If a tent falls in a forest...

Off Route 88 in Lakewood, next to yeshivas, kollelim, and businesses there's a large forest. In middle of its tall trees and small shrubbery are lots of tents. Tents made up of cloth or wood; of all sizes.

Sadly, they're people's houses. Day and night, warm weather and cold, men and women call these "temporary" fixtures home.

Next to birds and squirrels, Lakewood has got a new growing neighborhood.The federal government, together with a local Catholic church are helping construct them. Daily, more tents and huts are being nailed into the ground. More people moving in.

People are finding The Great Outdoors- very inviting for their indoors.

Diversity hasn't yet located its way into the dark forest. Tent City has got two separate sections: one for Blacks, one for Hispanics.

The inhabitants have no permit. There's alcohol, drugs, all around. The rent-paying, mortgage-paying neighbors are at wits end. When some of the occupants are bored they brake into the nearby properties and vandalize. Cars are bashed up; schools broken into. The police say there's nothing they can do about it. The elected officials say there's nothing they can do about it.

So the illegal tents continue going up, while a chunk of the community continues going down.

When a tent falls in a forest and elected officials don't hear.....