Freeholder Director Jack Kelly Nixes Request For County Homeless Shelter

Toms River - Some of Ocean County's homeless don't want to be helped, Freeholder John P. Kelly said at a recent Board of Freeholders meeting, according to a report in app.com.

"There are some people who really don't want government interference in their life at all, because once you get help from the government, there are also other things that the government looks at, into your life, and some people just don't want that scrutiny," Kelly said. "It's really a very complicated whole mechanism — sheltering someone."

Kelly addressed Gina D. Haas, a former employee at the now-defunct Ocean County Children's Shelter - who asked the freeholder board last week that a homeless shelter be opened in Ocean County. Haas, of Beachwood, suggested that the county government consider starting a nationally-recognized homeless program called Housing First.

"We all go to bed at night and sleep on a pillow in a nice warm house," Haas said. "I met with 14 individuals today who are homeless and that was just, honestly, in this area. We have 33 (towns) and we don't have a shelter. They're told to go to Atlantic City — Atlantic City doesn't want them — or go to Newark. Well, how are you going to afford $33 for a bus ticket up to there? ... What are we? I mean, we're here to help each other. ... I feel that we have an obligation as citizens, as Americans."

Ocean County already has programs in place to shelter the homeless, which are administered through the county Board of Social Services, Kelly said.

"We think we have a very good program in place, rather than building a shelter, so at this point there is no will on the part of county government to build a shelter," Kelly said.

Homelessness has even affected a member of his own family. Last November, Kelly said his nephew was living in a tent with his three children.

"So how did I temporarily shelter them?," Kelly said. "In my living room, in my house. There are all different types of homelessness. And this is not a kid who shouldn't be able to go out (and get work), he's healthy and everything else."

To read the entire story, click here.

Image: Ocean County Government website.