Group says city needs affordable housing

Coalition asks for housing summit with city, school officials

BY CHRISTINE VARNO Staff Writer

BY CHRISTINE VARNO
Staff Writer

PHOTOSBY CHRISTINE VARNO The Long Branch Concerned Citizens Coalition held a press conference Monday to address notices of asbestos that have been hung at the Grant Court apartment units. PHOTOSBY CHRISTINE VARNO The Long Branch Concerned Citizens Coalition held a press conference Monday to address notices of asbestos that have been hung at the Grant Court apartment units. LONG BRANCH — The city Concerned Citizens Coalition (CCC) mailed a letter to several city officials Monday asking that more low-income housing be provided in the city.

The letter was mailed to Mayor Adam Schneider; City Council members; Tyrone Garrett, executive director of the Long Branch Housing Authority (LBHA); and Superintendent of Schools Joseph M. Ferraina.

Bill Nordahl, chairman of the newly formed CCC housing committee, said at a press conference Monday outside the LBHA Grant Court complex that the community group is concerned about the lack of low-income housing in the city.

“There is a big problem here with there not being enough low-income housing. Another problem is our understanding of what low-income housing is,” he said.

“Affordable housing is not necessarily low income,” he added.

The letter dated July 31 states, “The city administration and the LBHA carry a primary responsibility for providing housing for low-income and special citizens. Often there is a confusion about low-income housing and affordable housing, and because of this confusion, providing more housing for low-income families is overlooked.”

In the letter, the CCC asks Schneider to convene a meeting with Garrett, Ferraina and the general public before the end of August to address its concerns about housing.

Also in the letter, the CCC lists proposals for the current administration and the LBHA. They include:

+ replace as many units of low-income housing as are torn down;

+ N.J. Natural Gas should pay the total cost to replace Seaview Manor;

+ use Regional Contribution Agreements (RCA) to build additional low-income housing; and

+ renovate Garfield Court rather than tear it down, to free up funds for additional housing.

As part of the LBHA Hope VI revitalization project, the authority will reconstruct Seaview Manor, Grant Court and Garfield Court and construct a community building at an estimated cost of $129 million.

According to Nordahl, as part of that redevelopment project, the LBHA will demolish 290 units and construct 275 units in their place.

“We will lose 15 units,” Nordahl said.

LBHA’s Garret has explained that the decrease in the number of units is due to current density requirements and the transition from army-barrack style housing to a more modern approach allowing more square footage per apartment, open green space and more actual living space for the families who occupy the units.

But Nordahl said the need for affordable housing is too great in Long Branch to lose any units.