Micro House to be Unveiled

A possible solution to Ocean County's homeless problem--a Micro House--will be on display all next week, starting Monday, at Point Pleasant BoroughTown Hall on Bridge Avenue from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the public to see first-hand. Lakewood resident Tom O'Malley, President of Catholics and Friends with a Heart for the Homeless, is seeking land from the County to start a pilot program to build about 15 Micro Houses.

"This is a credible approach. It's happening all over the country. Everyone is doing it," said O'Malley of the increasing national popularity of Micro Houses. The County has been wasting millions of dollars in Federal Emergency Housing Funding O'Malley contended on temporary hotel and motel stays for the homeless instead of something more permanent.

"Instead of giving millions of dollars every year to the hotel and motel owners in Ocean County this money could be better spent in building these Micro Homes for the future and, save hundreds of thousands, even millions of dollars, over the next five years," said O'Malley. "What we're proposing is an upgrading. It's a more humane approach to homelessness," he added.

O'Malley expressed frustration in getting the Freeholder Board to consider alternate solutions to the homeless issue. "Whether it's getting a professional committee together to address this if they don't have the time to get more input, I mean just to say that we're doing our job by allocating $8 plus million dollars for the Emergency Housing is not enough," he said.

O'Malley has personally invited each of the Freeholders to inspect the model Micro House that will be on display. Freeholder Director Joseph Vicari responded to Townsquare Media's request for a statement by saying he was interested in seeing the Micro House and that he is planning to make a visit as soon as his schedule allows.

Meanwhile, Freeholder Gerry P. Little issued this statement to Townsquare Media regarding to the homeless issue and some of O'Malley's claims:

"Ocean County continues its ongoing commitment to provide the best possible taxpayer funded services for our poor and needy residents. The Board of Freeholders encourages faith-based organizations and charities for their ongoing missionary work to help the needy. The Ocean County Board of Social Services supports and works cooperatively with nine shelters and sheltering programs in Ocean County including St. Stephen’s Church, Interfaith Hospitality Network, Family Promise, House of Hope, King of Kings Church, Salvation Army, Samaritan House, Providence House and Harbor House. The Board of Freeholders provides taxpayer funded support to eight of those programs. When the Catholics and Friends with a Heart for the Homeless receive all necessary State certifications and municipal zoning approval, the Board of Social Services looks forward to working with the faith-based organization to continue helping those in need. Also, upon receiving those approvals, the Board of Freeholders will carefully consider financial assistance at that time, as we have done with many other similar programs. The Board of Social Services will welcome the option to place clients in this program, including state/ federal client funding. Additionally, the taxpayers of Ocean County are providing between $50 million and $60 million annually to care for our most vulnerable citizens and to provide matching funds for federal and state welfare assistance programs that return to our county over $660 million in food stamps, general assistance, Medicaid and TANF alone. Our taxpayers are funding health care, drug and alcohol abuse treatment, mental health services, child care, job training, transportation, counseling, housing assistance, back rent, back mortgage payments, unpaid utilities assistance and many other programs for our most needy and vulnerable residents."

O'Malley said a dedication ceremony for the Micro House will be held on Saturday, September 27, at Point Pleasant Town Hall, from Noon to 1 p.m.