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BY TOM HESTER SR.
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
Mary and Joseph visited the Statehouse in Trenton Thursday seeking shelter or, in this case, affordable housing.
Instead, they got a vision of state government yet to come.
Mary Bernadette Shannon, 59, of Trenton, dressed as Mary in a powder blue veil and robe, and Derrick Branch, 46, also of Trenton, dressed as Joseph in brown and green robes and carrying a shepherd's crook, led a group of housing advocated to the Statehouse steps in an effort to shine a light on the need for affordable housing in New Jersey.
Housing advocates have never been happy with Gov. Jon Corzine efforts to provide affordable housing and they are not looking forward to the administration of Gov.-elect Chris Christie.
Christie campaigned that he wants to "gut'' state-imposed affordable housing mandates and return control of the issue to local governments. Presently, 250 towns, including Bethlehem Township, are in state court trying to overturn the mandates that would force them to provide affordable housing for moderate- and low income-families.When Mary and Joseph visited Christie's transition office near the Statehouse, they were turned away at the door.
"Mary and Joseph remind us of many New Jersey families who need a place to live,'' said Cheryl Mrazik, of the Catholic, Camden-based Romero Center, "We're going to use their story to shine a light on efforts to dismantle New Jersey's housing laws. Our policies should ensure that people aren't homeless and that no man, woman, or child in the state of New Jersey has to stay in today's equivalent of a manger."
Julia Hamilton, director of the Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of New Jersey, added, "Mary and Joseph are calling on New Jersey's elected officials to honor the Christmas message. They are asking if there is room for hundreds of thousands of struggling families like Joseph and Mary in New Jersey."
Kevin Walsh of the Cherry Hill-based Fair Share Housing Center, said Corzine's affordable housing regulations, if they are continued, will result in less than 40 percent of the 116,000 units of housing needed in New Jersey being met.
"It can't get much worse than that, but the wealthy towns are fighting to reduce the need even further,'' Walsh said. "You'll note that Bethlehem Township is one of the towns suing to reduce an obligation of just 42 units. That obligation is for a 20-year period. Given the Christmas season, that frames the issue well.''
The Rev. Bruce Davidson, director of the Trenton-based Lutheran Office of Government Ministries, said home foreclosures and high unemployment have added to the affordable housing problem.
"It's very difficult,'' he said. "People have been living on the edge for a long time.''
Here is the letter Shannon, in her role as Mary, provide Corzine, Christie and legislators:
Dear Gentle Person:
We left Nazareth four days ago. We have walked through the rain and snow and across the Delaware River. I am nine months pregnant, and the baby could come any day. We are looking for a place to stay.
Joseph is a humble carpenter. In good times, he made about $20 an hour. But lately there hasn't been much work on account of the economy. And I have not had the easiest pregnancy. It's been a tough year.
We were going to Bethlehem, but we heard that there was no room for us. We found out that the town of Bethlehem was suing the state to keep the housing we need out and stop people like us from coming there.
We have continued to walk through other towns, and we keep hearing the same message: "There's no room at the inn."
On Thursday, we will ask our current and incoming elected representatives if there is room for us, and for hundreds of thousands of struggling families like ours, in New Jersey.
Sincerely,
Mary of Nazareth
