Strong stand on housing remains key for Freehold

The residents and officials of Freehold Borough once again find themselves on the brink of a potential significant change in the community. It has been well documented over the past several years how an influx of illegal immigrants to the municipality has changed life in the borough.

It may well have been the borough's supply, relatively speaking, of affordable rental housing - compared with a lack of affordable rental housing in the suburban communities that surround Freehold - that made it possible for waves of people to settle in the borough.

The town's apartment complexes and condominiums have become the home to hundreds, if not thousands of newcomers. Residents and officials know this to be true simply by opening their eyes.

The borough is doing what it can to accommodate thousands of residents, including children. A decade ago, this scenario would have been difficult to imagine. Now, it is reality.

Other people are watching what is happening in the borough, too, specifically real estate speculators who see an opportunity to make a profit.

The News Transcript has reported in recent weeks that borough residents have been receiving mail solicitations and door-to-door visits from people who are offering to buy their homes for cash.

Our assumption is that these speculators would replace a family of three, four or five people with what would become a de facto boarding housing occupied by many unrelated people. The potential for profits, and trouble, could be significant.

Municipal officials fired a salvo in this latest battle two weeks ago when the borough clerk denied a solicitation permit to a Lakewood man who wanted the town's permission to go door to door with offers to buy property

The code enforcement department recommended denying the permit based on the man's history of problems at properties he already manages in town. The clerk accepted that recommen-dation and the Borough Council backed the clerk in her decision.

The Lakewood man in question did not appreciate the publicity the News Transcript placed on him. He did not appreciate the borough officials' diligence in using his record of property management problems to deny him a solicitation permit.

Too bad.

We say bravo to Freehold Borough officials. They well understand that at this point in time they can fight to keep the sense of community that has been felt for hundreds of years, or they can let outsiders come in and make the town into something no one wants to see.

Residents who support the actions of the council must let their elected representatives know that they support them. Residents can write letters to newspapers, or they can show up at council meetings and let officials know they have the support of the community.