The Monmouth County Resource Center in Asbury Park opened Sept. 15 and held an open house last week at its new office, located on the first floor of the Winifred Canright House, which houses 20 to 25 homeless HIV positive men. Both programs are run by the New Jersey Association on Correction (NJAC), a longtime nonprofit operating many programs around the state to address ex-offenders, domestic abuse victims, the homeless and people living with HIV/AIDS. Canright House, a Class C boarding house, is a legal nonconforming use in a residential area, city zoning officer Barbara Van Wagner said.
“They (NJAC) can provide services to their own people in there, but once they expand to residents other than their own, they need to come before the zoning board and get a variance,” Van Wagner said. “I think they’re going to relocate to a zone where it’s a permitted use.”
“That was probably our mistake,” said James Hemm, executive director of the Trenton-based NJAC. “We just assumed we were OK there.”
Hemm said he would like to find another location in Asbury Park where the center would be a permitted use.
The group plans to open a similar Ocean County Resource Center on Clifton Avenue in Lakewood within the month. Hemm said they have signed a lease and that the program would be in a permitted zone.
NJAC has operated the Middlesex County Resource Center in New Brunswick since 1981 and also has centers in Newark, Camden and Paterson. APP
just what we don’t need here!
hershel, is this another leventher deal?
hershel aint gonna like this one
what’s wrong with having HIV positive sex offenders hanging around clifton ave?
They’re there already anyway; why bus them over to Asbury Park for their consultations ? Let them have the convenience.
I know a cure for Aids
clifton is lakewoods slum every city has and needs one most of us who dont own businesses there dont care. let the low lives stay in the slums and not come in to our uptown neighborhoods.
While I feel very bad for any ex convict dealing with HIV. I don’t feel that a central downtown shopping district that should be the pride of our town is the place for it.
This is proof positive-no pun intended-that Irwin Leventer needs to be sent packing. He has no respect for our town. He would never dream of putting such an office on norwood avenue in deal where his home is.His (adopted)community would never stand for it.
Please note. Mr Leventer is not from the syrian community. He is actually highly disliked there as he is here. I hope the community in deal will make it abundantly clear to him that they do not appreciate having him associated with them in any way.
There are currently a few people in our town that have ties to this landlord. I believe I speak for all the people of our town,and ask that all ties be severed immediately and everything be done to get him out of LAKEWOOD.
Now
Hershel, we need to get together on this. When can we speak. I don’t have your contact info
I think it’s a DISGRACE the Ocean County Freeholders would permit this type of tenant in the same building that houses the WIC office where OUR young children are constantly going for appointments. Even with the current situation the guard admitted to me that it gets real scary and dangerous at times due the type criminals on probation that roam around there. This will only create a more dangerous condition. The Freeholders should have had the simple decency to consider and consult with the citizens before allowing this “closed-to-the-local-public deal.”
This building is owned by Ocean County. This decision was made by a Freeholder who is asking for our vote.. With actions like this.. I think we should instead be voting him OUT of office!!
fyi,
Leventer has a partner in Lakewood that actively pursues these deals on the partnerships behalf. His name is Lesser.
Chesky,
Hershel’s number is in the phone book, or you can go to his store, or call his store. Use your noodles.
wow money lanuderer drug dealers were bad enough.no this?
This is the essence of Smart Growth . The mixed use concept states that you should be able to do tour business in walking distance of everything . Drug users should be in the vicinity of the drug laundry in the Downtown core . No cars will be needed and we will have smart and GREEN growth
Dear Hershel,
I share your concern about having this establishment in your community. What this shows is that the politicians think very liitle of the Lakewood residents’ concerns. I don’t think this sort of establishment would ever open up in Deal or Teaneck.
I do however want to caution you that before you undertake any actions in this regard, you should consult a competent civil rights attorney or at least go the HUD enforcement arm website and read their latest press releases. I realize that you mean well and you don’t intend to discriminate against any group of people. But courts lately have been interpreting anti-discrimination laws very broadly and your future activities can well land you in a hot water.I know of at least one incident where a group of private citizens were found personally liable for their advocacy which is very similar to yours. That decision was heavily criticized for impairing the citizens’ first-amendment activities, but as far as I know it was not overruled.
So be careful.
LM
Dear leib,
I do not think any actions will need to be taken on my part.
I cannot imagine anyone will stand for this in the center of lakewood.
We need to focus on positive changes to our towns’ structure in order to prevent even the slightest suggestion that our home welcomes businesses or services that are less than ideal.
doest mr. Hershkowitz have negios, it doesn’t bother the rest of us that clifton is a slum, who cares, theres much more important issues to deal with, without making it look like all jews are racists.
To anonymous that believes that everyone is fine with downtown being a slum
Yes I have negios.I now am living in Lakewood longer than I have lived anywhere else. I have no choice but to say I am from lakewood nj ,when asked.
I think everyone here wants to be proud of where they live.From all the thank yous that I have been getting for my efforts I now see I am far from alone. Your indifference is typical amongst a few disaffected loners that skim the outskirts of our kehilla,with an uncaring attitude, and no sense of pride. I believe. My efforts will be rewarded soon,and the entire town will benefit from them. Even you
Good shabbos.
I’m starting to like Herschel. Maybe we should recruit him for Mayor. Lakewood keeps getting dumped on by the County and State. The horrible looking Inspection Station and now this. We need to let them know that we are not a dumping ground.
what do the politicians have to say about this? make route 9 wider and put these hiv guys on the yellow lines !!!!!