BARNEGAT – A Barnegat veteran still plans to offer transitional housing for homeless veterans on his Route 72 property. However, the organization Just Believe, Inc. will no longer be involved in the project.
Martin Weber, the property owner, formally announced his intentions to donate land for “Jeff’s Camp” in May of this year. His initial plan was to set up tiny homes on his property to give homeless veterans a roof over their heads. The proposed project is named in memory of the late Jeff Poissant, who Weber says was the love of his life.
When someone introduced Weber to Paul Hulse, CEO of Just Believe, Inc, Weber thought he found the help he needed to make his dreams a reality. After all, Hulse’s organization helps at-risk individuals and he had the necessary experience.
In an interview in June, Hulse said the Pinelands Commission would not allow tiny houses on the property. However, they would permit a seven-bedroom veterans sober living house on Weber’s back property.
The front would meet qualifications for a commercial building, which would ultimately house an outpatient addiction center and Just Believe thrift store. The addiction center would not limit services to veterans.
A few weeks ago, Weber came home to find surveyors on his land. He asked them to leave and called Hulse to remind him of his involvement in the project.
“We were supposed to be equal on everything that happened here,” Weber explained. “I didn’t want anyone on the property without my knowledge. Paul and I weren’t settled on what would be done back here. I still wanted the tiny houses.”
According to a letter written by Just Believe’s attorney, Robert C. Shea, the decision to terminate the “Jeff’s Camp” project was due to “irreconcilable differences” between the organization and Weber.
Shea wrote to “Friends of Just Believe” to advise them of the decision and request donors’ permission to reallocate donations to other Just Believe projects benefiting at-risk individuals. Sponsors can also elect to have donations earmarked for Jeff’s Camp returned to them.
“I can’t get into the specifics of the fundraising on the property. Jeff’s Camp was not an LLC,” said Shea. “There were sufficient reasons to terminate the agreement. It’s not going to benefit anyone to get into a ‘he said, she said’ situation.”
As far as the irreconcilable differences, Shea suggested speaking to Hulse. However, Hulse referred all requests for comment to his attorney.
Meanwhile, Weber is not giving up on his plans to help veterans. Jeff’s Camp now has a Board of Trustees and the goal is to move forward on Weber’s original quest to provide transitional homes for those who served the country.
Weber met Congressman Andy Kim when he competed for his seat in 2020. The two established a relationship and Weber said Kim continues to support the Jeff’ Camp project.
