STAFFORD – Officials have approved an application for a federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) that could help fund accessibility improvements at Lighthouse Park near Sandy Circle. If approved, the grant would allow the township to complete the project without issuing bonds.
A public hearing invited residents and organizations to comment on community needs and potential projects that could qualify for the grant. No members of the public offered comments.
The hearing is part of the required application process for the Community Development Block Grant program, which calls for municipalities to solicit public feedback before submitting projects.
Township Administrator Matt von der Hayden confirmed the township has applied for $40,000 to install poured-in-place rubber safety surfacing and other accessibility improvements at the Lighthouse Park playground near Sandy Circle. The project had already been identified in the township’s capital improvement plan.
Von der Hayden said the project fits the goals of the federal grant program. “The Community Development Block Grant money is meant to help individuals in the community that are considered low to moderate income,” he said during the meeting. “There are essentially two pots of money. There’s a smaller portion that municipalities can use for operating expenses, around $10,000, and then there’s a capital portion that can be used for projects.”
The administrator noted that Stafford has been working since 2019 to upgrade playgrounds throughout the township to make them more accessible. “A lot of the playgrounds have been updated to allow wheelchair access all the way to the top of those structures or to install poured-in-place rubber surfaces,” he said.
Ocean County administers the Community Development Block Grant program in partnership with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The program, created under the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, provides federal funding for projects that improve housing, infrastructure and community facilities that benefit low- and moderate-income residents.
The Ocean County Planning Department administers the program through the Ocean County Urban County Consortium, a cooperative arrangement in which participating municipalities enter into an interlocal agreement allowing the county to apply for and distribute federal funding on their behalf.
In addition to Community Development Block Grant funding, the agreement also includes the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, another HUD initiative that supports affordable housing activities such as housing rehabilitation, tenant-based rental assistance, first-time homebuyer assistance and the development of affordable rental units.
Through this consortium structure, Ocean County allocates both CDBG and HOME funds to municipalities, nonprofit organizations and public agencies to address housing, infrastructure and community development needs across participating towns.
Because the number of municipalities in the program exceeds the amount of funding available each year, the county distributes the grants on a two-year cycle, allowing different groups of towns to apply in alternating years.
Municipalities eligible to apply during the current cycle include Barnegat, Barnegat Light, Beach Haven, Beachwood, Berkeley, Harvey Cedars, Island Heights, Lacey, Ocean Township (Waretown), Pine Beach, Plumsted, Point Pleasant Beach, Stafford, Surf City and Tuckerton.
Towns that were a part of the previous two year cycle included Bay Head, Eagleswood, Lakehurst, Lavallette, Little Egg Harbor, Long Beach, Manchester, Mantoloking, Ocean Gate, Point Pleasant, Seaside Heights, Seaside Park, Ship Bottom and South Toms River.
Ocean County’s largest municipalities do not participate in the county’s grant pool. Brick, Lakewood and Toms River receive their own direct allocations from HUD as designated “entitlement communities.”
These towns administer their own Community Development Block Grant programs, using funds for housing rehabilitation, public service programs, nonprofit grants and economic development initiatives. Jackson also receives federal funds through a separate program administered by Ocean County rather than through the biennial municipal application cycle.
Other 2026 CDBG Applications
According to Ocean County’s Annual Action Plan, eligible communities in addition to Stafford have submitted proposals seeking Community Development Block Grant funding. Many of the proposed projects focus on improving access to public spaces and municipal facilities for residents with disabilities and seniors.
For example, Barnegat Light is seeking funds for handicapped accessibility equipment and improvements at various municipal facilities, while Beach Haven has proposed accessibility upgrades at Veterans Park. Beachwood is requesting funding for ADA improvements at the municipal building, and Berkeley has proposed similar accessibility upgrades at the Historical Society Museum.
Lacey is seeking funds for the installation of handicapped accessibility improvements, including ADA-compliant standard enhancements and related improvements, at park and recreation facilities and other municipal properties.
Harvey Cedars and Surf City are both proposing accessibility equipment and improvements at municipal facilities, while Point Pleasant Beach is seeking funding for accessibility upgrades along Philadelphia Avenue.
Other towns are targeting infrastructure needs. Ocean Township has proposed storm drainage improvements along Washington Street, while Pine Beach is seeking funding for accessibility improvements along the Pennsylvania Avenue walkway. Plumsted has proposed accessibility improvements at Plumsted Recreation Park, and Tuckerton is seeking funding for sidewalk improvements along Marine Street.
In addition to municipal projects, the county plan also outlines funding requests from several nonprofit organizations that provide services to low- and moderate-income residents. Proposed projects include homelessness assistance through the Affordable Housing Alliance and Family Promise of the Jersey Shore, food distribution through the Foodbank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, housing rehabilitation assistance through Homes For All, and homelessness prevention and case management services through Just Believe Inc.
Other nonprofit organizations seeking funding are Interfaith Family Services, Caregiver Volunteers of Central Jersey, Long Beach Island Community Center, Inc., Northern Ocean Habitat For Humanity, Ocean’s Harbor House, Providence House, Employment Supports for People with Disabilities, The Arc, Ocean County Chapter, Inc.
County officials are expected to review all proposals before finalizing the list of projects to be funded under the next Community Development Block Grant allocation.
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