Solution to the Earle Housing Dilemma for Veterans in New Jersey

Asbury Park (NJ) – Veteran Housing 

Neptune Township’s housing authority is asking the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide rental subsidies so the 300 apartment units at Naval Weapons Station Earle could be reserved for disabled and retired veterans. That’s a common sense idea that could help bring about a solution to the Earle housing dilemma.

Subsidized housing communities in the region have lengthy waiting lists — some several years long — as those running the Neptune housing authority can attest. The region’s federal lawmakers should work with the Navy, HUD and the developer to make this plan work.

Under a longstanding agreement between the Navy and the developer, the units can be made available to the general public next year. Setting aside the housing for veterans would help ease the financial and security concerns in neighboring towns — particularly Colts Neck and Tinton Falls, who would likely spar over who was responsible for educating children from the housing. It would help mitigate the security concerns of providing unimpeded access to property on a naval base and dramatically reduce, if not eliminate, the potential strain on local school districts.

A disappointing reaction came from a spokeswoman from NOPE — Neighbors Opposed to Privatization at Earle — who suggested the housing authority consider other properties, such as Fort Monmouth, instead of Earle, saying "I don’t think they are doing anybody any favors by putting them in the middle of a Superfund site and munitions base." That fails to recognize that people have been living in those apartments for decades now, and that if an acceptable alternative such as this isn’t presented as a compromise, those apartments could bring 300 new families to the region next year.

Monmouth County Freeholder Lillian Burry, who owns a real estate agency, wasn’t optimistic that property owner Teri Fischer would allow her buildings to be dedicated to Section 8 subsidy recipients. But an attorney for Fischer said she would be "happy to consider a written proposal."

Instead of nay-saying, local elected officials and the members of NOPE should join forces and urge officials to help bring this plan to fruition. Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., who has long opposed opening those apartments to unvetted tenants, should take the authority’s plan under his wing and get it moving in Washington. 

For more information contact Carl Accettola at cell: 516-884-2048 or via email at: [email protected]