An empty three-story office building in Newark's Ironbound section is at the center of a heated dispute between those who wish to use it as a sorely needed shelter for homeless veterans and nearby residents who fear its impact on the community.

Independence: A Family of Services Inc., a nonprofit multiservice agency in Irvington, once operated the building as an alternative high school for dropouts and a place for families and children in crises to receive social services. Now the agency sees it as a place for homeless vets.

Everyone knows there is a need to help veterans, but residents and East Ward Councilman Augusto Amador believe their working-class neighborhood is not a suitable location for the shelter and scope of mental and behavioral health services that Independence wants to provide.

They note that it's across the street from a preschool at the corner of Van Buren and Elm streets and within blocks of the library, East Side High School and another school.

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In April, Amador, who also is also a Planning Board member, said he met with Margaret Woods, president of Independence, and explained that he couldn't support the project unless the community was behind it.

Woods has support from the mayor's office in a letter dated July 24, but a community meeting last week that she organized didn't go well. About 200 residents showed up at the meeting, but Woods ended it because she said residents' anger over her proposal prevented discussion.

Residents disagreed, saying, they weren't getting satisfactory answers about what Independence wants to do.

"They're promoting it as a VA shelter, only to switch it over to a full-time shelter,'' said Manuel Lima. "That's how it's coming across when we ask questions,'' about hiring, credentials, staff ratio to residents and security. "It seems a little fishy."

This much we do know from Woods, who says she's about transparency and honesty: The plan calls for a 40-bed facility and transitional program to help veterans become stable so they can move into permanent housing. There will be mental and behavioral health services, life-skills training and workshops to help them reconnect with their families. Staff will be experienced employees, who have worked with veterans in residential programs, including the chief operating officer at Independence.

Services will be on the premises and veterans will be transported to programs they are a part of at the Veterans Administration Hospital in East Orange and other venues.

She stresses that veterans will be at the site and not hanging outside in front of the property nor roaming the neighborhood.

"There is a need in the community that has to be addressed,'' Woods said. "It is unconscionable that veterans are placed in general population shelters that aren't equipped to meet their special needs.''

The New Jersey Department of Military and Veteran Affairs says there aren't accurate statistics on the number of homeless veterans, but a January 2016 survey by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development counted over 39,000 homeless vets nationwide, 556 in New Jersey.

In Newark, about 200 veterans, most of whom are homeless in the area, show up at an annual "Stand Down" event to receive government services, medical treatment and help with seeking employment

"No one has a problem with veterans putting their life on the line for them," Woods observed, "but evidently our hometown heroes aren't good enough to live next door to you."

Residents and Amador reject the "Not in My Backyard'' argument, saying that is not the issue. They are not confident that Independence has the experience to provide the service because the agency has not worked with this population.

"They deserve more than a shelter,'' said Paula Vieira, an Ironbound resident for 30 years. "They need someone with the capacity to handle this.''

Residents also are worried about safety and the facility's proximity to schools.

"The building is not conducive to provide the type of services that they want to provide,'' Amador said. "No one has anything against the veterans. That's not the issue. This is a stable neighborhood.''

Paula Sociedade, a psychologist with a practice across the street, is concerned about screening for post-traumatic stress syndrome and said there isn't a courtyard on the grounds for the veterans to congregate."Where are these people going to spend their time?'' she said.

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A report from the Central Planning Board staff said, "Safety, security and quality of life issues are a major concern in this location.''

Independence can't do anything unless the Planning Board grants several variances to change the use from an office building to a shelter operation. The site lacks parking for such a use, and there's not enough front, side and rear yard setback, which is the distance between the building and the street line.

Woods said there will be another meeting with residents to talk about the need for the veteran facility and why her agency's 46-year history of serving families and children in crisis shows it has the experience to work with veterans.

When the agency opened in 1971, it served high school dropouts before expanding into services for families and children. After 20 years or so, the agency's programs shifted to Irvington, and the Newark property became an office building for tenants and its administration until a fire forced them out two years ago.

Amador said he's willing to help Independence find a better location for its program. Woods said she is not unreasonable, but her preference is to stay put, "because I strongly believe that the way you reintegrate people back into the community is by having them live in the community and not hidden away some place.''

A contingent of residents still upset from the community meeting attended the Planning Board meeting Monday protest the proposal, but the item was adjourned to Nov. 6.

In the meantime, Woods will make her case for the veterans shelter.

"Ultimately, people in the community are either going to believe me or not," she said. "There's no currency in my not telling the truth.''

Barry Carter: (973) 836-4925 or bcarter@starledger.com or

nj.com/carter or follow him on Twitter @BarryCarterSL