The county previously launched its “Housing Hub” in 2019 to assist residents who have emergency housing needs or are experiencing homelessness. More than 2,800 people were served by the hub in 2023. Currently, a network of agencies and providers collaborate to get people experiencing homelessness or a housing emergency temporary shelter, according to Pastor Darlene Trappier, founder and executive director of Mt. Holly-based Beacon of Hope.

“We do have contracts where we’re able to put them in motel placements,” she said. “We’re able to provide the motel placements throughout the year until cold blue season starts.”

Trappier herself experienced homelessness when she was living in Los Angeles as a 19-year-old with a 5-month-old baby. Her mother took her public assistance check and gave her a half-hour to leave the house.

“I had a choice, I either could go to the park with him … or I go down to Skid Row,” she said.

She chose to go to the park, but said she appealed to God to take her out of her situation and “put me in a position where I can help others not feel what I can feel.”

For Trappier, the new county-run shelter is “a haven of hope” that she likens to one-stop shopping because of its proximity to the county’s Human Services building, which is across the parking lot from the site of the shelter.

“They can go there to get the services that they need, and come back over here,” she added. “It’s all encompassed together to meet not just a part of one person’s needs.”

The shelter is expected to be complete in approximately 16 to 20 months. It will cost more than $18 million. Nearly $6.5 million in federal and state grants will pay for the building.

Some residents have opposed the shelter, saying it will worsen homelessness. Hopson said that the shelter will help people and give them easy access to services that will help them.

“The reality is most homeless people are the ones at risk, not our residents,” she said. “It is my hope that they will find it in their hearts to understand why this is such a need and why we’ve selected this location.”

A video highlighting the stark disconnect between the expected view and actual visibility of the northern lights in New Jersey earlier this month has received a storm of sympathy from users on TikTok.

The video was posted by a user called @nurse.dezzy and has gained over 280,000 views since it was shared on October 11.

A note overlaid on the clip says: “The photo that everyone is posting vs. what the northern lights actually looked like in NJ [New Jersey] tonight.”

The clip shows a person in a car holding up a vibrant photo of the northern lights, contrasting it against a dark, uneventful New Jersey sky outside the car window.

Residents in New Jersey as well New York were treated to a rare viewing of the northern lights earlier this month after the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shared a post on X, formerly Twitter, for a geomagnetic storm watch for October 10 to 11.

“A CME [coronal mass ejection] will quite likely arrive at Earth and lead to highly elevated geomagnetic activity,” the SWPC said at the time.

A CME is a solar event that sees “a billion tons of plasma ejected from the sun, traveling at a million miles per hour,” explains the NOAA.

“When a CME arrives at Earth, it can produce some of the biggest geomagnetic storms and thus, some of the brightest and most active auroras that extend furthest toward the equator,” notes the NOAA.

The viral post comes in a year when northern lights chasers might be able to catch a glimpse of the natural light display from areas of the world where they’re normally not seen.

Scientists have said 2024 may see the strongest northern lights activity in the past 20 years as well as the decade to come due to high solar activity, which was projected to peak between January and October this year, the NOAA said.

The TikTok post struck a chord with several viewers, including many who experienced similar disappointments.

User @leah189546 commented: “Thank you for posting this because I felt like I was losing my mind.” Another user, @laynarachel, added “People near me are posting, and I’m like where is it?!”

Alex W Young said: “Yes. I saw all these great photos at like 10pm when I finally drove home from my show at like 2am I barely got anything on camera.”

Nicole said: “I’m also in New Jersey and my pictures look exactly the same” and Nikki wrote “I have a video showing the same.”

D.Dentz Motivation said: “I went out… I haven’t seen anything.”

Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via TikTok. This video has not been independently verified.

Do you have a travel-related video or story to share? Let us know via life@newsweek.com and your story could be featured on Newsweek.

As Halloween comes creeping around the corner, a scary movie night may be in order to set the monstrous mood.

And if you look closely, you may spot some familiar frights in your favorite flicks. The Garden State has hosted many different horror films since the 1978 inception of the NJ Motion Picture & Television Commission, according to nj.gov.

Have you seen them? Read on for some tantalizing titles and a sneak peek into their IMDb info.

More: This South Jersey pastry chef is returning to Food Network for ‘Halloween Wars’

‘The Amityville Horror’ (1979)

Ready to start a new chapter of their lives, newlyweds in “The Amityville Horror” move their young family into what they believe to be a charming home.

A paranormal presence, however, soon causes them their worst nightmares.

The movie, starring James Brolin, Margot Kidder and Rod Steiger, is based on the 1977 book by Jay Ansen, which tells the story of the real-life Lutz family’s paranormal experiences in a home where a murder previously occurred.

While this tale is set in Long Island, many shots were filmed in New Jersey, including the film’s iconic poster-worthy house located in Toms River.

Other locations include Georgian Court University and Point Pleasant, according to IMDb.

‘Friday the 13th’ (1980)

Summer camp is all fun and games until a killer is involved in “Friday the 13th.”

Betsy Palmer, Adrienne King and Jeannine Taylor star in this teen slasher with a familiar, hockey-mask-wearing antagonist at Camp Crystal Lake.

Better yet, New Jersey’s Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco was the stage for this movie.

‘The Prowler’ (1981)

An unknown killer is terrorizing a college graduation dance in the 1981 horror thriller “The Prowler” from the director of “Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter,” Joseph Zito.

“The Prowler” may be set in a California town, but much of the filming took place in South Jersey’s very own Cape May.

Locals will notice that the graduation dance hall is actually the Inn of Cape May, with other properties in the town disguising themselves as the college dormitory and Major Chatham’s house.

If you look closely enough, you may spot that the bridge and gazebo in the film are really the Seaville United Methodist Church.

More: ‘Riotous trend’: Violent melee in Collingswood cuts short hayride, closes Wawa

‘Creepshow’ (1982)

This classic may feature five gruesome vignettes from a kids’ comic book, but don’t let “Creepshow” fool you; it’s still rated R.

Written by Stephen King, this film stars Hal Holbrook, Leslie Nielson and Adrienne Barbeau.

And keep an eye out for a familiar beach — “Something to Tide You Over” was filmed in Ocean County.

‘Cat’s Eye’ (1985)

Another Stephen King anthology, “Cat’s Eye” follows a feline perspective as the titular cat dodges various unsettling situations to go protect a little girl.

Some may recognize a young Drew Barrymore in this PG-13 flick, which was partly filmed in Atlantic City.

‘Desecration’ (1999)

“Desecration” is a bewilderingly biblical psychological horror that follows 16-year-old Bobby into the depths of hell after he accidentally causes the death of a nun.

With gruesome costuming and an unsettling plot line, this unrated horror film was shot in Bedminster.

‘Sleepaway Camp IV: The Survivor’ (2002)

In “Sleepaway Camp IV: The Survivor,” this fourth installment of a slasher series, Carrie Chambers’s Allison Kramer returns to camp in an attempt to remember and unravel the massacre that occurred there years ago.

But the killing doesn’t stay buried in the past.

Comprised of archived and updated footage, this early 2000s flick includes sets in the Garden State.

South Jersey mom converts home into haunted house for autistic son

Lisa DeMario converted her home into a haunted house to benefit her 10-year-old autistic son, Jason. The haunted house, located at 400 Elder St. in Northfield, NJ, will be open to the public from 1-5:30 p.m. during Saturdays in October. The price of admission is $3.

’13th Child: The Legend of the Jersey Devil’ (2002)

Obviously, “13th Child: The Legend of the Jersey Devil” from directors Thomas Ashley and Steven Stockage is an ode to the creepy creature said to be lurking in the New Jersey Pine Barrens.

When people are being gruesomely murdered, a district attorney’s assistant must investigate to find out if there’s a human culprit or something much more sinister.

Not only does this movie explore the legend of a New Jersey icon, it’s filmed in the state as well. Watch closely and you may notice that this mystery thriller was shot at the Batsto State Historic Site in Hammonton.

‘The Village’ (2004)

“The Village” centers on a small countryside town with an ominous wood sitting just on its border and instructions never to enter for fear of the monsters that live within it. So what happens when life in the village suddenly goes awry?

While this Shyamalan movie takes place in Pennsylvania, parts of the film were shot in Salem County’s Pedricktown, specifically a stunt scene when the character Ivy is almost run over by a truck as well as a gas station scene.

Watch closely and see if you can spot a cameo from Shyamalan.

‘Satan’s Playground’ (2006)

Again, set in the Jersey Pine Barrens, “Satan’s Playground” follows a family vacation gone awry when the Jersey Devil shows up.

This movie was shot in Whitesbog.

‘I Am Legend’ (2007)

What would you do if you were the last person in New York City… with (zombie-ish) monsters?

Will Smith stars in “I Am Legend,” a dystopian zombie horror with some scenes shot in West Amwell and Mount Airy.

‘iMurders’ (2008)

In the unrated mystery horror”iMurders,” a group of online friends are killed one after another.

Follow along as the plot thickens, and keep an eye out for scenes shot in the Garden State.

‘Torture Chamber’ (2013)

What could be a better Halloween watch than the classic demonic possession?

In “Torture Chamber,” a possessed boy has escaped an asylum, and he’s has murderous tendencies that the clergy must stop.

IMDb lists this movie with production locations in Maplewood.

‘Jersey Shore Massacre’ (2014)

Yes, like that Jersey Shore.

Filmed in Newton, Sparta and Woodbridge, “Jersey Shore Massacre” bears an uncanny resemblance to the antics of everyone’s favorite Jersey-Italians, the cast of MTV’s “Jersey Shore” reality show.

After a vacation to Seaside Heights goes awry, this crew finds themselves relocated to the Pine Barrens for a terrifying night.

And yes, there is cheetah print, hair poofs and plenty of fist pumping.

‘The Unborn’ (2020)

Two security guards face an eerie night in “The Unborn,” a horror film set in an old factory.

The plot grows more complicated as a secret love unfolds and an unborn child becomes caught in the sinister mix.

‘Army of the Dead’ (2021)

“Army of the Dead” may take place in Las Vegas, but it’s got some filming credits at the Showboat in Atlantic City.

In this twist on the classic post-apocalyptic zombie thriller, one ambitious team takes a life-risking run into the quarantined city for a multimillion-dollar payout.

More: Pirates, skeletons & witches — this Lumberton Halloween display is a can’t-miss

‘Smile’ (2022)

Contrary to the title, “Smile” is not a happy Halloween film.

Shot in multiple Garden State locations such as North Arlington, Jersey City and Elizabeth, this movie follows a psychiatrist’s haunting run-in with a sinister curse.

‘Goodnight Mommy’ (2022)

In “Goodnight Mommy,” twins Elias and Lukas arrive at their estranged mother’s house hoping to reconnect, but they soon start to feel that something is wrong.

Full of unpredictable twists, Naomi Watts stars alongside Carmen and Nicholas Crovetti in this dramatic psychological thriller, filmed partially in Bedminster.

‘Insidious: The Red Door’ (2023)

“Insidious: The Red Door” is the fifth and final installment of a frightening franchise that follows the Lambert family once again as they must return to “The Further.”

And, you guessed it, the film shot in Morristown.

‘Knock at the Cabin’ (2023)

Would you sacrifice a family member to save the world from an impending apocalypse? “Knock at the Cabin” from M. Night Shyamalan dives into a family’s worst nightmare with psychological thrills, and the location may feel familiar.

Parts of the film were shot in Burlington County’s Tabernacle Township, according to multiple sources, and Southampton’s Evergreen Dairy Bar even took on a role as “Angie’s Roadside Diner” for the thriller.

‘The Zombie Wedding’ (2023)

“The Zombie Wedding” is a recent flick that has South Jersey written all over it. No, actually — Vineland’s Weekly World News Studios fronted this film with tons of the city’s scenery.

The film centers around the first-ever wedding between a living and zombie couple, and all of the comedic nonsense that takes place as the nuptials unfold, including coverage from WWN reporters.

Kaitlyn McCormick writes about trending issues and community news across South Jersey for the Courier-Post, The Daily Journal and the Burlington County Times. If you have a story she should tell, email her at kmccormick@gannett.com. And subscribe to stay up to date on the news you need.