By Lev D. Zilbermints
After a month and seven days, the City of Newark provided “Local Talk” with the crime statistics for HELP Center at 224 Sussex Avenue. The place has such as poor reputation that homeless people prefer to sleep on the streets rather than put their lives in danger.
In its February 25 issue, “Local Talk” initially reported that HELP Center, located at 224 Sussex Avenue in Newark, had alleged cases of drug addiction, rape, stabbings, theft, fraud, freezing cold rooms, spoiled or outdated food, aggressive security taking out their issues on tenants, no police presence, and tenants being evicted without due process.
Data provided by the City of Newark validated reports of aggravated assault, rape and theft taking place at the HELP Center between October 2019 – January 27, 2021. The picture that emerges from this data is one of fear, crime, lack of police presence and lack of transparency and oversight by the powers that be.
According to the police records provided by the Office of the Clerk of the City of Newark, there were 8 aggravated assaults; 1 aggravated assault/shooting; 2 rapes; 1 robbery; and 16 thefts. All of this occurred between March 4, 2018 and January 18, 2021. In addition, rlsmedia.com reported on January 27, 2021 that a stabbing at 224 Sussex Avenue was under investigation.
Analyses done by Local Talk staff showed that crimes happened more in January (8) and March (5), than other months. October had 3 crimes; May, June and December, 2 each. February, April, July, August, September and November all had 1 crime each. However, this does not necessarily mean that some months have less crime than others. It is far from clear that the summer/early fall months of July, August and September with 1 crime each, are better. Plausible enough, tenants can be elsewhere during the warm weather. This might contribute to a decline in crime. Conversely, January and March, being winter months, might have more crime due to tenants having to stay inside. The climate factor might contribute to an increase or decrease in crime.
Munirah El Bomani, an activist, does not think that crime statistics reported by Newark Police give an accurate picture. Talking via text messages, Bomani wrote, “Violence reported or not reported. 224 Sussex Avenue Shelters need reorganization and more accountability based on the number of crimes, complaints. And amount of homeless dollars being allocated. Where is the safety, transparency and oversight?”
In other words, what “Local Talk” received were just the reported crimes, the tip of the iceberg. There are talks that the unreported crimes are thought to be many times greater than those that were reported. Some homeless people are afraid to report what is going on for fear of eviction or their own safety.
Bomani, the activist, sums up the horrible conditions this way.
“The homeless are too frightened to go there (224 Sussex Avenue) for so many reasons that are being swept under the rug by the powers that be. The homeless have no trust in the leadership.”
