HOWELL – Yet another concerned resident spoke about the ongoing rental problem in Howell Township at the latest council meeting.
Marcy Craig, a resident of Howell for over 30 years, presented the council with concerns of activity taking place on Danella Way, which, according to Director of Community Development and Land Use Officer Matthew Howard, has been a problematic road for some time.
Danella Way is a residential street included in the Monmouth Ridings Development, which occupies about 140 homes. According to Craig, 20 of those houses have been bought and sold to LLCs since June.
“I love my development, but I feel like it’s just not safe there anymore,” she said during her public comment. “I just wanted to be here and vocalize how I feel; it’s very upsetting.”
According to her statement, Craig has witnessed a three bedroom colonial house being used as an eight bedroom home, people climbing in windows of locked homes, cars littering the streets and neighbors being evicted.
“We’ve talked to the zoning board and we’re at the point where we feel it’s not safe anymore. All my neighbors are scared. I just don’t know what the restrictions are as far as people buying houses and [the town] not screening who’s living there.” Craig said.
While comments of this nature are not unheard of from the Town Council, Craig made a point that was never publicly discussed at a meeting before – she held evidence of advertisements made on Facebook Marketplace for rooms available for rent.
The advertisements, which were written in Spanish, could be a direct violation of homeowner’s clauses.
Photo by Stephanie A. Faughnan
“Boarding houses have to be licensed by the (State Department of Community Affairs), so if you have proof of advertisement of something claiming to be a boarding house and it’s not licensed, it’s not going to be allowed,” said Caitlin Harney, Howell Township attorney.
Howard, Harney and Township Manager Joe Clark offered to speak with Craig after the meeting and to arrange a personal meeting with Craig and her neighbors as well. At this meeting, the residents and board members would go over their findings and clauses, according to Clark.
In addition to being open to meeting with residents of Howell, the council has also proposed a new ordinance in an attempt to combat this ongoing issue.
Ordinance O-24-48 was proposed at the Dec. 3 meeting, which allows for amending “definitions and general applicability” of general ordinances.
According to the official document found on the Dec. 3 meeting agenda, this amendment is as follows:
“WHEREAS, the Township of Howell finds it appropriate to add the definition of rooming and boarding houses to its Township Code as there are no current definitions of those categories; and
WHEREAS, the Township further finds it appropriate to substantially match the definition of rooming and boarding houses to be consistent with State law.”
This newly proposed ordinance will be voted and approved or denied at the following council meeting, which will be held on Dec. 17.
“We can’t prohibit rentals outright, but by the same token, with every right there is also responsibility and we will make sure those responsibilities are being followed,” Clark said. “You shouldn’t have to live in a neighborhood you feel is unsafe.”
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