DCA Coordinates with Atlantic City and Stakeholders on Comprehensive Homelessness Prevention Plan

• Posted on: 12/26/2024

Plan Focused on Ending Unsheltered Homelessness in Atlantic City through Collaboration, Enhanced Services, and Housing over the Next Three Years

TRENTON, NJ – The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) today announced the first-ever coordinated resource effort with the City of Atlantic City, nonprofit organizations, and healthcare providers is underway to address unsheltered homelessness in Atlantic City. The strategic plan aims to end chronic homelessness through collaboration, enhanced services, and housing over the next three years.

“Atlantic City faces distinct challenges in addressing homelessness, including seasonal employment that affects housing stability and a concentration of social services that attract people in need from across the region,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “This coordinated effort will advance our Administration’s work in combatting homelessness and increasing accessible housing options for New Jerseyans.”

“DCA believes that ending chronic homelessness in Atlantic City is achievable through coordination of 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,” said DCA Commissioner Jacquelyn A. Suárez. “Through real-time data tracking, stakeholder engagement and partnership, and a laser focus on finding solutions to complex challenges, DCA is proud to help lead this noble effort.”

“The Small administration is the first administration to address homelessness in the Great City of Atlantic City, and, while there is still work to do, we have made significant progress,” said City of Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small, Sr. “We look forward to this partnership with the DCA and other stakeholders to build upon the success of our current efforts, while further identifying solutions, so we can continue creating a clean and safe environment in Atlantic City for our residents and visitors.”

The work is being led by Debra White, a special advisor within DCA’s Office of Homelessness Prevention (OHP), with guidance from OHP Director Michael Callahan. Ms. White, a resident of Atlantic City, has decades of experience in building stronger communities and creating pathways to stable housing.

Stakeholders joining the effort include Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey (CSPNJ), AtlantiCare, Jewish Family Service of Atlantic County (JFS), and the Atlantic County Continuum of Care.

“Success requires collaboration among city government, social services providers, healthcare institutions, the casino industry, and the broader community,” said OHP Director Michael Callahan. “We are confident that by working together, we can create lasting solutions to homelessness in Atlantic City.”

The homelessness prevention plan has a three-pronged strategy: better address street homelessness, improve shelter system access and services, and expand prevention and housing services.

To better address street homelessness, work is underway to create the capacity in Atlantic City for real-time data tracking of the unsheltered homeless population. The data will then be used for targeted street outreach efforts conducted by specialized outreach teams led by CSPNJ and for healthcare initiatives such as mobile health services and medical respite care programs coordinated with AtlantiCare.

To improve shelter system access and services, city-wide standards for care are being developed for homelessness providers with a particular focus on special populations such as seasonal workers, military veterans, gaming-addicted individuals, elderly persons, and individuals with multiple health comorbidities.

To expand homelessness prevention and housing services, work has begun on increasing housing options, creating housing stability programs, and strengthening prevention services like rental assistance that targets off-season months and seasonal employment preparation.

The Office of Homelessness Prevention coordinates efforts among federal, state, and local agencies and private organizations; evaluates best practices; and analyzes data all with a goal of implementing homelessness prevention strategies around the state. To achieve this goal, the Office consults with stakeholders, including people who are experiencing homelessness, to identify effective policies and initiatives.

DCA offers a wide range of programs and services, including local government management and finance, affordable housing production, fire safety, building safety, community planning and development, disaster recovery and mitigation, historic preservation, and information privacy.

For more information about DCA, visit https://nj.gov/dca/ or follow the Department on social media: