Nearly four out of five men who stayed at Camden County's Regan Center emergency shelter left with stable housing over the program's first five years, according to county data released Aug. 5. Cherry Hill residents help fund the program through county taxes.

The 23-bed facility in Gloucester Township served 297 guests between its October 2021 opening and this year. Of those, 79% of emergency shelter guests and 81% of medical respite guests were stably housed at discharge. The county also reported that 96% of emergency shelter guests were connected to behavioral health and substance use services.

"When we provide an individual with a stable environment in conjunction with the necessary wraparound services, we give them the foundation they need to rebuild their lives," Commissioner Director Louis Cappelli Jr. said in the announcement.

The Regan Center, located in the Camden County Health Department complex, operates a 15-bed emergency shelter and an 8-bed medical respite program for men recently discharged from hospitals. Volunteers of America Delaware Valley runs the facility. A new three-year operating agreement between the nonprofit and the county took effect Saturday, Aug. 1, with an option for two additional years.

Built with CARES Act funds during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Regan Center was the first shelter directly funded by the Camden County Board of Commissioners. It is now a cornerstone of the county's six-point plan to end homelessness by 2030.

The county's homelessness challenge remains significant. A January 2025 point-in-time count identified at least 759 people experiencing homelessness on a single night, according to WHYY. The county's point-in-time count rose 21% in 2024 compared to 2023, according to Shelterforce. Camden County remains one of the most affected counties in New Jersey relative to its size.

Between 2023 and 2026, 65 Regan Center guests enrolled in the county's Work Now program, which provides a paid day of work along with access to services. Four participants secured jobs with the Camden County Parks Department and the Camden County Board of Social Services.

Two larger facilities on the way

The county broke ground in 2025 on two projects that will dwarf the Regan Center's capacity. The $22 million Martin McKernan Supportive Housing Center on the county's Lakeland Campus in Gloucester Township will offer 60 studio apartments, including 50 transitional units and 10 emergency units. Each roughly 500-square-foot apartment will have a private entrance, kitchenette, bathroom and closet. Cappelli said the county expects to cut the ribbon later in 2026.

In December 2025, Cappelli told WHYY the county's goal is "net-zero homelessness" and that officials believe they can reach it "in just a couple years."

The second project, the $8 million Camden County Multi-Agency Center in Camden City, will connect residents experiencing homelessness or substance use disorder with recovery resources. It is expected to open in 2027.

Residents can find more information about county homelessness services at camdencounty.com/service/community-development/homelessness-services.