By Paul Goldfinger
There used to be a required Camp Meeting interview for those who wished to buy a house in the Grove. In the beginning, this was used as a “filtering” device to screen out those who were considered undesirable. But, about 14 years ago, the interviews were discontinued. It probably had become just a formality even before that, because the federal fair housing act was passed in 1968. Neptune Township took over governance in 1980.
When Ocean Grove was founded, it was to be an enclave of the Holiness Movement of the Methodist Church. The CMA owned the land from the start and they own the land today. They could practice discrimination legally in the remote past, but that process began to erode early, as other Christians were eventually allowed in, including Roman Catholics. Somewhere along the line, Jews began to purchase in the Grove. And now, as far as can be seen, anyone can buy a home here.
But a somewhat strange practice has continued. When you want to buy a house in town, you need to fill out a special form for the CMA. It is an Application for Transfer of Leasehold. You must fill out the form, sign it and attach a check for a non-refundable $200.00 recording fee. If the CMA approves your application, you will be allowed to lease the land under your house. But if they don’t approve you, can they send you packing?
It wouldn’t be fair for us to conclude that the form shouldn’t exist, because the CMA does own the land, and they have the right to screen prospective leasers. But this form is rather peculiar. Since the CMA cannot discriminate according to religion, race, gender, etc what then is the point of the form? Do they actually turn people down because of the form, and if so, what would compel them to do so?
The form is pretty interesting because it has some questions that will raise eyebrows, especially if you just showed up from Manhattan and you know next to nothing about the town’s history or about the CMA. With the two page form, they also hand you three pages, single spaced, of rules and regulations which mostly contain reasonable rules such as “camping and open fires prohibited on the beach.” The rules also prohibit alcohol, marijuana or mind altering drugs in public places, no “indecent exposure” in public places, no one permitted on the beach on Sunday morning, and other similar restrictions. But it is the questions under “individual responses” on page two which have a tendency to attract attention.
Here is the actual form—page two:
In discussing the matter with real estate lawyers in town, I found out that none of them object to the form . They say that the CMA never turns down anyone and that the form is no longer part of the real estate contract. One attorney had a client who wanted to get out of his contract, so he went to the CMA and gave the wrong answers to every question and even threatened to go on the beach every Sunday morning, and they still approved him. One of the lawyers called the form a “historical oddity.”
Some people refuse to answer certain questions, but they still get approved. So what’s the point?
I asked a high official in the CMA that question. He paused and then said, “Remember that song in Fiddler on the Roof… about tradition?” Then he smiled and walked away.
Well, miracle of miracles, he likes the music of the shtetl—So here’s the cast of the original Broadway show. It is in keeping with a tradition of the Camp Meeting—music was always part of it.
Here is the link that “Stranger Than Fiction” posted under. It was posted in January 2012. So I don’t know if it is still applicable today, but it is interesting.
As for the Stranger’s comment, I have never heard any of this before, so if any of our readers can respond, please do. Just because we allow a comment, of course, doesn’t mean that we agree with it.–Paul
https://blogfinger.net/2012/01/19/ocean-grove-cma-application-for-transfer-of-leasehold/
Ocean Grove Historic should not even exist. Ocean Grove obtained National Historic status after they were being pushed into complying with anti-discrimination laws and when they pushed to get this hamlet put as a Historic Site, they also then had the ability to control individual home owners and try to hide behind their corrupt rules calling it protecting a historic site.
Anyone that looks around the town will see its a mix of old and new, with some kept and some unkept homes. There are power lines hanging everywhere with LED lights.
While it is the off season, so things definitely don’t look their best, I agree that we should try to keep the town on an upward path toward revitalization.
Could revenue from non resident parking be dedicated to street by street neighborhood improvement?
Perhaps my idea of OG creating a de facto neighborhood improvement district by having homeowners contribute to a fund (similar to what many, many home owners associations do all across America) is too radical for this town and I apologize for insulting the sensibilities of some of this blog’s denizens. My only interest is to have OG continue its revitalization, which will benefit all who live or work here.
However, continuing this revitalization will require progressive improvement in the quality of the housing stock and various aesthetic elements of the town. I believe that we need to move beyond excuses and develop strategies and actions that will succeed in propelling this town forward. If we stall out, as has Asbury Park, all of us will suffer. I think we would all be open to suggestions as to how this could be done, especially since mine seem to have fallen short.
Finally, with all due sympathy and respect to those affected, I do not agree that progress in this town should be held hostage to the “150 Ocean Grover’s who do not have enough to eat”.
@Frank– I would like to know that too.
Not that it’s nothing, but $800 is less than most people’s annual cable bill.
Interesting divergence of views here. Is Ocean Grove to be managed as a mission for the poor, or is it a beach town on the upswing? Can it be both? If people truly can’t afford food, is owning a home here really the best idea? If affluent owners want to evolve OG into a picturesque beach town, is that fair to those long time owners who can’t keep up?
What I want is for there to be as little crime as possible and for my real estate values to increase. Whatever it takes to do that, I support.
I was wondering do we have any information on the law as far as Green Acres property ? I know of towns that maintain Green Acres property, and each year the state gives them X amount of money for maintaining these properties,such as tennis courts, parks,etc.
I do not know of any Green Acres property that allows the town to use and profit off their property. I do know that Green Acres property should be free to all people, so how was the C.M.A. allowed to charge for the beach being it was
Green Acres property?
To Bythesea,
Just $800?? Where are you living? The church food pantry is feeding over 150 Ocean Grovers who simply do not have enough to eat. I might be wrong …but I don’t think these people have $800 for your flowers. They would be beautiful though- perhaps some edible ones?
To: Bythesea
I am pleased that you have enough extra money that an extra $800 a year would seem like nothing if it meant more flowers, flags, signage, etc. You seem to forget that many OG homeowners are older, long time residents on fixed incomes. We have lost so many of these folks who could no longer afford to live in town. Should we now just keep adding more charges and drive out the rest?
Ocean Grove would be better served if someone like you donated extra money to start putting some of your wonderful ideas into effect. Perhaps, they could even put your name on some of the new signage.
@Mr. Blogfinger – KUDOS! Luv your reply. You have a way of getting your point across but with gentleness and humor. 🙂
@Bythesea- “Isn’t this worth just $800 more from each of us?”
Are you nuts? If I had an extra $800 I would buy more groceries or pay some bills.
By the way, Bythesea, perhaps you don’t know this, but those Ocean Grovers who support the CMA already give them money in the form of contributions. The yearly price for the 99 year lease on houses is fixed, so regarding some of the things you want done, better not talk so loud, because Mayor Bishop may want to increase your taxes. You also have the option of writing a personal check to the CMA. Paul @Blogfinger
Quibbling over the $200 or the annual rent is ridiculous. The fact is that this town would benefit enormously from the CMA having significantly more money. And by “benefit enormously” I mean that our real estate values would increase, crime would decrease, and town amenities/infrastructure would improve. For this reason, I think that they should be charging $1,000 rent or something like that.
Let’s consider what they could do with an extra $600K per year
– hire supplementary security officers to just work the Grove (2 @ $90K = $180K)
– place security cameras at 8 town entry points and 5 on the boardwalk, 4 on Main, and 4 on Ocean and 4 on Asbury Ave. (25@ $4K = $100K)
– Town beautification (more planters and flowers, improved looking street lights, improved signage, flags, etc. ($420K)
And that’s what we would get in year one. Imagine what we could do in five years at this level of investment. Perhaps we could even have a fund of working capital that could repair run down houses (to be changed back to the owner via liens).
Isn’t this worth just $800 more from each of us?
I know at least five people will write that this is ridiculous due to the hard economic times or whatever. My view is that this economy( at least for the next 5 years) is the new normal, and it is not reasonable for people to keep saying they can’t afford to keep up their homes, or invest in making OG a better place, etc. These folks, while I’m sure are wonderful human beings who are liked by their neighbors, are nonetheless holding the Grove back from realizing its potential. While it is an odious reality, if a homeowner can’t keep up today, why will that dynamic ever change?
Nope. I say : “Ye olde soda pop shoppe.” By the way, I prefer goode olde sarsaparilla soda to Coca Cola. Which is kinda hard to find, yet one can get from soda sellers outside the Great Auditorium in summer. Try it; you might like it. That and rock candy from Nagles does the trick for me. Olde fashioned? No not me.
As one who had to “walk out” on Sundays in rain, snow, sleet, (and often spent Saturday evenings with my dad searching for parking for his car outside of Ocean Grove ) – don’t even THINK about re-enacting the clearing of cars from the streets!
People may think it was quaint, but it gets real old, real fast.
Frank: I recently met some folks who had just purchased homes in the Grove. They were taken aback by the form when it was presented to them at the closing. They knew very little about the town and they didn’t know what to make of the questions. One couple was Jewish and were at a loss as to how to respond. These people basically shrugged and signed. They asked me about the form, and I was at a loss….thus this article. It wasn’t that anybody had a “chip on their shoulder” over this issue. It’s just curiosity.
I think it would be good if the realtors made sure that their clients see the form in advance and understand the nature of the town….especially the roll of the HPC and the significance of the CMA.
I also met a woman who owns a home here. She felt strongly that we should bring back the “gates” and ban vehicles for a week or a perhaps just a day each year as sort of a historic re-enaction. It seems impractical, but there are folks in town who look back with nostalgia to those peaceful Sundays.
Frank: You must really be an old fashioned guy. I like how you spelled “towne.” Do you also say “Ye olde soda shoppe?”
Why is everyone so serious and seem to have a chip on their shoulder ? It was yet another quirky little thing that made OG unique. I moved here mid 90’s and by then the interview was gone. Too bad. I actually was looking forward to it. Lets face it. OG is different. Its policies are different. Its people are different & diverse & unique. Do we really want to be just another bland homogenous cookie cutter town ? OG has always been known to be different/special and yes even odd in its ways. So be it . Lets celebrate this not bury it.
I even think that for one Sunday a year(say off season as Gxd forbid we inconvenience the tourists) we should not allow any wheeled vehicles (parked or driven) as a historical event and re-creation. Might be fun. Would look quite beautiful & surreal. Wonderful photo opportunity. Anyone think likewise or maybe I am just last krazy person left in towne ?
Just to stir things up a bit … Perhaps the form could be updated to include a clause or two to protect things such as the flare, density and height standards. You can’t buy if you intend to ‘invade’ the flare.
To see where one could go with this form and this process, look no farther than a New York City co-op. They must follow all the fair housing rules yet they can be VERY selective. I know Madonna was turned down by a co-op who did not want show biz types in thier building. The CMA has enormous potential power with this process if they choose to use it. I think one interesting test they should apply is that the potential owner must have sufficient financial assets, including liquid savings, such that they can fix up and maintain their property. Also, they could test through interviews if folks are nice and responsible. As a homeowner, I would welcome some greater oversight by CMA while not violating fair housing laws.
Our family solution to the Sunday morning beach blackout is to buy badges for Bradley Beach and just one from OG for parking.
On the form, it’s called a “recording fee.”
I well remember my attorney, a nice Jewish guy from Hillsdale asking me, “Where IS this place you are moving to?” upon seeing the form. Application notwithstanding, I have never lived in such a diverse excellent community. I will always respect the CMA and support their mission/vision as I am able. As to the questions on the form, they are quirky, well so am I.
I happen to know from first hand experience that the $200 is a an unfair charge that is not used for anything at all. It’s a money maker, and if they say its to do “research”, that can be done in 10 minutes at Neptune Twp. offices and doesn’t cost $200. Someone should ask for a breakdown of what that $200 is used for, line item by line item.
What’s the point? The real purpose of continuing this “tradition” is to remind newcomers that this town has a specific history founded on a religious culture, and those elements are very much a part of Ocean Grove, even now.
The continued ownership of the land represents the strong and tangible presence of the CMA, and if you buy in this town, you need to know that. The 99 year lease says that the CMA will be here long after we all are gone. Making these points to newcomers is appropriate and places issues like the pavilion into perspective.
This process should quite simply be thought of as an old time OG tradition. Do we need to change everything from the past to accomodate everyone that is new? I don’t think so. The land lease application is one of those quirky things that makes OG unique. There is no way that any one will have their application denied. I don’t think there is a person in this town that would advocate that type of discrimination. All of the real estate agents in town know how to present the process to a buyer. It’s just “an Ocean Grove thing”…no worries.