A new report from the Bloustein School’s Ralph W. Voorhees Center for Civic Engagement, “Homelessness in New Brunswick and Programs to Address It,” identifies the challenges that emergency service organizations and their clients are experiencing as they attempt to access, or consider accessing, the existing service infrastructure and to identify areas of unmet need.
The project emerged as a Rutgers Equity Alliance for Community Health (REACH) funded partnership between the research team and the Unity Square Community Center, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Metuchen. It collectively sought to understand how homelessness and housing precarity had changed in New Brunswick since before the pandemic, to map efforts to address needs, and to identify challenges.
Researchers conducted interviews with non-profit and voluntary organizations, food pantries, local government, and Rutgers Behavioral Health staff and reviewed existing literature, news articles, and planning documents. They also gathered information about affordable rental housing from the New Jersey State of Affordable Rental Housing (NJSOARH) project. NJSOARH, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is a project of the Ralph W. Voorhees Center for Civic Engagement.
Interviewees shared that:
- the number and variety of people who are unhoused and living in precarious conditions has increased since before the pandemic. This includes long-term residents, recent arrivals, families, migrants, and seniors, some of whom struggle with mental and physical health challenges and substance use;
- there is an inadequate supply of good quality emergency, temporary, and permanent affordable housing, including units with social services. Active substance users have even fewer options as many programs do not allow active use;
- housing in the New Brunswick area is expensive and a lack of consistent or sufficiently high income makes finding and keeping affordable housing challenging;
- stronger networks and information sharing amongst government, voluntary, mutual aid, nonprofit, and community organizations would be useful. Many of these actors have expanded services and services often change.
- delivering housing, social services, and healthcare in ways that respect people’s dignity and individual needs is critical;
- accessing services is challenging. It may require Internet access, a charged phone, long wait or phone times, callbacks, virtual meetings, and scheduled appointments, which are sometimes far away. Many people lack phones, the ability to charge them, and transportation. Ensuring access means addressing these issues;
- many people who are unhoused would benefit from having a case manager;
- existing programs may not match current needs. Some people may not qualify and others have run out service clocks, and
- there are a lack of safe spaces to go during the day and at night.
Researchers included Eric Seymour, Nadia Mian, Kathe Newman, Shiloh Deitz, and Will Payne from the Bloustein School, and Emmy Tiderington from the Rutgers School of Social Work.
Solutions proposed included:
- Create a robust one stop center for services, healthcare, and case management
- Improve service networks and delivery including creating a running directory of resources and services for the community to access
- Linking the Code Blue/Red/Orange Center to other services
- Increase the supply of good quality, affordable housing Rental and emergency housing
- Improve housing quality
- Strengthen tenants’ rights education and defense and service network
- Provide emergency rental assistance.