Sussex County leaders unite to tackle homelessness at inaugural Unhoused Solutions Roundtable

SPARTA TOWNSHIP, N.J. (Sussex County) — More than two dozen leaders representing nonprofits, faith-based groups, local government agencies, law enforcement, healthcare providers, school districts, and community organizations gathered at the Sparta United Methodist Church for the first-ever Sussex County Unhoused Solutions Roundtable, a collaborative forum aimed at addressing housing insecurity across the county.

The event, held Saturday, was organized by the Sussex County Community Coalition, a network of advocates formed in May 2025 to develop solutions for the region’s growing homelessness crisis.

The coalition was spearheaded by Dr. Benjamin Bergman, Medical Director of Non-Invasive Cardiology at Newton Medical Center and founder of Product|Blue and the patient-centered healthcare platform VocalMD. Drawing on years of clinical experience, Dr. Bergman has witnessed the devastating effects of housing instability on patient health and has dedicated his efforts to bridging medical and social service gaps for vulnerable residents.

Saturday’s two-hour discussion focused on building a coordinated, person-centered system to address homelessness and housing vulnerability in Sussex County. Participants shared data, case studies, and local experiences, identifying a series of intersecting issues such as mental health, substance use disorder, transportation barriers, employment challenges, and the shortage of affordable housing.

Key outcomes from the roundtable included:

• Identifying service gaps, particularly in healthcare, transportation, and low-barrier temporary shelter access.
• Reducing redundancy by mapping organizational efforts and improving collaboration to better allocate resources.
• Committing to coordination through communication channels and partnerships to create a unified county-wide approach.

“The pivotal shift from individual efforts to a unified, community-wide strategy is gaining momentum,” participants noted in a post-meeting summary. “The members of the Sussex County Community Coalition are now equipped with a clearer understanding of where our collective strengths lie and, more importantly, where we need to urgently focus our resources.”

A working group established during the roundtable will continue developing a formal action plan to guide next steps, serving as a blueprint for a more effective and compassionate safety net for individuals and families facing housing insecurity in Sussex County.