Asbury Park Choice Neighborhood Planning Grant Brings Together City and HUD Officials, Stakeholders and West Side Residents

Asbury Park West Side residents list their priorities to HUD, city officials, and stakeholders during the Community Stakeholder Meeting at St. Stephen's Church.

Officials and stakeholders tour the HOPE Academy Charter School.

Asbury Park's West Side received a Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant and HUD staff, stakeholders, City officials, and residents came together to begin the process of outlining priorities and optimizing an opportunity that can transform the lives of so many on the Jersey Shore.

While the east side of Asbury Park - the area closest to the beach - has become a vibrant community, the West Side has lagged behind, leaving 42 percent of its residents with incomes below poverty level.

HUD Housing Specialist and grant lead, Roma Campanile and HUD grant People Specialist Jessica Rosenberg travelled from headquarters to join HUD Region II Senior Management Analyst and Neighborhood Specialist Angela Aloia, HUD NJ Field Office Director Maria Maio-Messano, HUD NJ Public Housing Revitalization Specialist Melissa Bennett, as well as Khoa Nguyen and Balu Thumar from the HUD NJ Office of Public Housing attended the day-long convening. They participated in a morning session with stakeholders and City officials and went on a tour of key locations in the West Side neighborhood. Planning continued in the afternoon and night, when all attended a meeting with residents; a listening session to make sure their concerns are addressed.

Key Partners in the Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant are: Interfaith Neighborhoods, HOPE Academy Charter School, Visiting Nurse Association, Monmouth Medical, Boys and Girls Club of Monmouth County, Maestro Community Development Corporation, Monmouth University, Wallace Roberts and Todd, Community Action Network, and New Jersey Natural Gas.

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