By Lev D. Zilbermints
Homelessness is an ongoing unresolved crisis in Newark. Year round, homeless people, also called neighbors without address, are at the mercy of the elements and the capriciousness of unscrupulous people. “Local Talk” wrote in its February 25, 2021 issue about the horrible conditions that homeless people have to endure are the HELP/Urban Renewal shelter on 224 Sussex Avenue in Newark. What follows shows the plight of the homeless people in a greater perspective. Sources include interviews with activists, published data and research on the Internet.
Number of homeless persons in Newark. Causes of homelessness.
According to Munirah El Bomani, the number of homeless in Newark is about 2000 sheltered, 350 unsheltered. This data is taken from the Point In Time Count taken on January 22, 2019. Patch.com reported in its August 1, 2019 that “commissioned by the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, the “NJCounts” survey is accomplished with the help of local community, government and volunteer groups.”
The report stated, “according to researchers, 2,235 homeless people were counted in Essex County on January 22 [2019] – about 25% of the entire state’s population. The total dwarfed the next-highest county, Hudson, which had 890 homeless people (10%).”
According to the report, about 87% of Essex County’s homeless residents live in New Jersey’s largest city, Newark. During 2019, there were 1927 homeless persons. Of these, 1641 were sheltered homeless persons, and 286 unsheltered homeless persons.
Newark had more homeless persons than Belleville, Bloomfield, Orange, East Orange, Essex Fells, Irvington, Montclair South Orange and West Orange combined. In 2019, these cities put together had a total of 297 homeless persons. Newark had 1927.
Monarch Housing Associates listed 18 different factors causing homelessness. By far the biggest factors were eviction or at risk of eviction, 157 households; released from prison/jail, 151; being asked to leave shared residence, 375; loss or reduction of job income; loss or reduction of benefits, 121; Drug/alcohol abuse. Others included relocation, 63; domestic violence, 41; mental illness, 29; household breakup/death in household; rent increase/insufficient income, 26 each; physical illness, 24; natural disaster or released from hospital, 11; substandard housing; injury, 6; released from psychiatric facility, 2.
According to Munirah El Bomani, there are more than 2,350 people who are homeless in a city of 290,000. In her interview El Bomani said, “there are about 20,000 people in the eviction list to be evicted on the moratorium is lifted. What the City of Newark and County of Essex plan to [do to] address residents on the list to be evicted?”
The eviction moratorium is scheduled in end on May 18, 2021. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, hearing of court cases about eviction has been suspended for an indefinite time. Thus, the landlord may file eviction papers against the tenants, but the hearing of the actual case might take a while. It is not clear whether the moratorium on evictions and the delay in hearing cases would be extended. The eviction moratorium is subject to extension. More information may be found on north.dsanj.org/housing-justice.
Status of homeless shelters in Newark. Where do the homeless stay?
Asked about how homeless people find shelter, El Bomani said, “All shelters are full to capacity. People are doubling up at their family and friend’s house. [Those] who are homeless and are not being counted and their people are squatting in abandoned houses are around the city. [These are the ones] that are not being recognized or counted. So there are more neighbors without addresses that the Point of Count don’t actually see because they refuse to count on Newark’s unprofessional, unreliable and horrible services.
“The way some of most of the shelters have the residents living is inhumane and cruel. Someone from a higher authority needs to step in and do a thorough independent investigation on the state of homelessness in Newark. [Also needed is] A forensic audit and investigation for all the millions of dollars that have been allocated for the homeless and housing assistance in Newark and the County of Essex.”
New York City used to send its homeless to Newark, but not anymore.
Adding to the problem is the fact that New York City used to send its homeless families to Newark.
CBS2 reported in 2019 that New York City’s Department of Homeless Services (DHS) pressured families to move to Newark from a Manhattan shelter. New York used the Special One-Time Assistance Program (SOTA) to pay for a year’s rent up front to the landlords, CBS2 reported in a November 24, 2019 report.
The report went on to say that about 1,200 New York City residents were relocated to Newark by the (DHS). According to the report, some landlords provided housing with no heat, or hit water, and many other problems. In response, the City of Newark passed an ordinance requiring that housing enforcement inspect a home before it is rented. The ordinance also bans subsidized rent vouchers for more than one month. This way, the landlords cannot take a bulk one-time payment for a year, as is under the SOTA program.
According to the 2019 article, the ordinance took effect on December 24. Penalties for violating the ordinance are fines ranging from $250 to $1,000 or 90 days in jail.
Not everyone was happy that Newark restricted the use of the Special One-Time Assistance Program. Giselle Routhier, Coalition for the Homeless Policy Director, issued a statement on November 27, 2019 blasting Newark for “unlawfully targeting homeless people.”
“People have the right to choose the community in which they wish to live, regardless of their economic status, source of income, or the level of government providing them with a housing subsidy. The Newark City Ordinance announced last week [November 20, 2019] unlawfully targets homeless people, solely because of their economic status. It is an extreme overreach and likely unconstitutional,” Routhier wrote in her statement.
“As written, Newark’s proposed law would criminalize being poor and those who try to help the poor, making it even harder for vulnerable families to get back on their feet. Newark should start over and find a more reasonable and lawful approach to dealing with the concerns it has raised about New York City’s policies, and New York City should address homelessness in a more effective way by actually creating more housing for homeless New Yorkers.”
What solutions are needed? Activists speak.
Munirah El Bomani, a community activist, said, “the solution is we [Newarkers] need more housing for the homeless, for the low and extremely low income residents because the rents are too high in Newark where we are living in poverty, working below livable wage or most residents are unemployed.”
According to a press conference held on February 25, Mayor Ras J. Baraka, Claremont Development and arc Building Partners announced the commencement of a construction on an adaptive-reuse project designed to create an innovative, transitional, emergency homeless facility at the 47-63 Miller Street site in Newark. The 24,000-square-foot facility will provide 24/7, 365 days a year emergency shelter and supportive services to transition homeless Newark residents into housing. The facility is expected to open in September 2021.
The project is intended to offer various human-centered services and pathways toward permanent housing, income stability, and personal health responsibility. The Miller Street Pathways to Housing Center will be located at the former Miller Street Elementary School structure, where Catholic Charities currently operates and offers an array of emotional, behavioral, and health support services,” the press release said.
“Local Talk” has a more in-depth story on the construction of this shelter in this issue.
El Bomani, the activist, was skeptical about opening another shelter. She felt that sustainable and permanent housing is the solution.
In her text message interview, El Bomani wrote, “all Newark is doing is putting a bandage on an open wound. No sustainable solutions. Opening up another shelter is not the solution. We have plenty of shelters. Sustainable and permanent housing is real solutions! Use the funding towards Section 8 vouchers and 12-24 months rental assistance to help residents gain stability like NYC Mayor offered the residents. Don’t place them in inhabitable apartment like Newark did. Treat people like the are human, not worse than animals.”
Examples
El Bomani said that Newark is not doing enough to help the homeless. Instead of offering cards or money, Newark should offer shelter, El Bomani said.
According to El Bomani, “the City of Newark [would] rather offer people a $25 gift card to get tested for COVID, and offered to take the vaccine… [Yet the City] offered no shelter for the neighbors without address. Yesterday, 2/21/21, I have noticed a disabled man in the wheelchair was offered no assistance. Just ask to take COVID test or vaccine shot for a $25 gift card. Shame on Newark!”
“Local Talk” attempted to verify these statements. El Bomani sent photos and video that validated everything she said. The photos showed homeless people sleeping at Penn Station; outside Penn Station; and in the doorways of buildings and the streets.
Shelters
Research done by “Local Talk” staff located at least 23 homeless shelters in Newark. Their rating ranged from 5 stars for Newark Homeless Shelter, located at 101 14th Avenue to 1 star for Urban Renewal Shelter located at 224 Sussex Avenue in Newark. A few, like Covenant House New Jersey, located at 330 Washington Street, were open 24 hours. That shelter had a 3.8 rating, and offered social services. Covenant House NJ catered to people aged 17-21.
Circle of Life, located at 55 Reeves Street, had a 4.4 rating on a 5-star system. It was described as a “good homeless shelter!” by one poster.
Peace House Inc., at 257 Mount Prospect St., was for women. Goodwill Rescue Mission, located at 79 University Avenue, is a men’s homeless shelter. It is temporarily closed. Apostles House, with two shelters on 24 Grant Street and 513 Avon avenue respectively, offers social services. The two shelters rate 4.23 and 3.9 respectively, according to the Internet.
Helping the Homeless Incorporated, located at 268 Mount Prospect, had a 4.5/5 stars rating.
Questions answered
El Bomani, the activist, told “Local Talk” in an interview that there are many reasons the families of the homeless are not helping them. “Grown people want their own privacy; financial crisis; housing restrictions; addiction; disabilities, and mental health. It depends [on a case-by-case basis]”, El Bomani wrote in her text message interview earlier last month.
Homeless people get their food, clothes and other essentials from churches, agencies and donations. During cold winter months and days, some homeless “are sleeping on the streets, abandoned houses, shelters, hotels and doubled up with their family and friends.”
