Absecon Officials Say Towns Are Sending Homeless to Rt. 30 Motels

Political leaders in Absecon and Galloway Township are attempting to prevent transient individuals from residing in many of the hotels and motels along Route 30 in Absecon.

The White Horse Pike business district has become well known as a location where homeless people live in motels for extended periods.

Absecon officials and residents complain that other South Jersey towns are bringing homeless or drug addicted people into town on buses and "dumping" them in Absecon motels.

NBC10 reports that officials in Absecon and Galloway Township say they have seen an increase in other communities sending unhoused people with subsidized vouchers to pay for hotel and motel rooms.

Absecon's New Hotel/Motel Ordinance

This summer, Absecon adopted an ordinance to address the issue by limiting motel occupancy to 14 consecutive days within a 30-day period.

"It takes such a drain on our services," Absecon Mayor Tommy Marrone told NBC10.

"Hotels are not a de facto homeless shelter. There's no kitchen. It's transient by nature. It's transient by code. People should not be living in a motel.”

Some of the hotel and motel owners believe that such legislation is overly strict and will harm their businesses.

Violations can lead to stiff penalties for owners, employees, and residents, including a minimum fine of $750.

Are Other Communities Sending Homeless to Absecon?

There have been stories and rumors about Ocean County communities sending homeless people to Absecon or Atlantic City, in a practice that's jokingly been referred to as "Greyhound therapy".

Absecon Councilman Rick De Rose wrote on Facebook this summer that this would not be tolerated.

“Absecon will not stand for other counties/towns doing this. It’s not fair to our residents or the individuals they push out far from where they actually want to be.”

Toms River is one of the towns that's been accused of unloading its homeless population in Absecon. Toms River Mayor Daniel Rodrick says these allegations are untrue.

“I think there’s been some confusion. We haven’t sent anyone to Absecon."

Absecon Mayor Tommy Marrone made his point very clear when speaking to the Press of Atlantic City this summer.

“I want to make something crystal clear: Absecon is not the place for an out-of-sight, out-of-mind solution to the ongoing homelessness issues that Toms River and Ocean County continually refuse to address."