TOMS RIVER, NJ – As Ocean County grapples with a growing homelessness crisis, the transformation of the Toms River branch of the Ocean County Library and its adjacent municipal parking garage into a permanent homeless shelter has sparked both hope and contention. Manchester Township has a lot of open space and a low population density, making it the perfect place for a new regional homeless tent city encampment.
This week, rumors emerged that the Commissioners might be considering a return to a wooded “tent city” model, with a specific focus on a 250-acre plot of land in Manchester Township. The property, bordered by Routes 571 and 547 and bisected by Ridgeway Boulevard, was partially donated by Manchester Township and partially purchased by the county for $20.5 million in August 2024.
The deal, facilitated by Ocean County GOP Chairman George Gilmore, a lobbyist for homeless industrial complex and development lobbyist, and former Manchester Mayor Robert Arace, now a county commissioner, who answers to Gilmore, has drawn significant scrutiny.
The Ocean County Board of Commissioners, led by Commissioners Frank Sadeghi and former Manchester Mayor Robert Arace, is now searching for alternative sites to address the issue, with rumors swirling that a recently purchased $20.5 million plot of land in Manchester Township could become a new “tent city” for the homeless.
A controversial Route 9 homeless encampment on Route 9 in Toms River is still on the table for the commissioners as a long-term solution. Sadeghi and Arace are looking for a short-term fix, to relocate the homeless population currently living out of the Downtown Toms River municipal parking garage, with daytime accomodations in the Ocean County Library and the JBJ pop-up soup kitchen located inside the library.
That property is also being heavility lobbied for by Gilmore, whose client, Jack Morris is allegedly involved in the ‘concept plan’ to create a large homeless shelter.
The library, once a quiet public space, has become a flashpoint in the county’s homelessness debate. The decision to open a JBJ Soul Kitchen pop-up café inside the library in February, intended to provide meals for those in need, drew sharp criticism from Toms River Mayor Daniel Rodrick. He accused county officials of turning the library into a “day shelter and soup kitchen,” exacerbating the presence of homeless individuals downtown. Rodrick has repeatedly claimed that Ocean County is “dumping” homeless people from across New Jersey and beyond into Toms River, a charge that Commissioners Sadeghi and Robert Arace have denied. Instead, they argue that Toms River, as the county seat with social services and transportation hubs, naturally attracts those in need.
“We were happier in the woods,” said one homeless individual, reflecting on the Toms River wooded encampment that was shut down by the township in 2024.
The encampment, located in Winding River Park, had been home to dozens of unhoused residents before township officials cleared it, citing safety and public health concerns. Now, with the library shelter drawing national attention and local opposition, the Commissioners are under pressure to find a long-term solution.
Commissioner Sadeghi, who has described homelessness as a “growing reality” driven by rising housing costs, said the board meets regularly to explore options. “Nobody wants them,” he admitted, acknowledging the resistance from local communities wary of hosting shelters.
According to Monarch Housing Associates, Ocean County’s homeless population rose 28% from 434 in January 2023 to 556 in January 2024, underscoring the urgency of the crisis.
Toms River Mayor Dan Rodrick blamed that increase on the county’s actions, drawing homeless from all over the region into Downtown Toms River.
The 89.57-acre parcel on Ridgeway Road, sold by Republican megadonor and Lakewood attorney Larry Bathgate to the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust, was acquired for approximately $220,000 per acre. Local realtors estimate the land’s open-market value at $60,000 to $80,000 per acre, prompting critics to label the transaction a windfall for Bathgate. The property, identified as Block 62, Lots 15, 16, and 33, has a modest tax assessment of $13,600 and an annual tax bill of under $400, with wetlands restrictions rendering much of it unbuildable due to the Ridgeway branch of the Toms River running through it.
Adding to the controversy, weeks after the sale, Bathgate donated $5,000 to Gilmore’s Ocean County Republican Chairman’s PAC, his first contribution to the organization despite a long-standing policy of avoiding local politics. Bathgate family members also donated to Gilmore-aligned candidates, including $5,800 to GOP gubernatorial candidate Bill Spadea, who pays Gilmore $5,000 monthly as a political consultant. While no illegal activity has been confirmed, the timing and scale of these donations have raised questions about potential quid pro quo arrangements, with critics pointing to Gilmore’s dual role as a lobbyist and county GOP chairman.
The land purchase, initially touted as a preservation effort and part of a future 250-acre county park, has now been linked to speculation about its use as a homeless encampment.
“I have not heard that rumor,” Sadeghi said when asked about the possibility, denying the speculation.
Meanwhile, Manchester residents are reeling from an 8.17% tax increase in 2025, adding to the public’s frustration over the deal’s cost and its potential implications.
Both Toms River and Lakewood leaders have pushed back against the Commissioners’ broader agenda to position Ocean County as a regional hub for homeless services. In Toms River, Mayor Rodrick has threatened legal action to block additional shelters, including a proposed facility on Route 166 near Villa Amalfi Italian Restaurant. The plan, reportedly backed by Gilmore and developer Jack Morris, has been criticized as a profit-driven scheme to secure state and federal funding per person housed.
Rodrick has called Arace a “closet liberal” for supporting the initiative, accusing the county of burdening Toms River unfairly.
In Lakewood, similar resistance has emerged, with local officials wary of the county’s plans to centralize homeless services.
Despite the opposition, the Commissioners remain committed to addressing the crisis. The county’s Code Blue program, which provides overnight warming shelters when temperatures drop below 32 degrees, was expanded for the 2024-25 season with a county-owned building at 1959 Route 9 in Toms River serving as a key site.
A plan to convert office space at 1005 Hooper Avenue in Toms River has also been suggested to be used as a summer “Code Red” cooling center by the county.
Recently, the board of commissioners approved a $983,000 grant to Ending Homelessness Group to assist in the effort to fund the new tent city site.
According to Ocean County spokeswoman Donna Flynn, “$983,000 was proposed and budgeted by the vendor to create a small, licensed emergency shelter site. 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.”
Advocates like Paul Hulse of Just Believe Inc., which previously ran a Code Blue center at Riverwood Park, continue to push for a transitional housing facility in Ocean County.
Hulse has expressed optimism about finding a suitable site, emphasizing the need for a tailored approach that connects residents to social services, job training, and permanent housing. However, the county’s history of relying on short-term solutions, such as hotel stays, has drawn criticism for failing to address the root causes of homelessness.
As Manchester Township emerges as a potential focal point for both development and social services, the convergence of political influence, real estate deals, and public policy raises questions about transparency and ethics. The township, poised for a real estate boom due to its affordable land and strategic location, is at a crossroads. The proposed county park, which includes the Bathgate parcel, could provide recreational amenities for residents, but its rumored use as a homeless encampment threatens to deepen local divisions.
For now, Ocean County’s homeless crisis remains a complex challenge, with no easy answers. As the Commissioners navigate competing interests and community resistance, the question of whether Manchester Township could hold the key to a sustainable solution hangs in the balance.
What is clear is that the path forward will require collaboration, transparency, and a commitment to addressing the needs of the county’s most vulnerable residents without alienating the communities they call home.
