‘Appalling Conditions’ Found At Newark Homeless Shelter: Officials

NEWARK, NJ — Bugs. No hot water. Trash. A lack of security. Broken heaters and toilets. These are some of the “appalling conditions” revealed during recent health and fire inspections at a homeless shelter in Newark, officials say.

On Thursday, Mayor Ras Baraka and municipal Homelessness Czar Luis Ulerio announced that the City of Newark will take steps to improve the H.E.L.P. Center, which houses residents without addresses and people experiencing homelessness.

Located at 224 Sussex Avenue, the facility is operated by the Sussex Avenue Renewal Corporation.

People being sheltered at the center will be moved temporarily to emergency housing beds across Essex County, with supports in place over the next several weeks. The Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services is holding meetings with the affected residents to discuss their living conditions and the actions the city is taking to address their complaints, officials said.

City inspectors responded to complaints at the facility made earlier this month, and found “an abundance of insects,” no hot water, strewn garbage and debris, defective heaters and toilets, and damaged and missing windows. They also found that the kitchen was “poorly maintained,” which prompted officials to shut down the area during the inspection.

There were other issues, officials alleged. Sleeping quarters were not properly kept up, and residents’ medications were not properly stored. There was no security at the front desk, defective smoke detectors, and hazardous conditions arising from improperly used or installed electrical wiring.

The center was cited for all of these violations and is now facing action in Newark Municipal Court. The city will consider “alternative legal solutions” to ensure the facility is brought up to code, officials said.

“My administration has made the needs of residents without addresses a high priority, and we demand that organizations contracted to provide these residents with shelters treat them with the highest respect and quality of service in every way,” Baraka said.

“This organization has violated their legal and moral responsibility to do so, and we will hold them fully accountable for their behavior,” the mayor added.

“Improving shelter conditions and experiences for Newark residents is one of the priorities of the Mayor’s Homelessness Strategic Plan,” Ulerio said.

“We are taking affirmative steps to address these concerns and better support our residents,” Ulerio added. “We will also work closely with management to develop a plan that will deliver a stronger shelter model for our residents without addresses.”

• See Related: Here's The Plan To End 'Chronic Homelessness' In Newark
• See Related: Newark City Council Discusses Homelessness At Meeting (VIDEO)
• See Related: Essex County Leads NJ In Homelessness; See The Most Common Causes

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