Lakewood, Homeless OK Details of Tent City Closure

Residents of a homeless encampment in the woods near the Jersey shore have agreed with government officials on the details of a plan to close down the camp after its 80 or so residents have found homes. Both sides in the seven-year dispute have signed a consent order and submitted it to a judge, who is expected to approve it soon.

The parties reached an agreement in principle last month. The consent order spells out how Lakewood’s Tent City will close down. It was sent to Superior Court Judge Joseph Foster on Thursday. It says any camp resident who refuses to be screened for welfare or housing benefits can be ejected from the camp.

It also guarantees residents one year of indoor housing, no more than two months of which can be in a motel. They can be evicted from the camp if they refuse the offer.

“This consent order gives the people of Tent City everything they wanted, and more, given that a year or more of housing equates to the federal definition of permanent housing, not just emergency shelter.” said Jeffrey Wild, the lawyer for the homeless residents of the camp.

Lakewood and Ocean County officials have been trying to close the camp for years. It sits on township-owned land near a minor league baseball stadium.

This article appeared in print on page 4 of the April 8th, 2013 edition of Hamodia.