can be accessed from your home or remotely.
Westlaw can be accessed from the Toms River, Brick or Lakewood branches during normal business hours.  The database provides access to NJ Statutes Annotated; NJ Court cases from 1790 to the present; NJ Administrative Code; and the NJ Register.  One can also find the text of federal laws including the US Code Annotated as well as US Supreme Court, federal district and 3rd Circuit Court case decisions.
The databases are found on the library Web site's home page under the "Research and Info" pull down menu.

Next court date

The next court date for the Tent City litigation will be held March 14 @ 1:30 p.m. in Court Room 1 at the Ocean County Court House.  The public is welcome to attend.

From attorney Jeff Wild

Our Coalition had a very good day -- in some ways, an extraordinary day -- on our first day in the Ocean County Superior Court before its chief judge, the Hon. Vincent J. Grasso, A.J.S.C.  Yesterday afternoon was scheduled to be the most routine of court days:  just an initial scheduling conference, when the lawyers discuss mundane matters (scheduling and discovery), with only the litigators on the case in attendance.  But this was no ordinary first day in court.

When Judge Grasso walked into his courtroom, he was visibly surprised to see more than just the lawyers on the case.  As he scanned the normally empty courtroom, he saw:   (1)  at least half a dozen homeless men and women, who had come in from the woods to stand up for their rights; (2) members of our Coalition, including people from community organizations like STEPS, H.E.L.P and the Kiwanis Club, as well as local college students and other advocates for the homeless; and (3)  representatives of the media, including a reporter from the Asbury Park press and a documentary filmmaker.  The lawyers for the County and Lakewood were also clearly affected by the turnout, telling me they could not believe that the public had actually come to the initial conference in the case. 

To start with, Judge Grasso agreed with my request that in light of the obvious public interest in this case, he hold the initial conference hearing on the record, in open court, to the greatest degree possible.    He then allowed each of the attorneys -- Lakewood's attorney; my law firm (me and my colleague, Julie Werner); and the three lawyers in attendance for the County -- to give an overview of their positions.  As we had hoped, Lakewood's lawyer did not press (at least not now) what had started this litigation:  Lakewood's attempt to eject the people in the Lakewood camp.   Thus, at least for this winter (and what remains of it), we seem to have achieved our first goal:  stopping ejectment of homeless people with no other place to go.

The County, not surprisingly, took the position that it had already spent lots of money and already is doing all for the Lakewood camp that the law requires.  I, on the other hand,  did my best to start laying out some of the themes of our Coalition, such as that:  (1) the "safety net" for the homeless is full of holes, with people -- including people in the courtroom -- falling through them and ending up outside on the ground; (2) the County has a legal obligation to give every homeless person an option besides living in the woods or on the street -- not just those who the County decides "qualify"; and (3) the County is wasting the taxpayer's money on "solutions" that don’t work, such as putting some homeless people up in hotel rooms some of the time for $75 or more a night -- far more than a sensible solution to homelessness would cost.

The proceedings, which normally would have lasted less than 30 minutes, went in and out of the courtroom for almost two hours.  The highlights included Judge Grasso putting on the record that this litigation would not be limited to Lakewood, as the County had requested in the Judge's chambers, but would deal with issues of homelessness throughout the County, as our Coalition wanted.  In addition, while in the Judge's chambers, we argued about the effect of the County's position:  that a homeless person who does not qualify for any specific program offered by the County may have no choice but to live outside.  The Judge seemed skeptical that this could be the law, and directed the County's lawyers to respond to our arguments under the New Jersey Constitution and the Poor Laws -- before the next conference on Monday, March 14th at 1:30 p.m.

In addition, Judge Grasso said that he wanted a sign of action that could be announced to the people in the courtroom, including the homeless, before the conference ended.  Thus, at the Coalition's request, he appointed two "point people" -- for the homeless of the County, Mike McNeil of STEPS (whom I suggested because he is known to the judge and respected by him - and us) and for the County, Linda Murtagh of the Board of Social Services -- to discuss any homeless people that the Coalition (through Mike) identified as wanting a place to go.  This could be a win-win situation for the homeless.  If the County starts to help those whom it has not helped before, great.  If not, Mike and his staff at STEPS will have a list of people whom the County failed to help, and this will strengthen our legal position. Most importantly, Judge Grasso is clearly a man of compassion and practicality.  If the County will not work with us, Judge Grasso could make historic legal rulings about what New Jersey law, including the New Jersey Constitution requires.  Indeed, this could even be certified (as we have asked) as perhaps the first class action for the homeless in New Jersey history.

None of this will be possible unless our Coalition continues to show Judge Grasso and the County, like it did yesterday, that we will stand by the homeless.  For those who work or live in Ocean County, please join us, even if only briefly, on March 14 at 1:30 p.m. in Courtroom 1 in the old courthouse at the intersection of Washington St. & Hooper Ave. in Tom's River (map linked below):

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=118+Washington+St.,+Toms+River,+nj&aq=&sll=40.708999,-74.014119&sspn=0.009027,0.014141&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=118+Washington+St,+Toms+River,+Ocean,+New+Jersey+08753&z=16

       

Let's stay united with the homeless -- and please spread the word!  If you know of anyone who wants to be added to this e-mail list for the Coalition for the Homeless of Ocean County (to get future updates), please let me know.

Thanks!

Jeff

Jeffrey J. Wild Member of the Firm Lowenstein Sandler PC 65 Livingston Avenue Roseland, NJ 07068

Tent City's Day in Court

Erik Larsen wrote up an article about yesterday's case management meeting.  It can be found at the Asbury Park Press's Web site: http://www.app.com/article/20110217/NJNEWS/110218002/1070/NEWS02%26source=rss 

One correction to note: Jeffrey Wild is not a "Manhattan Lawyer." Instead it should be noted he is a Member of the Firm Lowenstein Sandler PC in Roseland, NJ.

While Eric mentioned the dozen or so homeless who attended, he did not say there were 25 people in attendance.  The others represented advocacy groups that support finding shelter for the homeless.

Erik did a good job capturing what went on at the meeting.

Both sides are scheduled to meet again later in March.

Thank you all for being there

Usually just the attorneys and court personnel attend a case management meeting but today's meeting (Thursday, Feb. 17) saw 25 additional people (10 advocates and 15 homeless men and women,) plus the media attend.

After opening remarks by four of the five attorneys, Judge Vincent Grasso took note of the visitors, saying public interest in the proceedings were obvious.  He then explained that he wanted to talk with the attorneys but did not want to give the impression that a back-room deal would be cut.  He promised that whatever was discussed and agreed upon would be shared after they conferred.  And he did just that.

We will have specifics shortly.

Great turnout on such short notice.  And your presence demonstrates the heart people have for such an important issue.  Thank you for being there.

Larry

A Better World Cafe - the future of soup kitchens

I visited A Better World Cafe in Highland Park for lunch Wednesday with Steve Nagel & Bridget Kennedy.

"This is the future of soup kitchens," said Chef Rachel.  It provides warm, nutritous meals for everybody, regardless of one's ability to pay.  It offers people a chance to volunteer or earn credits to have more than the daily complimentary meal.  And it offers people a chance to donate cash by paying a bit more than the suggested donation for their meal.

Their Web site can be found at http://www.betterworldcafe.org/

 Here is their message:

Welcome to A Better World Café, opened Oct. 21, 2009. This is a community kitchen, serving lunch Monday through Friday 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. (with hope to expand into dinner and weekend hours in the future; for now it is weekday lunchtime only). The café’s purpose is to help make a sustainable world where all may eat.  Here’s our menu. You select your portions and pay a fair price through one of the following options:

• You may pay the suggested price or something different. If you pay more, you will help feed someone else who has more limited resources.
• You may volunteer an hour of time in exchange for a meal.
• You may dine on the complimentary dish of the day if you can neither pay nor volunteer.
• You may use the complimentary dish as one of your selections when you are selecting multiple items, to help keep your total cost down.

A New Kind of Cafe

This social enterprise, a partnership between Elijah's Promise and Who Is My Neighbor? Inc., hopes to make healthy eating accessible and affordable for all. A Better World Cafe follows a community cafe model pioneered by Denise Cerreta of One World Everybody Eats in Salt Lake City, Utah.

This new kind of cafe reduces food waste, since customers choose their own portion sizes. It reduces trash because it does not use Styrofoam cups, plastic utensils, or paper plates. And it helps global neighbors because the coffees and teas are fairly traded. The  cafe uses seasonal foods--grown, cooked, and served in ways that make sense for the environment and for the customer's budget.

Community Outreach

Creating livable wage jobs, the cafe employs skilled workers who have been trained at Elijah's Promise Culinary School, and also utilizes volunteers -- some working in exchange for food, others just pitching in to create sustainable eating for all.

Food is prepared at the Culinary School by its graduates and students, and brought to the cafe daily. On-the-job training and employment opportunities for low-income adults and youth are built into the operation. An array of healthy eating choices helps provide the dietary means for people to improve

health and reduce obesity, developing a healthier community.

Visit A Better World Cafe

A Better World Cafe is located in the Quilt Room* of the Reformed Church of Highland Park. There is a parking lot between 2nd and 3rd Ave. off Raritan Ave. (Route 27).  Phone number: 732.510.1572.

* Note: The Quilt Room is a start-up location. The Reformed Church is incubating the cafe until it can generate enough patronage and resources to create its own space, to be open for lunch and dinner 7 days a week, develop more jobs, utilize more volunteers, and make healthy eating accessible and affordable for more people.

A Better World Cafe Blog

The best way to keep up with the cafe is by reading the blog, where you will receive all the latest news, events, menus, and changes.

They are also on Facebook.

Larry

Registration Open for New Jersey Future’s Sixth Annual Redevelopment Forum

Fair Share Housing Center
by Damika Webb

New Jersey Future’s Redevelopment Forum will be held on Friday, March 4, 2011 at the Hyatt Hotel and Conference Center in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The day-long event will feature workshops and speakers who will provide practical tools for encouraging redevelopment in New Jersey.

Kevin Walsh will be the moderator for a workshop called Inclusionary Redevelopment: A New Focus for Housing Policy. This session will provide an update on the current status of the legislative effort to replace the Council on Affordable Housing and will consider what requirements municipalities may face if the principles embodied in the recent bills were ultimately signed into law in some form.

The session will include James Harris of the NJ NAACP; Stephen Eisdorfer, an affordable housing attorney; and Pasquale Menna, the Mayor of the Borough of Red Bank.

For general information and to register for this conference, please click here (or if that doesn't work try http://www.njfuture.org/index.cfm?ctn=9t45e1o30v9g&emn=5u92y86g2h42&fuseaction=user.xcontent&XContent=4_29_116  )

Next forum

Everyone seems to agree that the homeless forum held Jan. 31st was a success.  Most important, we showed that many of the homeless are not the characature that many of us imagine them to be.

Everyone also seems to agree that we need a follow up to that forum.  We have scheduled a new forum to discuss solutions and create strategies to impliment them.  The forum will be held Monday, March 28 at 6:30 p.m. in the Toms River branch of the Ocean County Library.  The forum is free and the public is invited to attend.  Please save the date and we hope to see you there.

More information will be coming out shortly.

Larry

Homeless litigation scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 17

Judge Grasso will meet with both sides of the Lakewood tent city litigation this Thursday (Courtroom 1, I believe) at 1:30 p.m.  I have included a letter from Jeffrey Wild about this matter. 

If you are available, can you attend?  Public concern over the homeless is very high in Ocean County.  By being there you will show your support of the homeless and the attorneys who are representing them.

Thanks for your attention in this matter,

Larry

Larry,

Nice speaking with you tonight.  Please feel free to forward the attached letters and the litigation update below to any member of the press interested in following the Ocean County Homeless Litigation -- including the initial court conference before Judge Grasso this Thursday at 1:30 p.m.  I am also willing to speak with anyone, including any reporters, who have any questions.  Feel free to call me (or have anyone call me) on my cell, 973-517-8015:

Subject: Litigation Update: Coalition for the Homeless of Ocean County

As per the attached letter from the Court, Judge Grasso has granted our request for an initial case management conference, which I will attend with the attorneys for the other parties, including the County and Lakewood, this coming Thursday at 1:30 p.m.  Initial conference like these are often routine, such as to set a schedule for discovery and other proceedings in the litigation.  Also, even though this says the conference will be held in a courtroom, Judge Grasso could move this into his chambers or a conference room where this initial conference (or part of it) would not be open to the public.  If the conference is held in the courtroom (as stated in the attached letter), you or any members of the public are more than welcome to observe this or any other courtroom proceedings.

As per my letter of January 28th letter to Judge Grasso that led to this conference (another copy of which is attached, for ease of reference), this will be an opportunity for the County to cooperate with us, such as by offering emergency shelter to those now in the woods who want to get out of the snow, ice and cold.  If the County does not do the right thing and cooperate, we will need to consider, after the initial conference, preparing a motion to try and get the judge to order "interim relief" while the litigation is pending.  Hopefully, however, the County will realize that it is in its interests to join the solution, rather than be a big part of the problem.     

Jeffrey J. Wild
Member of the Firm
Lowenstein Sandler PC
65 Livingston Avenue
Roseland, New Jersey 07068
Tele:  973-597-2554
Fax:  973-597-2555
            -and-
1251 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10020
Tele:  212-262-6700
Fax:  973-5970-2555jwild@lowenstein.com
www.lowenstein.com

Homeless litigation scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 17

Judge Grasso will meet with both sides of the Lakewood tent city litigation this Thursday (Courtroom 1, I believe) at 1:30 p.m.  I have included a letter from Jeffrey Wild about this matter. 

If you are available, can you attend?  Public

Thanks for your attention in this matter,

Larry

Larry,

Nice speaking with you tonight.  Please feel free to forward the attached letters and the litigation update below to any member of the press interested in following the Ocean County Homeless Litigation -- including the initial court conference before Judge Grasso this Thursday at 1:30 p.m.  I am also willing to speak with anyone, including any reporters, who have any questions.  Feel free to call me (or have anyone call me) on my cell, 973-517-8015:

Subject: Litigation Update: Coalition for the Homeless of Ocean County

As per the attached letter from the Court, Judge Grasso has granted our request for an initial case management conference, which I will attend with the attorneys for the other parties, including the County and Lakewood, this coming Thursday at 1:30 p.m.  Initial conference like these are often routine, such as to set a schedule for discovery and other proceedings in the litigation.  Also, even though this says the conference will be held in a courtroom, Judge Grasso could move this into his chambers or a conference room where this initial conference (or part of it) would not be open to the public.  If the conference is held in the courtroom (as stated in the attached letter), you or any members of the public are more than welcome to observe this or any other courtroom proceedings.

As per my letter of January 28th letter to Judge Grasso that led to this conference (another copy of which is attached, for ease of reference), this will be an opportunity for the County to cooperate with us, such as by offering emergency shelter to those now in the woods who want to get out of the snow, ice and cold.  If the County does not do the right thing and cooperate, we will need to consider, after the initial conference, preparing a motion to try and get the judge to order "interim relief" while the litigation is pending.  Hopefully, however, the County will realize that it is in its interests to join the solution, rather than be a big part of the problem.     

Jeffrey J. Wild
Member of the Firm
Lowenstein Sandler PC
65 Livingston Avenue
Roseland, New Jersey 07068
Tele:  973-597-2554
Fax:  973-597-2555
            -and-
1251 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10020
Tele:  212-262-6700
Fax:  973-5970-2555jwild@lowenstein.com
www.lowenstein.com

Homeless litigation scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 17

Judge Grasso will meet with both sides of the Lakewood tent city litigation this Thursday (Courtroom 1, I believe) at 1:30 p.m.  I have included a letter from Jeffrey Wild about this matter.  It contains his contact information.

Thanks for your attention in this matter,

Larry

Larry,

Nice speaking with you tonight.  Please feel free to forward the attached letters and the litigation update below to any member of the press interested in following the Ocean County Homeless Litigation -- including the initial court conference before Judge Grasso this Thursday at 1:30 p.m.  I am also willing to speak with anyone, including any reporters, who have any questions.  Feel free to call me (or have anyone call me) on my cell, 973-517-8015:

Subject: Litigation Update: Coalition for the Homeless of Ocean County

As per the attached letter from the Court, Judge Grasso has granted our request for an initial case management conference, which I will attend with the attorneys for the other parties, including the County and Lakewood, this coming Thursday at 1:30 p.m.  Initial conference like these are often routine, such as to set a schedule for discovery and other proceedings in the litigation.  Also, even though this says the conference will be held in a courtroom, Judge Grasso could move this into his chambers or a conference room where this initial conference (or part of it) would not be open to the public.  If the conference is held in the courtroom (as stated in the attached letter), you or any members of the public are more than welcome to observe this or any other courtroom proceedings.

As per my letter of January 28th letter to Judge Grasso that led to this conference (another copy of which is attached, for ease of reference), this will be an opportunity for the County to cooperate with us, such as by offering emergency shelter to those now in the woods who want to get out of the snow, ice and cold.  If the County does not do the right thing and cooperate, we will need to consider, after the initial conference, preparing a motion to try and get the judge to order "interim relief" while the litigation is pending.  Hopefully, however, the County will realize that it is in its interests to join the solution, rather than be a big part of the problem.     

Jeffrey J. Wild
Member of the Firm
Lowenstein Sandler PC
65 Livingston Avenue
Roseland, New Jersey 07068
Tele:  973-597-2554
Fax:  973-597-2555
            -and-
1251 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10020
Tele:  212-262-6700
Fax:  973-5970-2555jwild@lowenstein.com
www.lowenstein.com

Oppose House assault on affordable housing now!

Extreme Cuts Proposed

On February 3, the House launched its long anticipated assault on housing and community development programs. 

The House Budget Committee proposed setting FY11 spending caps for domestic discretionary programs at FY08 levels, dramatically lower than current funding levels.

To meet these caps and impose additional cuts, the House Appropriations Committee announced its plan to cut the Transportation, HUD, and Related Agencies (THUD) Subcommittee’s funding allocation by 18%. This is below the President’s FY11 budget request and 17% below FY10 levels, the level at which programs are now being funded under the continuing resolution.   

These cuts would reduce HUD’s share of the THUD budget, causing hundreds of thousands of households currently housed through HUD programs to lose their housing. Cuts at these levels would devastate HUD programs serving the lowest income, most economically vulnerable households. HUD announced this week that the number of households experiencing worst case housing needs, defined as very low income renter households paying more than half of their income for housing or having other significant housing problems, increased by 20% between 2007 and 2009. 

Please contact your Representative and Senators NOW to let them know that these cuts are unacceptable and that:   

1. HUD programs must be funded at FY10 levels at a minimum, AND: 
2. Three HUD programs must be funded at higher than FY10 levels to prevent households from being evicted from affordable housing:
• The tenant-based Housing Choice Voucher program requires more than $900 million over FY10 levels for renewals.
• The project-based rental assistance program requires more than $655 million over FY10 levels for renewals.
• The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants requires more than $190 million over FY10 levels.

Click here to get the contact information for your House and Senate offices, or call the Congressional switchboard at 877-210-5351.

After making the calls, let us know who you contacted by emailing us at outreach@nlihc.org.

Worst Case Housing Needs

Worst Case Housing Needs Increase by 20%

by Richard W. Brown on February 1, 2011

7.1 million households paid more than half their income for
rent or lived in substandard housing

In a report to Congress released today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) found that “worst case housing needs” grew by nearly 1.2 million households, or more than 20 percent, from 2007 to 2009 and by 42 percent since 2001. “Worst case housing needs” are defined as low-income households who paid more than half their monthly income for rent, lived in severely substandard housing, or both. The increase in the extent of worst case housing needs represents the largest two-year jump since HUD began reporting this segment of the rental market in 1985. Unemployment and under-employment pushed 410,000 more households into the worst case needs category accounting for more than one-third of all new cases.

HUD’s report found:

• Worst case housing needs were 7.10 million in 2009 (41 percent of very low-income renters), up from 5.91 million (37 percent). This represents more than a 20 percent increase from the number of worst case needs in 2007.
• Every racial/ethnic group experienced increases in worst case housing needs during 2007-2009 with Hispanic households having the largest increase in incidence (8 percentage points).
• Higher income families are competing for a limited number of affordable rental units further driving down already-low vacancy rates for the lowest rent units. Only 36 of every 100 extremely low-income renters have affordable units available to them.
• Dramatic increases in worst case needs were caused by shrinking incomes as well as rent increases due to increased competition among low-income families for fewer affordable units.
• Worst case needs among renters with disabilities increased from 37.5 percent to 40.7 percent (of all very low-income renters with disabilities).
• The availability of affordable rental housing varies across regions of the country with supply most scarce in the West, where only 53 units available per 100 very low-income renter households, compared with 65 in the South, 66 in the Northeast and 87 in the Midwest.

HUD’s study, Worst Case Housing Needs 2009: A Report to Congress, one in a long-term series of reports designed to measure the scale of critical housing problems facing low-income un-assisted American renting households.

The findings are based on data from the U.S Census Bureau’s American Housing Survey conducted between May and September of 2009. This report finds a direct link between the increased numbers of worst case needs and the recent recession and related joblessness.

These worst case housing needs are defined as renters with very low incomes (below half the median in their area) who do not receive government housing assistance and who either paid more than half their monthly incomes for rent, lived in severely substandard conditions, or both. HUD’s report finds that needs cut across all regions of the country and included all racial and ethnic groups, regardless of whether they lived in cities, suburbs or rural areas. In addition, HUD concluded that large numbers of worst case needs were also found across various family types including families with children, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities.

To read the full report go to http://www.huduser.org/Publications/pdf/worstcase_HsgNeeds09.pdf 

Some Ocean County solutions to homelessness

Connie Pascale's notes presented during the Jan. 31st forum.

Some Local Solutions to Homelessness

Despite the hundreds of homeless or at-risk families assisted by the Ocean County Board of Social Services every year with state and federal funds, and in spite of the best efforts of many non-profit charitable organizations dedicated to helping the homeless and others in need, the problem of homelessness has not been resolved and continues to grow.  In a recent survey of agencies and organizations, the Ocean County Human Services Advisory Council (HSAC) Planning Committee to Address Homelessness identified the following as the greatest gaps in the service delivery system:  affordable housing, transitional housing, emergency shelters and transportation. 

This document identifies some possible ways to fill those critical gaps. Most of them reflect the “housing first” approach endorsed by the federal and many state governments, as well as by a large number of non-profits and other providers of assistance to homeless families and individuals.  “Housing first” relies upon the placement of  homeless people in long-term housing as soon as possible, without requiring them to complete or even begin programs aimed at resolving the underlying issues that have caused or contributed to their homelessness.  This makes sense, since involuntary homelessness is a housing problem, and can be solved by providing housing.  Once the individuals or families are stabilized, services are delivered as needed on an ongoing basis. 

A growing number of studies have found that “housing first” significantly improves the effectiveness of these services, and dramatically reduces the number of participants who become homeless again. Personal issues (economic, physical, mental, emotional, etc.) that, in certain individual, social and societal contexts can yield a host of negative outcomes, including homelessness, are most effectively addressed after a homeless individual or family has achieved a measure of stability in permanent, affordable housing.  Moreover, from an economic perspective the “housing first”  studies also find that employing “housing first” saves hundreds of thousands of dollars by significantly reducing the number of emergency room visits, police and ambulance calls, etc.

Emergent relief and homelessness prevention

·         Construct (or convert an existing building) to a permanent facility that provides emergency short-term shelter, intensive screening and service delivery, and rapid placement into voucher-subsidized permanent housing with appropriate services delivered on an ongoing basis thereafter.  Transitional units are also available on site if necessary.   [Model:  Bergen County Housing, Health and Human Services Center]

·         Adopt a more direct “housing first” approach that uses motels/hotels for emergency help and moves families and individuals into permanent housing with services as soon as possible using vouchers. [Model:  Mercer Alliance to End Homelessness Housing First Demonstration Initiative]

·         Put resources into, and recognize by ordinance or resolution, the current “tent city” as a key source of both emergency shelter and transitional housing; allow it to construct additional on-site structures, as well as use trailers and other mobile facilities to improve its operation and become a permanent resource. (This could be accomplished on the present site or at another location.)  [Model:   Village of Hope/Community of Hope, Fresno, CA]    

Transitional/Short-term Housing

·         On –site transitional dwellings.  [Model:  Bergen Cty Housing, Health and Human Services Center]; improvements to “Tent City” [see above]; subsidized motel placement for those not eligible for other emergency shelter programs.  (The latter include working people, disabled individuals not on SSI, and others vulnerable households.)

·         Agency/organization rental of existing market-rate apartments throughout County for short-term use by people until they move to permanent housing [similar to other programs now in operation.]

Affordable housing and transportation

·         Increase the supply of rooming/boarding homes, efficiency apartments and other types of supportive housing, especially for those with mental/physical disabilities and substance abuse problems.    (For example:  construct or rehab small mid-size supportive housing  facilities operated by non-profits and located at scattered sites near bus routes; 15 such buildings containing  15 efficiency apartments would provide 225 permanent housing units.)   [Models:  Hamilton Supportive Hsg, Neptune; Eva’s Village, Paterson; State Street Program, Perth Amboy; Veterans Housing Project, Highland Park]

·         Locate manufactured homes in small clusters on scattered sites (primarily for families)

·         Obtain a dedicated number of federal or state housing vouchers; and/or increase supply of “ local” vouchers (for example, use of more federal HOME funds for tenant-based vouchers)  [Model:  Mercer Alliance to End Homelessness;  HOME-funded voucher program currently operated by OC]

·         Overlay zoning for small starter homes, accessory apartments, multi-family dwellings near bus routes, apartments above commercial structures or parking lots, etc.

Some possible sources of funding

·         Secure a dedicated supply of federal Housing Choice and state SRAP vouchers

·         Establish a county-based Homelessness Trust Fund as a long-term funding source for vouchers, rent payments, permanent housing, etc.   

·         Reallocate and pool current HUD grants (HOME, CDBG, etc.); access other federal/state/ local sources:  Special Needs Trust Fund (HMFA), other HMFA programs, federal Section 811 Housing program, local developer fee ordinances; sale of county/local bonds; etc.

·         United Way and other major charitable donors

Final thought:  a collaborative effort involving the County, all of its municipalities, the business community, religious congregations and other groups could implement some or all of these solutions in a manner characterized by scattered sites and widely shared responsibility.

Causes of homelessness

Connie Pascale's notes about the causes of homelessness, presented at the Jan. 31st forum.

Causes of Homelessness in Ocean County

Factual note:  Homelessness is a tragedy for far too many families and individuals.  The negative physical, mental, emotional and educational effects of homelessness on children and adults – not to mention the overwhelming stress it puts on family life – have been well-documented.  And homelessness is on the rise in Ocean County.  On January 27, 2010, the date of the last Point in Time Count (PITC), there were 589 homeless adults and children in the County, an increase of 37%  since 2007. (The 2011 Point in Time Count took place on January 26, 2011.  Data from this count will not be available for several months.)  The PITC uses a very restrictive definition of “homelessness:” it only counts unsheltered people, people staying in homeless shelters, and individuals and families placed temporarily by an agency in hotels or motels.  Even under this definition, those responsible for the PITC concede that the actual number of homeless is anywhere from two to four times higher.  Notably, the PITC does not count the numerous homeless individuals or families paying their own hotel/motel costs, nor does it include those temporarily sleeping on a friend’s couch or doubled-up with family or friends.

Among the primary causes of homelessness in Ocean County are:

·         Unemployment, low wages and unaffordable housing costs.

o   The unemployment rate in Ocean County is approximately 10%.

o   In 2009, half of all private sector workers in OC made $18.45 an hour or less ($38, 430 annually).   One quarter of all workers made less than $11.70 an hour ($24, 330 per year.)  Wages have continued to stagnate of fall for many middle and lower-income workers.

o   The 2011 federal Fair Market Rent for an efficiency apartment in OC is $949 per month, for a one-bedroom unit it is $1097, and for a two-bedroom apartment it is $1339.

o   In order to be able to afford to pay the rent and meet all its other basic expenses, a family renting a two-bedroom apartment needs an income in excess of $50,000 per year (about $24 an hour.)  A single person in an efficiency unit would require about $30,000 to pay the rent and make ends meet.  A comparison of wages to rent clearly shows that many people are truly one paycheck or one major unexpected expense from homelessness.

·         The severe shortage of subsidized housing.   There is a severe shortage of subsidized housing in Ocean County, especially in relation to the need generated by low wages and high rents.  Only 3 out of 10 households who qualify for housing assistance can obtain it due to inadequate funding levels.   For example, there are thousands of households in OC on waiting lists for federal Housing Choice Vouchers, which help lower-income people pay their rent.  All of these waiting lists are closed.  Last resort housing – rooming homes, boarding homes and other single room occupancy and efficiency units – is in particularly short supply.  Between 2000 and 2009, OC lost 38% of its licensed rooming/boarding houses (from 45 to 28), and many more were lost in the previous decades.

·         Evictions and foreclosures.   Households facing eviction or foreclosure are clearly at risk of homelessness.  (In OC alone, more than 5,000 eviction actions were filed between 7/1/09 and 6/30/10, and another 2,500 have been filed since the latter date.)   Many lower-wage workers and others are just barely able to afford their rent or mortgage payments, even in good times.   Layoffs, downsizing, loss of full-time earnings, unexpected illnesses (especially if un- or under-insured), major car or home repairs, and other problems can be catastrophic for these households, as well as for the thousands of formerly middle class families deeply affected by the economic downturn.

·         Gaps in the “safety net.”  Only three categories of households are entitled to a meaningful period of state and federally funded emergency shelter assistance (EA).  The three categories are families with children eligible to receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); adults without children eligible for General Assistance (GA); and disabled people or seniors receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI).   Hundreds of TANF, GA and SSI households throughout OC are able to avoid homelessness, or obtain shelter, because the EA provided to them through the Board of Social Services assists them with such things as several months of back rent payments, temporary placement in a hotel or motel, or temporary rental assistance for a limited period of time. 

All other homeless or imminently-homeless households are not entitled to emergency assistance.  Household not entitled include lower-wage workers, people receiving Social Security Disability or retirement benefits, those on unemployment, and others struggling to keep a roof over their heads.

Example 1:   The monthly TANF grant for a family of 3 is $424, plus Food Stamps and Medicaid.  (In comparison, the monthly GA grant is $140; it is $210 for a person considered disabled.)  A mother with 2 children applying for TANF and earning $250 per week, or receiving $400 every other week in unemployment benefits, does not qualify because she makes too much.

Example 2:  A homeless person receiving the SSI maximum of $705 is entitled to EA.  A homeless individual receiving $800 in Social Security Disability benefits is not.

Those not entitled to EA compete for a limited amount of generally short-term help, often a week or a month or two.  Others are referred to charitable groups.  Many are unable to obtain any help at all. 

A program capable of providing somewhat greater assistance to those households unable to get EA is the federal Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP), administered in OC by United Way.  (This program, initiated with a fixed amount of federal stimulus dollars, is not permanently funded.)  From October 19, 2009 through October, 2010, more than 300 homeless or at risk families with children, and 50 similarly at risk individuals, were screened by the Board of Social Services and referred to HPRP because they were not eligible for or receiving TANF, GA or SSI.  HPRP was able to help 69 families and 2 individuals avoid homelessness or find housing after they were homeless.  Strict eligibility and assistance criteria prevented it from assisting any more of those in need.   (Referrals to HPRP are only a small portion of the households that the Board cannot assist.  Only those households that the screeners think might be able to meet the strict HPRP guidelines are referred to that program.)   

·         Poor credit (the almost inevitable result of inadequate income), criminal background checks that take no account of rehabilitation, discrimination against people of color or the disabled,  and other issues only add to the difficulties experienced by many people seeking apartments. 

·         One point bears repetition and emphasis.  Emergency and transitional housing, however critical, are by definition temporary.  Those families and individuals unable to find and keep safe, decent, permanent housing that is affordable for the long term are at great risk of becoming homeless again.

Ocean County people care!

About 175 people attended the homeless forum Monday (Jan. 31st) at the Toms River branch of the Ocean County Library.  And nearly all of them were there when we ended the forum two hours later.  That shows me that people were interested in what was said and that they care enough to find ways to help.

Thank you to our speakers for sharing their personal experiences.  I think one of the most valuable parts of the forum was "Putting a Face on the Homeless."  It dispels the caricatures people create whenever they think of people who are homeless.  As I said, many of us are only one paycheck, one credit card payment or one medical emergency away from being on the streets ourselves.

Thanks to Rich, Sue and Bob who told us about the programs that are in place and the projects that are being worked on to eliminate homelessness.  One has only to take a long look at the weather people are enduring lately to realize being without a home is a terrible position to be in.  The health issues they face, the lack of security when they lay down to sleep.  How do they endure it?

My biggest thanks go out to Connie Pascale who arranged for the speakers to be there and tell about the housing issues we face in Ocean County.

My only regret is that we did not have elected officials present.  To accomplish our mutual goals of eliminating homelessness requires a collaborative effort between local businesses, local government and the citizens of Ocean County. 

Many thanks to the Rotary clubs and Kiwanis clubs that sponsored the forum, to the Circle K, Key Clubs and Interact clubs that participated, to the church groups that regularly offer their locations to provide temporary housing and food kitchens, and to the many volunteer groups that supported the forum.  And thanks to all the people who stepped forward and offered to help.

You people are the best.  And I am grateful for your concern.

An article about the forum appeared in today's Asbury Park Press.  The link to the article is: http://www.app.com/article/20110201/NJNEWS/102010357/Toms-River-forum-tells-how-homelessness-can-t-always-avoided?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Frontpage