Hackensack, NJ Community Message Boards

I spent two weeks walking around with clip board (sometimes with a with a tie)  getting comments from legal professionals/clerical, and county workers on this issue.  I  have found the overwhelming majority of women are not comfortable leaving their offices, and have been for quite some time; let alone walk, or even drive further uptown after work. By adding more homeless to the high density business district the stigma of Hackensack will be further destroyed, and with it any hope of economic recovery for uptown Main Street.  Word of  mouth travels fast and it is this word of mouth from people who work here that makes print and radio advertisements for Hackensack business practically useless. There were more homeless and people on medication at the last Hackensack Night Out, than Hackensack Citizens. I recognized no less than seven of them as regular attendees at "On Our Own" (CSPNJ)I am not exaggerating. Overall this Summer, there were about 70%  less people have been going to The Green from offices to sit or eat their lunch. If there are more here the WILL spill up over to upper Main Street, as many do now.  CSPNJ in a letter to me encourages integration into the community.  The best thing for CSPNJ is to move to another town.
CSPNJ  wants to expand and move other sister companies into that building. The amount of Homeless, Addicts, and Released Criminals  (also served by CSPNJ's "On Our Own") that are informed about Hackensack services will increase. As CSPNJ increases the demand of a willing Hackensack, more private organizations will spring up all over Main Street. Panhandlers and Substance abusers will still  travel up main street to beg, assemble, and hang around, as do the harmless mentally ill members who are more attracted to the heart of Main Street. This integration with the community is encouraged by CSPNJ. I estimate that for every one of the Hackensack chapter (On Our Own) members 30, there are at least 20 per year that come to Hackensack seeking CSPNJ referrals for things like: Group; Meeting others; Housing Applications; Food Pantries; Homeless Shelter; Church Based Help Centers... CSPNJ's "On Our Own" is a Walk-in and Referral center more than it is a ""Training Program"

I think your assessment as it being a base is correct. I know where other bases are, but since I used to have a pet Wolf based in Hackensack, I am not going to turn them in. I am hoping they relocate to One Essex Street so they can "pack-up" on the homeless who camp out in the woods there.  In fact, one of the homeless den's have been rehabilitated to accommodate a coyote or two. Add a black bear or better yet an Alaskan Brown Bear.. no, wait... I could see it now... a couple homeless guys sitting on the steps across from the court house with a bear drinking colt 45 Malt liquer and smoking cigarette baring the BCCAP or State Seal brand; butts rolled up in paper from their welfare check envelopes...


What to do with the homeless who are not likely to respond to treatment, and mentally ill who cannot cope within a city environment: what we need to do is make a nice country environment where they can farm, tend to the horses, or be close to nature and contribute to the economy. Far away from the drug deals, liquer stores, and handouts,... They will feel they are part of something as they dry out and be slowlty acclaimated into society from rural New Jersey, to smaller towns and eventually landing a job in the city... the culture shock from being institutionalized and being put back intop a city environment, can rarely be handled by even the most likely candidates from any of the classes of "mental Illness" classified as such by SAMSHA. These people all need therapy in an environment that is less confusing and less challenging until such time they are ready.

Bergen County Parks Dept., Bergen Regional, and County Public Works should employ those that are serious about rehabilitaion. Community services could help these people be productive in every city in the county, and they can contribute to the tax base while beautifying Bergen county towns. Then the distribution of housing would be fair and welcomed.

Bergen county and Hackensack in Particulatr is paying more per dollar for taxes than most other towns. Hackensack recieves on .74 cents on the dollar for it's school taxes through redistribution, while Asbury Park gets 24.72 for every tax payer dollar.

I see that the points are being overlooked regarding the application and the merit of the application along with the merit of CSP-NJ

The Company CSPNJ has been running "On Our Own" as a "Drop In Center"  WORSE CSPNJ does no risk assessment, or background checks  for any of the: Paroled Criminals; Drug Addicts; other offenders, AS WELL as the mentally ill "members" that CSPNJ attracts to Hackensack. "Pedophiles" were used as an example as other examples would be; Rapists, Drug Dealers, Criminally Insane, etc. There is a potential for any  nightmare to be brought into the city  from Bergen and other counties all over  New Jersey.  The risk of the center expanding is real just as the certainty that their other company would be creating housing all over the city in the form of safe houses, and group homes which would avert zoning laws and do not need application. Nearly 50 people from the Neighborhood showed up in opposition to the application.  The County Mental Health Board is now looking into the matter. It was suggested that centers such as this should be in the area of Bergen Regional where treatment could be maintained and patients could be monitored. Also CSPNJ members should require application and cross-checking fopr criminal history and violent behavior/assessment.

That whiskey drunk in Hackensack was available during prohibition, it was more than likely distilled in South Hackensack, then watered, flavored, and bottled at a number of locations including Hackensack.   That's the truth.

They had a chain called Dugan's "Bakers for the Home" in the NY metro area and their trucks would visit your neighborhood two or three times a week. They carried Entenmann's-quality baked goods. Milk men? Of course! We had a metal milk box and the milk man would bring us four quarts of milk every other day. (Five kids in the family.) My Mom also bought more milk during her weekly shopping trip, which sold for around 25 cents a quart.

There was a Dugan's Bakery on John Street along Railroad Avenue which ran at least two shifts that I know of in the late 50's early 60's - diminishing to one shift then slowed to be put out of business by modern bakers more equipped to handle demand and shipment. Dugan's was old fashioned and supplied local stores. I was not aware it was a chain. They did have several trucks and they were late 40's and early 50's International  step vans which fell into disrepair, as did the factory as well. They tried to focus on fresh baked goods more locally but they fell behind;  Lodi Modern Bakery as well as Entermann's and another brand put them under. The building caught fire years after it was closed. AQ new building stands in its place owned by North Jersey Community Bank and a rents to sattelite of Kessler Rehabilitation.

The mural on the Southern wall of the Fair Tavern was commissioned by the owners of the tavern to an American black employee of *Dickie Sansari's car wash on Essex St. The mural was excellent and clearly depicted Duke Ellington; Ella Fitzgerald; louis Armstrong (In his late twenties); Ben Webster; Clark Terry and Roy Eldridge; Ed Thigpen; and other Jazz Greats.. I believe there were eleven in total.  According to the present  owner of the  mural is intact behind a stud wall.

[* The North Side of Essex from the corners of State to Main were as follows: Ben's Staionary Shop, who's sign advertised soda and Ice Cream, and candy, he also sold toys; Red's Service Station, competed with Joes Sinclair  (where 75 Essex is now) then changed to "City's Service," then "Citgo"; at the triangle there was "Flying A" Gasoline and "Crown" Gasoline back to back. Later the Trolly Stop would occupy that parcel. Next to Red's was Sansari's Car Wash and there was a working bowling ally up stairs which closed three years before the first Shop Rite in the area took position at the top of Essex Stree near Prospect. I seem to recall Breslowe's still being in business. After that there were three houses followed by a dual brick apartment building with eight apartments four stores. The longest tenants being a Chinese Laundry, and a Barber.

Fair Street from Essex to Lodi Streets: Three grocery stores, a fish market, a bakery, a clothing factory, a salumeria, a variety store; a barber; and a fix-it shop.