MANALAPAN – Municipal officials got the news on Feb. 19 they did not want to hear: the state will not move to revoke the license of Manalapan Manor, a residential healthcare facility on Route 33 near Woodward Road.
In a letter to Manalapan officials, Bernard A. Raywood, chief of the Bureau of Rooming and Boarding House Standards in the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA), wrote, “At this time, DCA has not issued a Notice of License Revocation to the Manalapan Manor licensee, nor does DCA have final court adjudication on any orders issued to the Manalapan Manor licensee by DCA that would warrant revoking their license to own/operate a residential healthcare facility.”
Raywood wrote that “DCA conducted an unannounced inspection on Feb. 14, 2020 and observed that substantial renovations are underway within the facility. However, the area wherein the current residents live, resident supervision and resident records are in compliance with the Standards for Licensure of Residential Health Care Facilities. Another visit to the facility on Feb. 18, 2020 determined the facility is compliant.”
Manalapan officials’ latest request to the state to revoke the license of Manalapan Manor came after a 38-year-old man from Newark who was a resident of the facility was struck by two vehicles as he was crossing the eastbound lane of Route 33 on foot outside a marked crosswalk near Woodward Road shortly before 7:30 p.m. Feb. 12. The man was pronounced dead at the scene at 7:37 p.m., according to the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.
Manalapan Manor (previously known as Marianne Manor) is a private residential healthcare facility that is overseen by the DCA.
In his Feb. 19 letter to township officials, Raywood once again made it clear that “residents of Manalapan Manor, a free-standing residential healthcare facility, are free to go and come as they choose. The Manalapan Manor licensee is prohibited by (state law) from restricting
the residents’ access to the community and any resources available to other residents of the community.”
Raywood also wrote that “the standards for licensure of residential health care facilities and the authorizing statute the Health Care Facilities Planning Act do not restrict the licensee from accepting individuals with the ability to privately pay for their residence. Residential healthcare facilities are not funded by a governmental agency, and as such, are not required to accept individuals receiving government awards.”
Township Attorney Roger McLaughlin provided a comment on behalf of the Manalapan Township Committee. He said, “The township is yet again disappointed by the DCA’s response.”
The area of Route 33 and Woodward Road has been the scene of previous pedestrian fatalities in recent years. There are businesses at the intersection – notably a CVS pharmacy and a Wawa convenience store – that are frequented by residents of Manalapan Manor.
On Oct. 22, 2014, a 67-year-old male resident of the facility was struck and killed by a vehicle as he attempted to cross Route 33 on foot near Woodward Road.
On Aug. 25, 2015, a 60-year-old male resident of the facility was struck and killed by a vehicle as he was standing in the right lane of Route 33 eastbound near Woodward Road.
On Oct. 2, 2016, a 58-year-old male resident of the facility was struck and killed by a vehicle as he attempted to cross Route 33 on foot near Woodward Road.
