COMMUNITY MAGAZINE May 2008

28 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE While suchoccurrences are not altogether unusual in tough urban neighborhoods like the South Bronx or Bedford- Styvesant, Rachel’s and Linda’s families don’t reside anywhere near either of those districts. Ironically, these households, among hundreds of others in the Syrian-Sephardic Community, specifically chose to live far from even the bustle of Flatbush, in the tranquil suburb of the Deal/Long Branch, New Jersey Shore area. But a recent trend appears to be rocking the quality of life for residents of the once quaint towns of Elberon, Oakhurst and surrounding areas. COLLEGE CRAZINESS The phenomenon is at least partially a result of the increased home ownership in the neighborhood by, mostly Sephardic, summer only residents. Among many of these homeowners it is common practice to rent out their summer retreats in the winter. But who exactly would want to rent a house for only 10 months of the year? College students, of course. The presence of Monmouth University right in the heart of the enclave of Sephardic summer homes would seem to be a perfect match – from an economic perspective at least. The thousands of students who actively seek nearby homes to share with their friends during the school year are a natural fit for the numerous homeowners eager to defray the cost of owning a summer home by renting it out during the winter months. But beyond the money, with the recent growth of Monmouth University to 6,351 students – a 60 percent rise from 1995 – off campus college renters nearly doubled and are now estimated to outnumber families in the neighborhoods surrounding the University. Only a mere 1600 or so students reside on campus, leaving a seasonal influx of some 4,750 students to off-campus residences in community neighborhoods. But the growth has not come without a price. “My daughter was traumatized by what she had to witness,” explained Rachel referring to the crime scene where a college student on her street overdosed. A year-round resident of the same street for over seven years, the incident prompted Rachel and her A slew of police cars, ambulances and plain clothed detectives crowded her street as Rachel returned home to meet her chil dren’s bus. Racing over to a police officer to inquire about the disturbance, she was horrified to learn that a young woman who lived with friends a few doors down had just died as a result of intoxication. Dismayed – but not necessarily surprised – Rachel hoped in vain that her children wouldn’t have to be exposed to the crime scene. But as the bus began to turn the corner, the young passengers – and in particular, Rachel’s children – got a front row view of the most traumatic moment of the crime scene, as a coroner carried the deceased away I n a separate incident just a few blocks away, Linda was at home with her newborn baby one winter day when she heard a knock on the door. Upon opening it, she was confronted by police who began asking a series of questions about whether there had been unwelcome banging on her door or requests by strangers to use her phone recently. Linda soon learned that the inquiry by police was part of an investigation into drug dealing. Apparently, earlier that day dealers had arrived at her neigh- bor’s door to collect money owed for drugs, but her neighbors had managed to elude the dealers…. Lauren Nesser