The Libertarian Solution To End Homelessness

[Alex Libman]

I'm sorry I can't always keep all forum threads updated on what's going on at Tent City.  Please visit and LIKE the Facebook Page for all latest news.

The township has started ticketing homeless people (including a pregnant young woman, and a 72-year-old lady who just returned from a hospital) for using wood-burning stoves.  Today was supposed to be the day they evicted me and others for not jumping through their hoops.  Earlier today we got a 2-week reprieve from an Ocean County Superior Court judge, because Lakewood Township is reneging on its Consent Order deal (told-ya-so).  This gives us a bit of breathing room to continue using wood-burning stoves for a while, but we still desperately need funds to switch to propane heaters...


Steven Uccio [FB] of the New Jersey Libertarian Party [FB] is helping us spread the word and raise funds to buy propane:



http://www.GoFundMe.com/5aytyc



You can also donate directly through TentCityNJ.org, which is tax deductible...






(REMINDER: Tent City welcomes the support of all people regardless of their political views (as long as they are really helping). Tent City and all associated organizations are politically neutral, and do not endorse any specific political candidate, party, or creed.)

[Russell Kanning]

burning wood makes sense to me

[Alex Libman]

Update on above, via Facebook:  Following a fundraiser, members of the New Jersey Libertarian Party visited Tent City to drop off propane heaters, propane, fire extinguishers, and gift cards.





HUGE thank you to NJLP for organizing this, and to everyone who has donated!  NJLP candidates / administrators Ken Kaplan, Steven Uccio, Jay Edgar, Don DeZarn, Dorit Goikhman, and Justin Quinn have visited Tent City in person and brought donations.

I personally would like to note the contrast between what the Libertarian Party has done for Tent City, compared to the two larger parties...  Chris Christie ignores us. Barbara Buono used us as a prop in yet another photo-op, and then forgot about us. MainStream Media ignores my request to PLEASE mention our Web-site in their coverage (like on the bottom of the screen for a few seconds), so people could go there and learn how they could help. There was no increase in donations associated with the Buono visit on Aug 22nd... Only Libertarians seem to actually care about Tent City!

[Alex Libman]

From MyCentralJersey.com -- Film screening of documentary highlighting Lakewood's Tent City residents to be shown in Sayreville on Friday --

South River resident's poignant documentary about homeless people living in a tent city in Lakewood will be featured in a screening on Friday.

A fund-raising film screening of Destiny's Bridge, an Ultravision Films release, will be held at 7 pm at Buddies Tavern [FB], 277 Johnsons Lane.  The film will be followed by a question-and-answer session with the filmmaker, Jack Ballo, as well as several of Lakewood's Tent City residents featured in the film. One of the main characters, known as the Tent City Piano Man, will perform after the film. All proceeds from the event will go to Tent City, the Destiny's Bridge Organization, and the film's outreach program.

"I've been in the video production business for almost 30 years, and about seven years ago I started getting involved in humanitarian films", Ballo said. "Someone asked me to do some filming for them for something they were working on about families living in shacks in the Dominican Republic. There I met a Canadian guy, who went out there for vacation for a week and saw how terrible poverty was there and never left. He started putting his money into building homes for these homeless people. What he was doing was just an amazing story."

Ballo made two documentary films about the Canadian man's efforts to help the homeless in the Dominican Republic.

When Ballo returned to the states, a friend told him about the Lakewood's Tent City residents.

"When I started going to the Dominican Republic and telling people on Facebook what was going on there, I was surprised when people told me about people that are homeless here", he said. "I didn't think it could be as bad as it was over there in a third world country. I wanted to know where this is happening here, how bad it is and who is living there. I was shocked to find out how close it was. It was in Lakewood."

For about seven years, a group of 80 people have been living in a makeshift homeless camp in Lakewood, where Ballo filmed for almost a year.

"My first impression when I walked in there was how comfortable I felt there", Ballo said. "Everyone is so nice and friendly. They all have different stories. Most of them had good jobs at one time and were making good money. There are issues with some with mental illness and alcoholism and drug use, so there is a little bit of everything. It's really not much different really from regular society. It's a fascinating story. I was surprised no one did a documentary about this. I knew it was a perfect project for me."

At the camp, Ballo met camp founder, Minister Steve Brigham, a main character in the documentary. The film follows the stories of select camp residents, as well as the conflict between the township officials and the homeless who live on township property, Ballo said. With the town closing in and eviction on their doorstep, the homeless set out to create a self-sustained shelter.

The documentary, filmed in cinéma vérité style, highlights the group as they set out to create their own shelter called Destiny's Bridge in a community setting that instills ownership, dignity, and rehabilitation without any government assistance, Ballo said.

"This is what this Canadian man is doing in the Dominican Republic and they are trying to do it here", Ballo said "Destiny's Bridge is a concept. It's about new ideas in housing the homeless - building small houses people can afford on minimum wage."

"Destiny's Bridge" premiered in August at the Two River Theater Company in Red Bank, and has had several screenings throughout Monmouth and Ocean counties.

In conjunction with the showing in the borough, new and used items, including sleeping bags, winter coats, hoodies, hats, gloves, thermal socks, comforters, blankets and fire starters for Tent City residents may be dropped off at Buddies Tavern between 3 pm and 11 pm Friday.

Tickets to the screening are available online for $10 plus service fee or $12 at the door, while tickets last.

Additional information is available at www.DestinysBridge.com.

Please SHARE: Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest.

Please INVITE everyone in the area to the Facebook Event.

[Alex Libman]

burning wood makes sense to me

We seem to be winning this battle at the moment.  When the Township started issuing $500 fines to homeless folks and breaking their wood-burning stoves, including one pregnant lady and one 73-year-old lady just back from surgery, they've crossed the line.  Then they reneged on that "one year free housing" offer...  A higher-level County judge issued a restraining order, so they'll be leaving us alone for at least a few weeks...

(See our Facebook Page for the play-by-play.  More legal details will be posted there later.)


I personally will stick to my pledge to go without heat in my tent this winter.  Wood burning stoves produce smoke, which might be a violation of the neighbors' Property Rights - the sole criticism of Tent City that might be legitimate...  And propane is an expensive luxury - not enough of it for everybody.

It's not that bad in NJ.  Gotta get myself cold-conditioned for doing this in NH! 

[Raineyrocks]

exactly
He can speak with the BLONDE about his salary.
Watch out for the terrorists bombers.

??? Me? 

I haven't finished reading all of the posts but it seems like a truly good thing Mr. Libman is doing, isn't it?

[Russell Kanning]

I have found a hot fire with plenty of air burns clean. No reason it will hurt the neighbors.

[Alex Libman]

Tent City is in its final death-throws...

I'm sorry I haven't been able to keep this thread updated.  I hope you were able to follow all the news on the "Tent City of Lakewood, NJ" Facebook Page.


If by any chance anyone still happens to be in the communist cesspool of New Jersey...

Please join us at Tent City (or by the intersection of Cedar Bridge Ave and S Clover St in Lakewood) any time you can this week with signs for a Rally Against Injustice At Tent City!

We are protesting unconstitutional and inhumane anti-homeless laws, government waste and corruption, and the bulldozing of a much-needed charitable institution!

Bring a token donation (ideally bottled water) in case the police question you, as it has been legally established that supporters are NOT trespassing when they bring donations to Tent City.

Please make and bring your own protest signs. Try to have a camera to take photos and videos of the events. If you are really brave, bring a tent.


Monday's Tent City Photo Album - Bulldozer Bullies, Police Harassment, and the Rally Against Injustice At Tent City:

[Alex Libman]

Tuesday's Tent City Photo Album - Bulldozer Bullies, Police Harassment, and the Rally Against Injustice At Tent City:

[Russell Kanning]

I guess the gun in the room is being revealed to a few thousand more people.

[Alex Libman]

Does anyone wanna go camping on the Jersey Shore?  We got a perfect camp-site here at Tent City, located just 9 miles from the ocean, 14 miles from Six Flags!   

[Alex Libman]

[Alex Libman]

Great article by Dave Gahary of the American Free Press -- An Orthodox Final Solution --

Struggling to survive, throngs of homeless are pushed out of NJ's "Tent City" to make way for construction of massive "yeshivas" subsidized by taxpayers.

One of the more biting ironies of recession-plagued America is the drama unfolding in the suburban town of Lakewood, New Jersey, where the homeless in that Ocean County township are being forced to defend themselves not just against the elements and regular police harassment, but against the powerful Orthodox Jewish community intent on stripping the last ounce of dignity from these down-on-their-luck Americans.

With no homeless shelters in the county, under the guidance of Minister Steven A Brigham -- a 12th generation American -- the homeless took up residence in the woods, constructing homes made of canvas tarps, wood, plastic and anything else they could rummage, in what would come to be known as "Tent City". Now, almost eight years later, Tent City is on its way out, a victim of Orthodox complaints of smoke from fires the homeless use to keep warm and cook their food.

The United States Census Bureau in 2010 listed Lakewood as the fastest growing of the Garden State's 566 municipalities, primarily due to that township's Jewish majority. They now constitute the bulk of the population of over 100,000, up a whopping 54% from the last census. The Orthodox population in Lakewood is projected to rise to 220,000 by 2030.

Founded by hard-working Americans in the late 1880s, a blast-iron furnace business kick-started the town's good fortune. Several magnificent estates sprouted around town, helping Lakewood to become a favorite winter retreat for the Eastern elite, including the Rockefellers, Vanderbilts, Goulds, Astors and others. President Grover Cleveland would spend his dying days in the town.

In what would be a turning point for Lakewood, a Polish-born rabbi purchased a building in 1943 and erected a yeshiva, a school where Orthodox Jews study their religion's central texts, like the Talmud and Torah, to cater to 13 students. Today, the Beth Medrash Govoha yeshiva serves around 6,500 students and may be the largest of its kind in the world.

The reason for the explosive growth is simple: Orthodox Jews like to proliferate. The average family has between five and eight children.

[...]

Minister Brigham, commenting on the matter, told this reporter: "For their own political gain, the politicians are taking the food out of the mouths of the American taxpayer and setting a banquet in front of those who mock us."

[Click for complete article.]

As I always repeat:  This isn't about any specific ethnic / religious group.  If the Yakuza, Cosa Nostra, La Eme, etc had been acting like the Vaad, it would be just as bad.  Political power corrupts all!  Also don't mistake this as anti-natalist criticism: I am very pro-natalist!  Having lots of kids is a very good thing - if you can pull your economic weight!


Please like our Facebook Page (which is about to pass 6000 likes!) for all the latest.  I will probably be arrested next week, but there are other people who will maintain the Page in my absence...

Please sign up for our new Tent City News Alerts e-mail mailing list as well!

[blackie]

Alex is in jail.

https://www.facebook.com/TentCityNJ

My letter to the ACLU by Steve Brigham

Alex Libman is a homeless man from Lakewood NJ, he is now in jail for protesting a unfair Anti-homeless ordinance that we believe violates human rights. After he was harassed on multiple occasions by police he took steps to protest the following Anti-homeless ordinance:

*******************************************************************************
3-26 UNAUTHORIZED CAMPING ON PUBLIC OR PRIVATE PROPERTY PROHIBITED.
3-26.1 Definitions.
Camp shall mean to reside or dwell temporarily in a place, with shelter. Shelter shall mean and includes, without limitation, any tent, tarpaulin, lean-to, sleeping bag, bedroll, blankets, or any form of cover or protection from the elements other than clothing. Reside or dwell shall mean and includes, without limitation, conducting such activities as eating, sleeping, or the storage of personal possessions.

Public property shall mean, by way of illustration, any street, alley, sidewalk, pedestrian mall, bike path, town square, greenway, vacant land, woodland, or any other structure or area encompassed within the public right-of-way; any parkway, parking lot; or any other grounds, buildings, or other facilities owned or leased by the township or by any other public owner, regardless of whether such public property is vacant or occupied and actively used for any public purpose.

3-26.2 Acts Prohibited.

It shall be unlawful to:

a. Camp upon any private property without the express written consent of the property owner or the owner's agent.

b. Camp upon any public property except in any park or recreation area where camping has been expressly allowed by the officer or agency having the control, management and supervision of the park or recreational area.
**********************************************************************************
(This is not the full text)

He decided to protest this law by sleeping in town square (Mentioned specifically in the ordinance) in cots without covers to still be in compliance with the ordinance.

On the first day the six police responded to our presence and, under the ordinance, demanded we remove our 3 cots and stop protesting in this way. As we were not violating the ordinance being used to make the demands I feel at this point our right to free speech was already being violated but I (Steve Brigham) decided to comply as I did not want to be arrested. The resolve to this first encounter is seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKzyLVIeI9g
I am the one speaking in this video and I am nervous, Alex is next to me holding the sign.

On the second night he decided to sleep in town square with nothing but a pillow so they could not make the claims about "Cots being possible covers" that they did on the first night. He decided that if they asked him to stop protesting this time he would refuse and stand up for his rights. At this point I told him that I could not join him as I was not willing to go to jail even for a worthy cause and he understood. This morning, June 28th, Alex was arrested in town square. We have not been able to speak with him as he is being held in observation in Ocean County Jail.

Alex's family came to America from the soviet union when he was a child seeking freedom. He is very passionate about American Liberties and I will do everything in my power to protect his. I feel that not only is the Ordinance he was protesting a direct violation of his rights but arresting him for protesting the Ordinance is a clear violation of his right to free speech.

Thank you for reading,
Steve Brigham

[Russell Kanning]

he doesn't have the freedom to even take shelter in the woods .... these guys are such thugs