Van Drew Requests a Criminal Investigation into the Atlantic City Housing Authority

March 15, 2024 — Congressman Van Drew visited Stanley Holmes Village to speak with residents and to view firsthand their inhumane and unsafe living conditions. Following this visit, Congressman Van Drew announced that he is requesting the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to open an investigation into the Atlantic City Housing Authority (the Authority) to determine if any criminal violations have been committed in the past five years. That letter can be viewed here.

“The neglect and outright abandonment of Stanley Holmes Village residents by the Authority is unacceptable,” said Congressman Van Drew. “These residents have been in unlivable conditions for the past year, including no heat, no hot water, and broken windows, yet the Authority continues to ignore these critical issues. The HUD Inspector General must open this investigation to uncover any potential corruption that has taken place in allowing our most vulnerable citizens to live in these conditions. The Authority has faced no consequences for their lack of action and our South Jersey communities are suffering because of it. Enough is enough.”

Background:

• In November of 2023, Congressman Van Drew demanded a federal takeover of the Authority after the discovery of 75 compliance violations, including communities being left without heat or hot water.
• In December of 2023, the Authority started displacing residents out of their homes and into a hotel that did not have functional kitchens, in addition to being forced to leave their pets behind.
• In January of 2024, Congressman Van Drew requested HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge join him to visit Stanley Holmes Village and witness the urgency of the situation firsthand.

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