The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) has announced a collaborative initiative with Atlantic City, nonprofit organizations, and healthcare providers to tackle unsheltered homelessness in the city. This strategic plan aims to end chronic homelessness through collaboration, enhanced services, and housing over the next three years.
Governor Phil Murphy highlighted the unique challenges Atlantic City faces, including seasonal employment affecting housing stability and an influx of individuals seeking social services. "This coordinated effort will advance our Administration’s work in combatting homelessness and increasing accessible housing options for New Jerseyans," he stated.
DCA Commissioner Jacquelyn A. Suárez emphasized that ending chronic homelessness is possible through coordinated programs and resources. "We can get to a point where we’re either preventing homelessness before it occurs or addressing it so quickly that a person’s homelessness is very brief and nonrecurring," she explained.
Mayor Marty Small Sr. noted that his administration is the first to address homelessness in Atlantic City significantly. "We look forward to this partnership with the DCA and other stakeholders to build upon the success of our current efforts," he said.
Debra White, a special advisor within DCA's Office of Homelessness Prevention (OHP), leads this effort with guidance from OHP Director Michael Callahan. White brings decades of experience in building stronger communities and creating pathways to stable housing.
Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey (CSPNJ), AtlantiCare, Jewish Family Service of Atlantic County (JFS), and the Atlantic County Continuum of Care are among those joining the initiative. OHP Director Michael Callahan stressed the importance of collaboration: "Success requires collaboration among city government, social services providers, healthcare institutions, the casino industry, and the broader community."
The prevention plan focuses on three main strategies: addressing street homelessness more effectively, improving shelter system access and services, and expanding prevention and housing services.
Efforts are underway to create real-time data tracking capacity for street homelessness in Atlantic City. The data will support targeted outreach by CSPNJ-led teams and healthcare initiatives like mobile health services coordinated with AtlantiCare.
To improve shelter system access, standards for care are being developed focusing on special populations such as seasonal workers, veterans, gaming-addicted individuals, elderly persons, and those with multiple health conditions.
For expanding prevention efforts, work includes increasing housing options and strengthening rental assistance programs targeting off-season months.
The Office of Homelessness Prevention coordinates efforts across various levels while evaluating best practices to implement statewide strategies. They consult stakeholders including people experiencing homelessness to identify effective policies.
DCA provides diverse programs ranging from local government management to disaster recovery aimed at supporting community development throughout New Jersey.
