TOMS RIVER – Many of the neighborhood people weren’t aware that the Christ Church of Toms River at 415 Washington Street has been used to host a homelessness outreach program since July 2023. However, notification of plans to expand the location to include a 17-bed shelter quickly filled the room at a recent Board of Adjustment hearing.
A zoning permit to allow the use of the church hall as an outreach center was approved in July 2023. Since then, homeless individuals in search of assistance have been visiting the church for various services. The Toms River Housing and Homeless Coalition oversees the Ocean County Housing Resource Center – a collaborative group of faith-based leaders, nonprofits, and government agencies.
Since the outreach program began, over 500 individuals have sought assistance. Services at the center range from referrals for housing placements and food pantries, resume help and even showers for the unhoused.
Shelter Plans
The church is located in an area zoned residential and requires a variance in order to provide overnight accommodations for the unhoused. A non-profit organization named the Affordable Housing Alliance (AHA) plans to manage the facility.
Attorney Harvey York, who represented the applicant before the zoning board, disclosed that he lives within 1,000 feet of the church building. York also provided clarification regarding the legal definition of shelters, indicating they are considered the same as group homes under New Jersey law.
“The statute requires that for a D-1 variance, among other things,” said York. “You have to show an inherently beneficial use…which means a use which is universally considered a value to the community because it fundamentally serves the public good and promotes the general welfare.”
York also cited two court decisions that considered shelters in other towns. One case determined that land use boards should also consider whether there is substantial detriment to the public. The zoning board also has the right to reduce any detrimental effects by placing reasonable conditions on the property.
Randi Moore, Chief Executive Officer of AHA testified as the first witness on the applicant’s behalf. AHA is a $10 million company that has a variety of programs and services that are focused on housing stability.
The meeting room was filled with a number of residents, who came to comment on the shelter proposal. (Photo by Stephanie Faughnan)
“We provide a lot of different housing related services, systems, including a shelter in Monmouth County,” said Moore. “We’ve been running for over a decade in Ocean County.”
Monmouth County owns a 16-bed shelter that AHA manages in Oceanport. The facility provides temporary living quarters for men and women, many who leave for work each day.
Ocean County has awarded funds to expand the current use of the church building using money allotted from the federal government as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). These funds are not part of the $12.5 million recently awarded to other nonprofits to provide a Young Adult Bridge Housing program or for the Acquisition for Innovations to Address Homelessness.
Donna Flynn, Ocean County Public Information Director, provided more specifics regarding the source of the funds and their allocation.
“In September of 2022, Ocean County released a Homelessness and Housing Insecurity (HHI) Services competitive solicitation,” shared Flynn. “Through the open public contracting process, Ending Homelessness Group was awarded funding via competitive contract to address emergency sheltering, homelessness prevention and other supportive service.”
Flynn said the grant was made available through the County’s original ARPA Plan, and the contract began on January 1, 2023.
“Specifically, $983,000 was proposed and budgeted by the vendor to create a small, licensed emergency shelter site,” Flynn explained. “While Ending Homelessness Group is the lead agency on the contract with the county, Affordable Housing Alliance is listed as a collaborating entity, which was encouraged as part of the solicitation.”
The proposed location of the shelter is on the southerly side of Washington Street, just east of Magnolia Lane. The 10.79-acre site is currently developed with various structures, including a multi-story church building, an outreach office, and a rectory.
Plans include setting up 17 beds and bathing facilities in the basement, intake and dining areas on the first floor, and staff offices and conference rooms on the second floor. The facility will also include a covered shelter area and locker kiosk outside, with other improvements planned for accessibility and compliance with parking standards.
When asked if Moore’s organization had considered other locations for the shelter, she explained the extensive efforts that had been made to find an appropriate location for the shelter.
“AHA did look for other locations,” she said. “Our staff worked primarily through the religious network, exploring what was available for lease. When we identified this site, it made the most sense, given the location and the willingness of the owner to work with us and provide that welcoming environment.”
Attorney Harvey York, who appeared on behalf of the applicant beside Randi Moore, Chief Executive Officer of AHA. (Photo by Stephanie Faughnan)
Screening And Safety
Addressing concerns about the shelter’s screening protocols, Moore assured the public that AHA would follow the same protocol already established for the Monmouth County shelter.
“In about 2022, we were brought in to take over the Coordinated Entry System, which is really the single point of entry for people experiencing homelessness in the county,” shared Moore. “Federal law requires that every county has a system that streamlines how people experience homelessness and how they access housing to make sure that it is most efficient, and that people are able to access resources.”
The coordinated entry system is essentially a waiting list for people experiencing homelessness in the county. Staff assess each person’s needs and rank them based on vulnerability. Federal funds are prioritized for people with the highest needs. Staff refer people to programs and housing opportunities.
Data reports suggest that the leading cause of homelessness is related to evictions or people asked to leave shared homes. This can sometimes be related to domestic violence.
Moore said that the vast majority of people who come to AHA have no history of substance abuse or mental illness. Shelters throughout New Jersey do not diagnose mental illness or any other issue as a prerequisite to admittance to the facility.
“It’s actually illegal to deny somebody access to a shelter if they do have a mental illness,” Moore explained. “The only reason we would deny somebody is if there were behavioral issues that we identified that we think they’re a threat to somebody else or themselves.”
AHA also plans to establish relationships with county and local law enforcement officials to address prospective problems of a criminal nature.
During the hearing, Moore addressed concerns about safety and operations. She emphasized that the shelter would follow strict protocols: “We are a private nonprofit organization, and the shelter will be licensed by the state of New Jersey and regularly inspected. The municipality, as well as fire safety authorities, will ensure we are up to code.”
Moore detailed the shelter’s anticipated operations, explaining that each resident’s stay would initially be limited to 30 days, but extensions would be granted as needed. “While 30 days is the typical stay, we generally work with people and they’re allowed to stay longer,” she said. “Our goal is to move everybody to permanent housing, and so we will work with them on a housing plan and to get moved on to permanent housing.”
The shelter will have strict protocols in place to ensure safety and structure. No alcohol or drugs will be permitted on the premises. No drop in requests to stay the night are acceptable, and shelter residents will be required to have their bags inspected upon entry to the facility.
Residents will not be free to come and go at all hours. At least two staff members will be placed at the facility throughout the day and night. Transportation services would be made available to bring people to work or appointments.
The Zoning Board (Photo by Stephanie Faughnan)
Public Concerns
Zoning board members and meeting attendees were permitted to question Moore concerning her testimony. Some expressed fear about the potential impact of the shelter on the neighborhood. Others insisted the shelter represented a “substantial determinant” to the neighborhood because it would decrease property values.
A number of people focused on the screening process, saying they did not feel it was enough to have only two staff members in charge. They advocated for the need for licensed social workers to review intakes. Many of the partners who collaborate with AHA within the building have social workers on their staff.
When asked if everyone afforded a bed within the shelter would be from Toms River, Moore said the goal is to provide services to people whose last known address is in Toms River.
Some residents felt the transitional nature of the shelter and the stigma associated with it could put families at risk. They cited concerns about people milling around town who would be drawn to the location within their neighborhood.
Other witnesses including a planner and traffic experts are among those scheduled to be heard for this application. The next scheduled meeting is October 24 and is expected to draw a large crowd again.
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