Toms River, NJ Seizes Church Land for Pickleball Amid Homeless Shelter Dispute

A legal dispute has erupted in Toms River, New Jersey, where the township council moved to condemn 10 acres of land owned by Christ Episcopal Church to build a recreational park featuring pickleball courts, soccer fields, and a playground. The church had previously sought approval to use the property for a 17-bed homeless shelter, a plan that was approved but reportedly met with community concern. Church attorney Harvey York argues the township's eminent domain action is retaliatory, violating constitutional protections for religious freedom and the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, asserting the town’s claim of needing recreational land contradicts its own master plan. Mayor Daniel Rodrick has denied a connection between the timing of the condemnation and the church’s shelter proposal, calling it a coincidence. The community remains divided, with some supporting the mayor’s plan and others shocked by the move, while the church prepares for litigation to defend its property and mission. Bishop Sally J. French of the Episcopal Diocese has voiced opposition to the seizure, emphasizing the serious implications of the case.