BY LAYLI WHYTE
Staff Writer
Habcore Inc. has filed an application with the Red Bank Zoning Board to use a single-family home on Broad Street as supportive housing for people at risk of homelessness.
Steve Heisman, executive director of Habcore, said the agency plans to use a single-family home leased from the adjacent United Methodist Church on Broad Street, for the supportive housing.
The home will be used to house low-income people at risk of becoming homeless.
“Whether people want to realize it or not,” said Heisman, “It is getting more and more expensive to live around here. This will keep at least five people off the streets.”
The five people who will live in the home have gone through a screening process, including a criminal background check, credit check, and interview, according to Heisman.
Heisman said that some residents and business owners have expressed concern that Habcore is opening up a rooming house.
“It’s not a rooming house,” he said, “and the state statutes agree with us.”
According to the state Department of Community Affairs, a rooming house is defined as: “A boarding house wherein no personal or financial services are provided to the residents.”
Heisman said the home does not meet the definition and should not be considered a boarding house. It will be a single-family home with five housemates, he explained.
Whether or not they will pay rent is still not decided, Heisman added.
According to the original application, Habcore asked for permission: “To use the home in a charitable and inherently beneficial manner to house individuals who are at risk for homelessness in a manner that is exempt from rooming house status.”
Habcore first asked for permission to use the house as supportive housing at the beginning of the summer.
In a letter dated June 29, the borough Planning and Zoning Office denied Habcore’s application for a development permit. The denial also indicated that a “d” variance was required from the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
“Additional variances may be determined upon submission of a site plan,” according to the letter of denial.
The law firm of Carton and Associates, Middletown, is representing Habcore in the application.
Attorney Lawrence Carton said that as far as he knows, there have been no official complaints made.
“There was apparently a group of people who did a variety of complaining in the past,” said Carton, “but I don’t know if we’ll be hearing from them.”
The application was scheduled to be heard at the Sept. 16 Zoning Board meeting but was rescheduled at the last minute because the notification requirements had not been met.
Before the application can come before the Zoning Board, all property owners within 200 feet of the property must be notified of the proposed use.
The new hearing date is Oct. 7.
Habcore, an organization that has been around since 1988, provides homes for people at risk of becoming homeless. Habcore currently has two boarding homes and two independent housing facilities.
“We work to identify each person’s individual needs,” said Heisman.
Habcore serves 61 people on a regular basis, according to Heisman, and has already given assistance to 89 people this year.