Hansen Sober Living Homes Look to Expand in Ventnor

Ventnor residents told the Planning Board they don’t want another sober living home in their neighborhood.

The current owners of 211 N. Suffolk Ave. in Ventnor Heights want to sell their 3-unit property as a triplex, in this single-family residential zone.

Could the property be sold to the Hansen Foundation? They’re well known for building so-called ‘Recovery Homes’.

The Hansen Foundation could turn the property into a sober living home. Could potentially house between 18-36 people going through various stages of recovery.

The non-profit, Hansen Foundation runs several sober living homes in the Atlantic City and Ventnor areas. They also run Enlightened Cafe in Ventnor.

NOTE: Ole Hansen and Sons owns and operates the Downbeach Express toll road in Margate.

Hansen Foundation: striving to be a national leader in Recovery Housing for those affected by drug addiction.

Real Estate agents and brokers quietly fear that too many ‘sober homes’ will hurt Downbeach and Atlantic City property values. Few agents have openly commented on the issue. QUESTION: Must Real Estate agents disclose sober home locations to interested neighborhood buyers? WATCH VIDEO BELOW >

Watch Atlantic City Residents Question Hansen Recovery Homes.

Neighbors believe the building has always been a triplex. But that’s not enough for the Ventnor Planning & Zoning Board. They need definitive proof. Like an official document. So far, current owners can’t prove their property’s been used as a multi-family residence since before 1947.

Ventnor’s Master Plan recommends a reduction density. That means LESS multi-family, and MORE single family.

The building is three-stories high with three apartments, each with separate utilities and meters. Property currently assessed for $277,100.

Growth of sober living homes along the Jersey Shore. Especially Ventnor & Atlantic City. ‘They are problematic’, says Ventnor Commissioners.

Why are we building recovery homes in the middle of tourism destinations? Shore towns like Ventnor risk becoming a social services magnet like Atlantic City. Half-way housing along the seashore.

Ventnor Commissioners say: ‘there’s nothing we can do to stop it’.

Hansen Foundation always on the look-out for motivated sellers. Distressed sellers. Relatively low cost of acquiring large properties in Ventnor.

Hansen Foundation changing fabric of small neighborhoods in Ventnor and Atlantic City.

The Business of Sober Living Homes. Hansen Foundation and others enjoying substantial taxpayer assistance to develop more homes in both Ventnor and Atlantic City. Is Margate vulnerable too?

State of NJ filed a lawsuit against The Hansen Foundation. They’re not complying with state regulations. NJ State says Hansen Foundation operating sober homes as ‘rooming houses’. Tenants pay a fee to live there. That’s a no-no.

Hansen Foundation operates ‘Serenity House’ in the North Beach neighborhood of Ventnor. Other sober homes can be found on Weymouth, Lafayette, Frankfort and Cornwall Ave. Some are large beach-block single-family homes.

Before selling to Hansen, owners must confirm it was a triplex (3 family units) before 1947. Hansen likely has no interest in converting property into a single family home.

12 thoughts on “Hansen Sober Living Homes Look to Expand in Ventnor”

  1. I support sober homes, but they need to be located in appropriate locations. Maybe the Hansen Family can build a recovery house next door to where they live. Maybe Hansens can convert a Margate school into a sober living hotel. Just use the money they make from charging people to cross the Margate bridge.

    1. Jennifer Hansen helped me save my life!! If she wasn’t the amazing, loving, caring, selfless, supportive, and giving woman!! I wouldn’t be able to write this because I would have died. I’m so grateful for Jen and the selfless work she does EVERYDAY of her life to help us.

      I know for a fact that she will go above and beyond to HELP anyone that is suffering from this horrible disease!! I’m also overwhelmingly grateful because I lost my health insurance while I was in treatment! If I was ANYWHERE ELSE I would have been asked to leave treatment, but without a single question about finances I was able to stay in residential treatment until the clinical team felt I was ready for the next phase (27 days) then I started IOP, which is 3 days a week!!

      Jennifer Hansen HAS NEVER ASKED FOR A PENNY!!! She is the most SELFLESS woman I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting in my life, she believes in me and knows this program WORKS!

      The unconditional love and support I still receive from the Hansen foundation has given me the opportunity to find myself! I’m not a junkie! I’m a loving strong woman! I am a mother! My children got there mommy back! So many people are dying EVERYDAY of this disease so many lives are affected! If you do not suffer from this disease you can’t tell me that you don’t know someone that is suffering! So many of us have been pushed away but NOT BY Jennifer, she welcomes us with open arms and I such a MAJOR part of the solution! I’m baffled that anyone would try to get in the way of anyone WORKING ON A SOLUTION to this terrible epidemic!!

      It’s obvious some people in the community do not care about this disease or the lives that are ripped apart! Thank god there’s someone that truly cares and doesn’t throw us away or PRETEND that we aren’t here! I don’t think pretending or ignoring is working because people are still dying!
      FOREVER GRATEFUL!! Danielle D recovering addict

    2. Do you know what a non-profit organization is? You sound like your a heartless person. People fall down sometimes and make mistakes and they need help being put back on their feet again.

      Addiction is a disease and it was medically proven! These sober living homes are there for people after they finally completed all the recent steps of their programs. They usually have been clean for about a month! We are not scared to live by a sober living homes you jack ass. They need to be shown that they can live a real life again after they ditched the one thing they loved.

      They are fighters and I believe in each and ever single one of them. Your are an absolutely monster for trying to say no for this to happen. What if it was someone you loved and wanted them to get some help? Would you be as heartless if it was your own family member?

      Maybe after you read this and do some research on how bad the disease of addiction is killing people in 2019. Number are raising honey they aren’t going down yet! So I vote yes to the house.

      Thank you JEN HANSEN. Beyond and eternally grateful for you

    3. These “sober living” hovels have no place in shore towns where residents pay 10K / year in taxes. Clean it up and get them out!

  2. This article is not based on fact and is very one sided. This building is a triplex that has 3 apartments – 2 3-bedroom and 1 2-bedroom. It houses approximately 13 people right now I think – that is how it looked when I went through. It had about 50 tires stored in the crawl space, is bug infested, leaking pipes, mold and many other problems per my home inspection. Some of the houses I have walked into have been completely deplorable conditions, environmental pollution with squatters living in them.

    I am employing people to renovate these properties making them worth more which helps our local economy. I was going to completely renovate this building and use it for sober apartments for about 8-10 people who had over 6 months clean coming out of our other sober living houses. This would have increased the property value. There has been no decrease in property values near any of our houses over the past 15 years.

    There is a need for this because when people are getting back on their feet, they can’t immediately afford to get their own apartments and many of them have bad credit and can’t get approved.

    The Hansen Foundation is a non-profit and none of these houses make any money. We have to fund raise to supplement the expenses and I do not draw any salary from the foundation. I have been working very hard to raise the standard of recovery housing so that all houses in the state will follow the National Alliance of Recovery Residence guidelines as all of our houses do. Now let’s look at the problem…about 40% of Americans suffer from substance use disorder….40%!!!!! That is almost half the population!

    Last year, approximately 3200 people in NJ died of drug overdoses – 200 of them were in Atlantic County. That is like more than one person every other day…STAGGERING! I didn’t cause the drug and alcohol problem, I am just trying to help with the solution.

    We are doing everything we can to SAVE LIVES. Recovery housing is where we see the change happen where people sustain long-term recovery. They need to be in a location where they can easily get to work, 12-step meetings, and bus stops that are also located in a walkable community. We are trying to lift people up and show them that life is worth living, we would love the rest of the community to help us do that.

    1. Irene Braverman-Ruzzo

      I understand and remember you and you friend Casey from years ago.

      I have hear many wonderful things about
      Your work.

      Thanks for what you do

      I Would like to suggest
      You target your group homes in different neighborhoods.

      God Bless

      Irene Braverman/Ruzzo

  3. I commend Ms Hansen’s mission and her recovery, but as a parent and someone who looks to rent or buy property, I would resent sober living houses not being regulated, monitored, and limited.

    Having witnessed similar places in Atlantic City people relapse, have friends who are addict/derelicts, and still are living one day at a time.

    While this makes me sympathetic to the cause, there is still potential for nuisance issues. Even drug activity issues, like Atlantic City.

    Sympathy for recovering addicts – YES;

    Desire to live, rent, buy property near these misbegotten people- NO. it’s still a higher risk! ????????????????

  4. I think it will interesting to read what happens when the State of NJ vs The Hansen House case is decided. Just hope its decision is not stalled by years of appeals .

  5. I am 29 years sober and continue to go to 12 step meetings. I have a house in Ventnor and would not want a sober living facility near me. Sorry, but in my opinion this is not the ideal location for many reasons.

  6. Ms.Hansen stated that those in recovery,in her sober facilities have 6 months sober before ,moving into one of her homes.As a mother who had a daughter briefly reside in one of her homes,I can attest that this is not accurate.I can also attest that there is a viable relapse rate and that their is Not 24-7 supervision,in each of the sober homes.Ms.Hansen appears to be overly defensive and dismisse s those with valid concerns,that deserve to be heard and understood.Ms.Hansen ,why is there no homes in Margare and in or near the vicinity of your home.If a standard is to be set,and an example to be proven,why not purchase a home,any home on Bayshore Drive,and show your neighbors how your vision can be realized locally and in your own backyard.Kindly PRACTICE,what you preach.Clarity and full transparency is needed.Please Practice what you preach,and I hope your issue with Atlantic City will soon be resolved.You were fined,and have those monies be paid.I assume the appeals are continuing.What part of that lawsuit needs further clarification? & open transparency for all.There is an ongoing misconception that when indiv.protest of voice their concerns,they are viewed as anti drug and alcohol abuse rehabilitation….this could Not be further from the truth from my family and many many others who voice their opinion.Please Listen & hear and hear and listen.No one is against rehab.services for those who struggle from substance abuse.Thankfully also in your case you came from a family where finances I assume were not an issue or drawback,when it came time to receiving care of aftercare etc.Perhaps Ms.Hansen Look & See with openess,understanding and total honesty & complete transparency .People always will respect that .

  7. My Heart Hurts

    I grew up as a child of an addict, I never want to live anywhere where I have to see it. Ms Hansen I need a safe place because of addiction ruining my life. I would be open to you helping the children of addiction what about them they need a safe place! We never talk about the families and children who have had years of abuse from addicted relatives.

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