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Toms River council approves short-term use of ARPA funds, DCA help to clear woods encampment
Summary
Council approved a plan to use ARPA money and Department of Community Affairs support to move people from a woods encampment into temporary hotel placement while DCA works to place them in permanent housing; council asked for supporting documents before broader expansion.
The Toms River Township Council approved a measure to provide immediate, temporary housing support for people living in a woods encampment while the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) works to place them into permanent housing.
Administration speakers described site visits by police and staff and said roughly $2,000,000 in ARPA funds had been identified to cover hotel placements and related services during the transition. "We found about $2,000,000 worth of ARPA money that'll offset the township in a lot of ways," an administration representative said. The mayor said the DCA expects placement to take two to three months in many cases, and described the plan as a winter emergency response to get people out of unsafe conditions.
Several council members sought more documentation about state and county coordination, specific hotels and contracts, and whether ARPA rules permitted the proposed uses. One council member said the town had closed a prior "code blue" arrangement and pressed the administration on the legal basis for using ARPA funds and the long-term plan. Administration staff said they had contacted state and county partners and would provide supporting materials as follow-up.
The council voted to approve the short-term measure with some members abstaining or voting no on procedural grounds; legal counsel and staff said the measure is a temporary operational step to address imminent weather and safety concerns rather than a permanent policy change.
What's next: Administration will provide documentation on DCA engagement and ARPA eligibility and report back to council about hotels, contracts and timelines.
