U.S. Senator Booker Blasts Atlantic City, NJ, Housing Problems

United States Senator Corey Booker (New Jersey) has written a strongly worded letter to the Acting Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The residents of the Stanley S. Holmes Village Apartments have been underserved for years … especially at the local Atlantic City level.

Many of these public housing residents have been without heat, hot water and cooking capacity for more than 2 years.

The Atlantic City Housing Authority is one of the worst examples in America regarding their mismanagement … which has had such a negative impact on the lives of many public housing residents.

Booker wrote to Acting HUD Secretary Adrianne Todman the following:

I write today with concerns regarding the ongoing situation at the Stanley Holmes Village public housing complex, which is managed by the Atlantic City Housing Authority (ACHA) under the oversight of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Stanley Holmes has 415 units, and it is my understanding that as of April 24, 2024, 330 of them are occupied. Conditions at the housing complex have been deteriorating for some time, and my constituents report widespread issues with heat, hot water, pest infestations, mold, broken appliances, defective smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and more. Residents often need to be relocated to hotels on short notice to address urgent issues, causing disruption and hardship. After years of ACHA failing to address these pervasive issues, I understand that HUD has asked ACHA to create a plan to relocate all of the residents of Stanley Holmes, but ACHA has failed to submit this plan by the deadline set by HUD. Relocating all residents is a tremendous undertaking, and due to a record of poor management, I have several concerns about the execution of this plan.

United States Congressman Jeff Van Drew, R-2, has been supporting the public housing residents in Atlantic City for many years.

Van Drew has held both the federal government and the local Atlantic City government to account.

Booker is placing most of the blame on HUD, writing:

“To date, I have found that HUD's communication regarding this situation with residents, local stakeholders, and my own staff has often been lacking. It is imperative that residents have a meaningful voice in shaping the decisions that impact their lives. I urge HUD and ACHA to allow residents to provide input on the relocation plan and provide residents with regular updates regarding all plans impacting Stanely Holmes. I also urge HUD to carefully track all residents, including those who have already been given vouchers, to ensure that relocated residents are given the opportunity to eventually return if they wish,” wrote Booker.

Only one thing matters … the residents of the Stanley Holmes Village Apartments desperately need help.

They’re running out of both time and patience.