The goal of the family shelter will be to empower families with children to regain their foothold in the community and transition them to independence. This is an upstream approach to youth homelessness, solving family problems before children get separated from their parents. Due to the shift in government policy to keep children with their families and provide wrap-around services to support them, there has been a severe decrease in requests for unaccompanied children who need temporary shelter. Instead, we have recorded a heightened demand and need in our community for families in need of shelter and support services. 

The 2023 Point in Time homeless survey annually counts those experiencing homeless on a single night in January. This year’s survey showed 158 Persons in Families in Ocean County were in motel rooms with substandard living arrangements. We are told that there is also a long waiting list for families experiencing homelessness or about to be homeless. Meanwhile, rents have increased dramatically across our region while an average of 14 new court evictions are filed a day. Families are becoming the fastest growing group among the homeless population. 

Ocean County is the only county in the state that does not have a shelter for adults and currently no family shelter exists. Lack of a stable address makes gainful employment and documentation almost impossible. Unemployment and underemployment make a healthy living situation improbable. Meanwhile, the stress and stigma of homelessness on youth and families both cause and enhance mental health issues. 

In the last decade, and in the last three years primarily, we have seen increasing numbers of homeless families being placed in motel rooms. Poor nutrition and hygiene resulting from these cramped quarters exacerbate existing mental and physical health issues. While these rooms have been one of the only choices for families, the number of motel rooms available is diminishing as the motels once designated for HUD housing are demolished or upgraded to unattainable real estate. Because of our coastal community, many motels are being sold and destroyed for higher priced properties, further diminishing what is accessible for homeless families.