Route 37 Motel To Become Emergency Shelter For Those In Need In Ocean County

TOMS RIVER, NJ — For years people have clamored for a year-round emergency shelter in Ocean County to assist those who find themselves without a home.

That is about to change after nonprofit HABcore purchased the Pelican Inn and Suites on Route 37, with plans to convert it into what will be the county's first emergency shelter — and one that welcomes both humans and their pets.

The sale was announced by Newmark Real Estate, which represented the seller.

HABcore bought the 25-unit motel on June 17 for $7 million, the organization said late Tuesday. It is undergoing repairs and the organization will use it to provide emergency housing year-round for families and people in need of shelter, and it will welcome those with pets.

There will be support services to help those in need prepare to move into permanent housing, HABcore officials said.

"We are just at the beginning stages of refurbishing the motel, which will become Ocean County’s first emergency housing for people experiencing homelessness and their pets," said Steve Heisman, president and CEO of HABcore, which is based in Red Bank.

A date for a full launch of access and services has not been set, but Heisman said the property already has been used to assist people: During the extreme heat emergency over the July 4th weekend, 11 people were sheltered, including a family, and a woman who is a double amputee and her dog, and two brothers with their dog.

The woman and her dog had been living in an encampment, and the brothers and their dog had been living in a car, officials said.

"We will continue to operate on a very limited basis as a Code Red overflow facility until the motel is better suited for occupancy and all operational and safety measures are established," Heisman said.

Many people choose to remain out of shelters if they are not able to take their pets with them, he said.

"These companions are often their only physical and emotional comfort as they navigate the day-to-day stress of finding safe, affordable housing," Heisman said. "Now people don’t have to make that terrible choice."

HABcore's purchase of the property came through working with Ocean County officials, who awarded the organization a $7.5 million contract through the Ocean County Acquisition for Innovations to Address Homelessness initiative in June 2024.

That grant was part of $12.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds that Ocean County received in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that the county designated to begin addressing the issue of homelessness in the county, Jersey Shore Online reported.

The Pelican Inn and Suites is one of three properties HABcore has purchased to assist those in crisis, officials said.

HABcore also has purchased the former Harbor House, a youth shelter in Toms River. In partnership with Family Promise of the Jersey Shore, it is operated as a licensed family emergency shelter called Family Promise of the Jersey Shore at HABcore Harbor.

The third property in Ocean County, operated in partnership with 180 Turning Lives Around, provides up to two years of transitional housing and assistance to domestic violence survivors, HABcore officials said.

The Pelican Inn needs a variety of repairs and upgrades, officials said.

The organization has received a $250,000 grant from the JBJ Soul Foundation to help with repair costs and is developing a partnership with Fulfill to create healthy meal options, and it is seeking additional grants and funding to upgrade the security systems and facilities, purchase new linens and offer additional supportive services.

In addition, HABcore is consulting with veterinarians to create pet accommodations on the property and define and develop pet safety and medical care protocols and services, officials said.

HABcore said it will have property oversight around the clock seven days a week, and its staff will work to help identify the needs people seeking shelter have to connect them with support services.

It will be "focused on eliminating the barriers to permanent housing, finding affordable housing, and linkages to services and supportive employment," the organization said.

In January 2025 there were at least 577 people in Ocean County who were homeless, according to the Monarch Housing Point-In-Time count. The reports on the 2026 Point In Time count have not yet been released.

Those counts are "likely an undercount as it doesn’t include people who are couch surfing, doubling up or staying in unsafe situations because they have no place else to go," HABcore officials said.

One of the factors HABcore highlighted about the Pelican Inn was its location on Route 37, with access to NJ Transit buses for transportation. Access to transportation can be a significant barrier for those who are homeless and trying to get to a job to move toward housing stability.

Providing stability is key, HABcore officials said.

"We provide assistance to those experiencing or at risk of homelessness enabling them to move from crisis to stability, empowering them to achieve greater independence and improve their quality of life," the organization said.

The organization also works with various community and government agencies "to deliver services that include affordable housing, emergency shelter, transitional housing, an independence pathways program leading to full independent living," officials said. It operates two homes for people with special needs that allow them to live independently with 24/7/365 supportive services.

"Collectively, our supportive services and housing programs assist more than 1,000 people, including 150 children," HABcore said.