I imagine many of those "summer homes" are ( were? ) located on or near the water. Sooo.......

You had a reply for me? Try again. It seems to be taking time for some of the posts to come up.

That's a great idea, Judy. Or what about bank-owned foreclosed homes?

May sound like a great idea, but we have by laws that must be followed...not going to happen.

good idea so many vacant homes up for forclosure perhaps renting to a family of three husband,wife,and one child,no pressure on the communty parents will transport their child to school,no school buses.this might be able to work since it's temporary with a promise that the occupant would be returning to their home once the ban has been lifted to return.great idea Judy..

Suggested this on another feed. I was surprised at the resistance of those communities to assist their younger neighbors. All that I can say is what goes around....comes around.

But the vacant properties are SO numerous in the Sr communities. In the communities without lawncare, the vacant houses' lawns are not mowed, the walks not shoveled, and it's an eyesore and hazard for the neighbors. Seems to me that Seniors could suck it up for a few months and welcome their less fortunate bretheren, and all will benefit.

On the on contrary, they're extremely well manicured lawns. The only senior communities that match your description would be Holiday City Berkeley and Silverton.

oh please suppose it was one of their families being displaced?help and need is first..don't u think...empty foreclosed or abandon properrty..c'mon where is your heart?BN It could be work out i'm sure.a small family no more than one child,keep no bus rule parents provide transport to schools,it would only be for a family returning to their homes .seems like a idea.

No.

HUD passed a law allowing age-restricted communities to permit short-term rentals to people under 55, without penalty, due to the disaster. It is now up to the individual Homeowners Associations to decide. The other half of the puzzle is talking the banks into allowing short-term rental of their foreclosed vacant properties.

I know for a fact that we (the homeowners) recently passed a restriction in court not allowing HUD to "govern" us here in Silver Ridge. So...NOT happening here. I THINK Holiday City is exempt? Oh, BTW, I too have family displaced from Sandy. Sorry, you must be 55 or older and no children.

BN and Suz: Perhaps if a natural disaster, like a tornado, hits Silver Ridge then my neighborhood could mandate those over 55 can not rent or own here. With all the vacancies in the adult communities and the glut of inventory for sale, I think it would solve a lot of problems. Clearly though, hearts are not in it as some in those communities truly don't give a darn about young families with kids being homeless for the short term. That's the Christian spirit!!!

Donna: There are plenty of larger vacant homes in communities where there are schools. What is your hang up with senior citizens?

First of all Donna, Holiday City is Berkeley Township- Not Toms River. So kids who lost their homes in Toms River (schools) need to live in TR to stay at their current schools or current TR school district. Second of all, the senior communities can not change their bylaws and tax status by housing families with children under 19 yrs old. They are specifically zoned as adult communities and changing that would be no easy feat, nor advantageous for the community's tax rates etc.
But don't assume senior aren't helping out. I took in two family members and their huge dog and I expect they will need to live here with me for at least the next 6-8 months before they can relocate. Now a small cozy house meant for two is housing four adults and three dogs. It's not that easy, but it's what we gotta do. Also as someone else said, Seniors make up a significant number of volunteers all over Ocean county.

You are forgetting a very important point... those vacant homes you see in all neighborhoods, senior communities or not, still belong to someone! The government can not go around commandeering properties just because its empty and use them as relocation homes for people. What kind of government do you think we have? You think because some old senior citizen passes away and their family hasn't sold off their home yet, the government can just march in there and TAKE it??
Funny how so many of you hate when the Evil Government makes rules about things, like entering disaster zones only at certain times or whatever, yet you think it's perfectly OK for the government to confiscate someone's home? Interesting.

Well, Mattie, there IS a Holiday City in the Silverton Section of Toms River. Next, children DON'T need to be staying in Toms River; Toms River Schools are permitting children to attend their regular school, regardless of where they've had to temporarily relocate, they just won't get bus service. Thirdly, HUD has passed a law permitting renters under 55, without compromising the senior community's status. And finally, who said anything about the government commandeering people's private homes? Most of the vacant homes are either bank-owned or estate-owned. Don't you think the banks would be interested in making a little money, instead of just shelling out taxes each quarter?

I agree but to a small family with one child...not to much disruption within the communty..

suz -- Actually, I think the kids from Lavallette will be relocated to St. Barbara's in Toms River until their school is able to re-open. I get it that you aren't prepared to step up to the plate, where it really matters. It is more important for your retirement community to maintain its by-laws than it is to be a good neighbor. As far as vacancies are concerned, I know firsthand the retirement homes (even in Silver Ridge aka Beverly Hills apparently) are taking a huge hit in the real estate market and vacancies are plentiful. Thank you for letting the public know how Silver Ridge is prepared to help in the SHORT TERM by allowing those displaced in their community to live there for 2 months. BTW...people in Berkeley Township lost their homes too. Sandy did not discriminate along town borders but some of Ocean County's residents sure are.

Mattie - Interesting argument. But have you ever heard of eminent domain? Your government certainly has no problem legislating land grabs. I am also not talking about "commandeering" properties. For those property owners who would be inclined to assist their community in a time of crisis, I am merely suggesting that they be permitted to rent for a fee an otherwise unoccupied residence in an adult community for a period of 2-6 months to a small family (maximum 3 residents) without imposing an age restriction. You are the one who is assuming that I might even be suggesting that the government have ANYTHING to do with this arrangement. Clearly, from your posts in the past, American citizens are incapable of doing anything without government intervention.

Why? There are plenty of vacant and foreclosed properties with larger homes suitable for families located outside of age-restricted communities. Your opening the door for crime. It's bad enough when 40 year olds move in with parents living in retirement communities, now you want teens there too? And you want little kids plaing in yards where there are senior drivers on the streets. Use you heads people.

Thank you Project, Finally someone who gets it!!!!!

Untrue. Toms River school kids displaced, will have to be picked up from where THEY are and delivered to their school. Another reason Toms River residents should be in TR!

Try here:

http://hotpads.com/search#lat=39.9845636363636&lon=-74.1596681818182&zoom=19&dupeGrouping=building&listingTypes=sale,newHome,foreclosure,auction&includeVaguePricing=false&pricingFrequency=once&resultsPerQuad=24

Mattie, those houses are all gone. Realtors and rental agents are swamped with desperate families.

I sure know seniors who have been displaced.....my parents who are now living with me. To throw our hands up in a time of catastrophic crisis and say it'll take months to make a "temporary" adjustment to association by-laws leads me to come to only one conclusion. Our adult communities are not part of the larger community. I hope that I am wrong on this, but dealing with many of these communities and their archaic, inflexible rules makes me think that I may have just hit the proverbial nail on the head. I also happen to be aware of the volume of vacancies and foreclosures in communities like Holiday City. What a shame for those properties to sit vacant at the expense of families who could use the temporary housing. It could be financially beneficial to those displaced, the property owner and the association who would be collecting their dues. BTW Bluebeam....if I had an issue with retired folks, my parents wouldn't have a roof over their heads right now. I'm simply offering up a short-term solution but it's clear that some are not flexible even during times of a natural disaster.

Donna, I don't know how many ways to tell this, but these communities are created for that very reason they are called "Senior Communities"! Thats number one, number two, these rentals are gone or going just as fast! Stop, please, being so bias! This has affected ALL of us in one way or another and most seniors in my community are doing and have done more than others in regular communities. I personally know a 90 year old who lost everything who is from West Point Island...he DESERVES a quiet, good neighbor to live in NOW. Stop this stupid reaction that we are against helping PEOPLE who have been displaced. Seniors deserve help too!!!!

suz, HUD has already passed the laws.

Nancy, get your facts straight....NOT for Silver Ridge!!!!!

Suz, unless Silver Ridge had seceeded from the USA and declared itself an independent nation, it still falls under federal HUD laws. Your little HOA may have voted to ignore HUD...

How do you know they haven't? Look at your shelters and churches. There are plenty of senior volunteers helping out!

I'll help you there....

Google "Hotpads" . click on Hotpads real estate website when it comes up in the list. Enter any of the Toms River, (or wherever) zip codes and see for yourself the many HUNDREDS of homes for sale AND rent in that zip code area. Now tell me how so many people will be able to rent a home, for at least a year, with no furniture, and in many cases, no $$, no car, no kitchen equipment, AND (many have) no job any longer.... But if they do have the means and $$ to rent... by all means Hotpads is a good place to check, and there are many many real estate agents who can also help with a rental search. Use the phone, use the internet.

Seriously? You don't know how to Google "homes for rent in Toms River, NJ"?

Computer listings are way out of date. those rentals are gone

NancyinTR is correct I just looked up half a dozen and there are some that are listed as available that are on the barrier beaches and others posted more than a month ago and are surely occupied by now.....we will get through this but to exclude anybody because of race color or age at this time during what was declared a federal disaster (which means the county's hands are tied) is just heartless. Senior development or not temporary assistance to people who have NOTHING left after a disaster is OK and I'm sure nobody will be harmed, if anything these young people will be grateful to the senior communities for their open hearts and perhaps return the favor. These young people EXPERIENCE homelessness...loss of LIFE and things they cherished.
Also understand what these little children are experiencing...they have been ripped from their homes and schools...they feel the tension of their parents and the community and they are scared.

Lmm :: I've been using HotPads for myself, friends and relatives for more than 4 years now. YES, sometimes you come across listings that are no longer available. YES, some of those listings - maybe lots of them- were listings on the barrier islands and other places where damage now makes them no longer available. (especially the rentals). Obviously one wouldn't look THERE.

But seriously, Don't dismiss the entire source just because it's proving to be somewhat more difficult than usual in these circumstances. There's no way I believe that EVERY listing on those maps in the Toms River, Bricktown, Bayville, Beachwood area are gone - not in a week. BUT even if that is true and every single property is taken.... keep checking, because you never know when more people will start listing their properties knowing this is the time they can find renters at the drop of a hat.
Now -- NANCY - as for this new HUD law about changing senior community status so hurricane victims can rent and or live there ...I have searched and searched all over HUD websites and disaster provisions, and I can't find any such new law.
So can you provide a link?

Maybe HUD will now provide the vouchers or assistance for people with kids to rent in senior communities, waiving THEIR restrictions on where they will allow their vouchers (for families) to go, but that doesn't mean HUD can overrule or change the actual, existing senior community laws or age restriction guidelines.

Go onto Ortley beach.org...for a start. Info on Ortley.

From all I've heard, read or seen, Ortley Beach is absolutely devastated- from ocean to bay side. More than likely you have already "lost" your home. These re-entry efforts are not some anti-Ortley Beach conspiracy. Knock it off already, Matthew... you are only adding to the anxiety and paranoia surrounding people now. And by 'pounding' the mayor's inbox with irate and irrational emails, that will help HOW?? You think all he needs is a little anger and intimidation and he'll see the light? Seriously. Grow up.
But please... really.... as soon as you return from 'fixing up your house' and retrieving your important things, tell us how unaffected your home was... better yet-- post a few pictures of your house and your neighbors' houses on your street. I want to see how this caution was all unnecessary because YOUR house and neighborhood is FINE....