NJ Spotlight News

Section 8 Rule Change Could Help Low-Income NJ Residents

This piece was produced by our partners at NJTV News.

By Briana Vannozzi

“I’d be at Military Park asleep right now [if I weren’t at this shelter],” said Robert Dunston, an unsheltered resident of Newark.But, that’s not an option in the cold where faces wrapped in scarves and heads covered with hoods are no match for the arctic blast engulfing all of New Jersey. The forecast high temperatures are barely reaching 20 degrees, and wind chill factors are making it feel lower than zero. It’s what health and weather experts refer to as “dangerous cold”, which is prime for hypothermia and frostbite, and the cause for Newark’s new 24/7 winter shelter to be nearing max capacity.“For the first week and a half we averaged about 80 individuals, but over the past three days the average has been 90. We had 95 last night, so as the cold continues and the word gets out, there will be more and more residents coming,” said Dr. Mark Wade, director of Newark’s Department of Health and Community Wellness.The shelter officially opened just a couple weeks ago and word has spread to the city’s most vulnerable, as temperatures continue to plummet. Nearly every county has issued a “Code Blue” warning, initiating response plans for the homeless population.“So we go out and actually get them off the street and bring them inside in the code blue. We also have a hotline for people who don’t have hot water or heat during that time to call,” said Newark mayor Ras Baraka.

“There are 57 shelter programs in Essex County, 31 of which are in Newark, so again we’re not the first or only, but we’re able to meet a precious need right now for those who can’t get into the regular shelters, but need to get off the streets,” said Wade.

Dunston is one of many using the services. He has one backpack filled with his belongings and two new blankets.

“We’re blessed here with a roof over our heads. I’m very happy that I’m not in the streets, and my life is saved because it’s very cold outside right now,” said Dunston.

Diana Baldwin is saving up $162 to buy a bus ticket to Georgia, so she can stay with her daughter and stay out of the cold.

“It’s very bad, [people get] robbed, raped. It’s very bad out there, but there’s other places you can go where they’re giving out sleeping bags and blankets, but you can only go so far with that. In these temperatures, it’s very cold so, it was very nice they opened up a place like this for people like us,” said Baldwin.

“There’s an actual opportunity to connect folks who are unsheltered with sheltering possibilities and supportive services that are aimed at reducing recidivism, so that when the winter season is over they’re not just all put back into the street,” said Vicky Donaldson, director of social services for the Department of Health and Community Wellness.

You only need to go outside for a few minutes to know it’s not safe to stay. And forecasters aren’t expecting daytime temperatures to rise above freezing until after New Year’s Day. For a full listing of all the warming centers in your county, visit the warming centers’ website.

TRANSCRIPT

where would you be if you weren't at the

shelter I would be in military park

sleep right now but that's not an option

not in this cold where faces wrapped in

scarves and heads covered with hoods are

no match for the arctic blast engulfing

all of New Jersey the forecast high

temperatures are barely reaching 20

degrees and wind chill factors are

making it feel lower than zero it's what

health and weather experts refer to as

dangerous cold primed for hypothermia

and frostbite and cause for Newark's new

24/7 winter shelter to be nearing max

capacity for the first week and a half

we averaged about 80 individuals but

over the past three days the average has

been 90 and we had 95 last night so as

the cold continues and the word gets out

there will be more more residents coming

NJTV news was there when the shelter

officially opened just a couple weeks

ago we checked in today to see if word

spread to the city's most vulnerable as

temperatures continue to plummet nearly

every county has issued a code blue

warning initiating response plans for

the homeless population so we go out and

we actually get them off the street and

bring them in inside on the cold blue we

also have a hotline for people who do

not have hot water a heat during that

time to call there are 57 shelter

programs in Essex County 31 of which are

in Newark so again we're not the first

and we're not the only but we're able to

meet a precious need right now are for

those that can't get into the regular

shelters but need to get off the streets

Robert Dunstan is one of the many using

the services he's got one backpack

filled with his belongings and two new

blankets and we're blessed here with a

roof over our heads

whatever you happy and I'm not in the

streets and my life saved it's very cold

out right now

Diana Baldwin is saving up one hundred

sixty two dollars to apply a bus ticket

to Georgia so she can stay with her

daughter and stay out of the cold very

bad

robbed rape it's very bad out there but

there's other places you can go and then

we give them out sleeping bags

you know blankets you can only go that

far with that in these temperature

degrees it's very cultural it was very

nice that they opened up a place like

this for people like us there's an

actual opportunity to connect folk who

are unsheltered with sheltering

possibilities and supportive services

that are aimed at reducing recidivism so

that when the winter season is over

they're not just all put back into the

street you only need to go outside for a

few minutes to know it's not safe to

stay and forecasters aren't expecting

daytime temperatures to rise above

freezing until after New Year's Day you

can go to our website NJTV news or call

the warming centers in your county in

Newark Breanna vanozza NJTV news

you

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