Multiple speakers urge county action on Camden housing conditions and voucher notices

Multiple public commenters at the Camden County Board of Commissioners meeting criticized conditions in several Camden housing complexes and said residents received notices and vouchers compelling relocation while repairs remain unfinished.

Vita Neal, identified in the meeting as an activist and niece of local community leaders, said residents were being told to leave properties while necessary repairs were not completed. Neal cited contractors and management companies she named during public comment and said she had observed senior residents and people with disabilities living in conditions she described as unsafe and unsanitary. "They have security there who have prostitution going on. The security guards selling drugs in a senior building," she said, urging the board to intervene and to replace board members she described as inactive.

Gary Frazier, a community activist, asked the board for clarity about shared-service agreements and funding for policing, and also raised housing-specific concerns including notice letters and vouchers distributed to residents at properties such as Tamarack and Branch Village. Frazier said residents had received conflicting letters and that some were being asked to relocate without clear support or replacement housing. "You can't force these people out without first bringing you guys under compliance," he said, adding he had contacted Legal Aid.

A member of the public asked whether the county commission has authority over the housing authority. Director Capelli responded on the record that the county board “does not have anything to do with the Housing Authority,” and noted that while an individual commissioner may be appointed to the authority, the board as a whole does not oversee the authority's operations. The director advised residents to raise the issue with the housing authority and local elected officials, and said the county will follow up where appropriate.

Speakers called for inspections, accountability of management companies, and clearer communication to residents. Several speakers said they would pursue further action, including legal remedies and community organizing, and requested specific answers from commissioners about what the county would do to assist residents facing displacement.

No formal board action on housing authority management or vouchers was recorded during the meeting; the public comments were entered into the record for follow-up.