Tracking the zoning process and public hearings for the HABcore emergency shelter conversion at the former Pelican Inn and Suites.
We're organized around land use and process: zoning compliance, traffic and parking impact, emergency services capacity, floodplain and site conditions, and whether proper public hearings take place. We don't take positions based on who would live at the property; that framing isn't our focus, and it isn't how we evaluate this proposal.
The former Pelican Inn and Suites is a 25-unit motel at 3324 Route 37 East, Toms River (Block 852, Lot 32), roughly 2.1 acres, zoned HB (Highway Business). The parcel sits within a FEMA AE flood zone.
The property sold on June 17, 2026 for $7 million to HABcore, a Red Bank-based nonprofit. The sale was brokered by Newmark Associates.
HABcore's stated plan is to convert the property into Ocean County's first year-round, pet-friendly emergency shelter for individuals and families. The site is already soft-operating as a "Code Red" weather-overflow location. It sheltered 11 people during the July 4, 2026 heat wave.
Reported funding sources include a $7.5 million Ocean County contract (awarded in 2024) and a $250,000 JBJ Soul Foundation repair grant. Partners named in coverage so far include Family Promise of the Jersey Shore, 180 Turning Lives Around, and Fulfill.
Toms River Mayor Dan Rodrick has publicly clashed with several homeless-services nonprofits, including Just Believe Inc. and Destiny's Bridge, and the township pursued eminent domain to try to block a church-run shelter proposal in 2025-2026. As of this writing, we haven't found any public statement from the Mayor's office specifically addressing the Pelican Inn / HABcore purchase.
See the News feed for updates as we learn more, and Take Action for how to weigh in.
August 11, 2026
A plain-facts summary of the property, the sale, the funding, and the open questions our group is tracking as the HABcore conversion moves forward.
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