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Developers of a $7 million renovation project at the Stephen Manor and Vita Gardens housing developments are seeking more local contractors to fill jobs on site after receiving complaints that they weren’t hiring enough area workers.

The Vitus Group of Manhattan recently bought both complexes and is rehabilitating them. In June, Vitus Group’s Scott Langan said that 50 to 60 percent of contracts in the project would go to Monmouth County companies. The firm has held up that promise, Langan said, as about 50 percent of the project’s contractors are from Monmouth County.

But the company has had trouble finding contractors within the city of Asbury Park “with the bonding and insurance requirements that we need,” Langan said.

“We’ve done thorough outreach and we’ve given a bunch of information to politicians and elected officials,” Langan said in a phone interview on Thursday. “Through the initiative of the city manager’s office, we’re trying to find some jobs in the heating and HVAC departments” to be given to locals.

“It’s a tough issues because there are some good individuals within the city of Asbury Park but we’ve had a not-so-easy time finding firms to provide all the requirements that are needed,” he said.

City manager Terence Reidy asked Langan about employment for city workers earlier this week, he said, and Langan will soon provide him with a list of skill sets that need to be filled. Reidy will begin reaching out to area workers next week, he said at Wednesday night’s council meeting.

Community activist Duanne Small said during public comment that addressing unemployment in the city by ensuring local jobs go to local residents could cut down on crime.

“Private developers want to come in and spend money, but what do they have to offer the people?” Small said. “Where are the community benefits?”

 

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