Kean hears residents’ complaints about renters
Assemblyman holds

meeting in twp. as part

of district outreach effort

BY CHRISTINE VARNO

Staff Writer

OCEAN TOWNSHIP — State Assemblyman Sean Kean (R-11) is making the rounds through the 25 towns in his district.

The assistant Republican whip, elected on Dec. 15, visited Ocean Township on April 29 as part of his plan to hold a meeting in each of his towns to better serve his constituents over the course of his 24-month term.

The conversation in town hall was dominated by residents who expressed their concerns about the disorderly tenants in rental properties residing in their neighborhoods, according to Kean.

"The stories that residents told me of their daily experiences with disorderly tenants living next door to their homes were terrible," Kean said. "No one should have their quality of life compromised by their neighbors."

Ocean and other neighboring towns have identified problems with seasonal rental properties that are occupied by Monmouth University students from September to May and then becoming vacation homes for out-of-town tenants from June to August.

Brain Rasp of Oakwood Avenue said the rental properties are responsible for late night parties and loud noise, cars speeding through the neighborhood and overcrowding the streets, and under-age drinking and illegal drug-use.

"I hope that our state government can help us in a way that our municipal government cannot," Rasp said. "More can be done at a state level rather than at a municipal level. The municipal government can only go so far."

Rasp said he is worried that the behavior will result in a death if it isn’t controlled soon.

"Parents should not have to fear for their children when they are playing in their own front yard," Kean said. "Hearing obscenities being yelled or being awakened in the middle of the night due to a rowdy party is not fair to that child or the parent."

Kean said the complainants were not singling out just the renters of the properties, but were holding absentee landlords responsible for the unruly conduct. He said many of the "problem" homes house multiple young adults in one dwelling and most of those landlords do not even live in the state.

"This is a complex issue, but the irresponsible tenants who show their neighbors no respect and the absentee landlords who rent to these people need to face the consequences of their actions," Kean said. "This is not fair to the responsible homeowners whose property values are declining, whose retirement is in jeopardy and the children who are exposed to out of control behavior."

Kean and his office are now looking into drafting legislation that will protect the tax-paying residents of the town from the disorderly tenants and address the absentee landlord problem.

Rasp said that Kean assured the town that he would be back in a month to check on the progress and inform the town on any updates he has.

"I was pleased to hear that," Rasp said.

The next special district meeting will be held in Eatontown on May 19 at 7 p.m. at the municipal building.