Renters arrive in the Grove. Old news.
The quotes below are from an article. (11/27/24) in the Coaster reporting on the latest Township Committee meeting.
Rental houses in the Grove. Eileen Goldfinger photograph near Tent Village.
By Paul Goldfinger, Editor Blogfinger.net
From Barbara Burns, a well known Grover influencer:
“People have rented houses in Ocean Grove since Ocean Grove existed,” Barbara Burns said. “But it is only in the last few years that we’ve had the short term rental industry. So people that buy these properties for short term rentals drive the prices of houses.”
Boy, talk about scapegoating, Ms. Burns needs to widen her field of vision.
Let’s consider why the prices of houses have gone up:
a. Since Covid invaded , peaking around 2020, New Yorkers have discovered the Grove, and they bring money with them as they say, “Gimme shelter.” The prices here have been a bargain for those deep pocket city escapees.
b. Now that Covid is less worrisome, others come to town because it is a wonderful Jersey Shore town, small town America. And more buyers have discovered us for all the reasons that we all came, leading to supply and demand issues..
Visitors are curious about the tents, but you can’t buy one or even rent one. Paul Goldfinger photo of nocturnal tourists in Tent Village.
And home shoppers have noticed that the Grove is evolving in terms of demographics, and it no longer feels like a religious enclave despite the CMA’s efforts to make it so. In any case, I doubt that the CMA is having any influence on home prices/appraisals.
c. As for buyers who want to “rent out” their homes, well OG has long been a town where investors become buyer/landlords, as with the rest of the shore. Yes we do have increased short term rentals–I see it on my block, but so what?
As we used to say when we were kids, “It’s a free country,” at least as long as government minds its own business. And Neptune is paying attention to the problems associated with short term rentals.
Dawn Crozier-Freeman, tax assessor said, in response to criticisms about assessments:
“Even if I reduce everybody’s assessment here, the township still has to collect the same revenue based off the budget,” Crozier-Freeman said. “So if we were to all stay the same today, that just means the tax rate is going to go up tomorrow, because we have to collect the money.”
Comments by politicians included concerns about inadequate state school funding and a helpless shrug by the Mayor who has a “fixed ” budget to deal with.
“Committeeman Darel Stroud said residents have to get involved at other levels of government, noting that school costs are included in the total budget along with county costs.” Anybody want to sit in on County meetings?
For more info, consult the Coaster. The e-edition looks good, the writing is improved, but otherwise it is the same.
ROLLING STONES. “Gimme Shelter”