Long Beach Island, NJ Effectively Kills Modular Housing After Sandy

Even though Gov. Christie, FEMA and every one with common sense knows that modular housing is a great way to rebuild NJ after Hurricane Sandy’s destructive hit last year, one township in NJ is now effectively stopping modular homes from being built. The people elected to power in Long Beach Township seem to be in the pocket of stick builders as they have enacted restrictions so harsh on modular home builders that they can’t build there any longer.

A builder that has built many homes in Long Beach Township just sent me this email along with the ordinance that was put into effect in 2007 but was renewed with vigor on the one year anniversary of Hurricane Sandy. If this isn’t discrimination against both builders and their customers, nothing is.

UPDATE: Interesting note, Joesph Mancini, who is currently mayor of Long Beach Township, is president and CEO of Mancini
Realty Company, and president and CEO of Mancini Custom Homes, a stick builder.  Hmmmmm!

Let’s hope this doesn’t become a pattern in NJ!

First the email:

Sort of ironic that on the one year anniversary of
Superstorm Sandy, that I am informed by Long Beach Island Township of the
“special” requirements for modular home construction.

I have attached a copy of the ordinances that I was directed
to by Long Beach Island Township
for modular construction.

The restrictions make it extremely difficult for a modular
home to be constructed in this Township.  Apparently modular construction
was “singled out” with special bonding and ordinance requirements
which, at the very least, are discriminatory against modular construction.

First, a modular home builder must post a $5,000 bond
whereas a stick builder does not.  When asked why, I was advised in case
the modular units cause damage during delivery to the work site.  I asked
if the same requirement applied to lumber deliveries, concrete deliveries or
any other construction product deliveries – I was told only modular units. I
asked them what would happen if a concrete truck or lumber truck caused damage
during a material delivery – I didn’t get an answer.

You also can’t store modular units at anytime
anywhere in the LBI but the storage of other construction materials for
stick builders is just fine.

If you require a street closing permit, you
can’t perform any construction on a a modular home between June 15th
and September 15th.

There is a window between 7AM to 10AM for the
modular builder to have all the modular units delivered to the work site from
over the LBI bridge – very difficult, if not impossible, if you have to
store all the units off LBI.  Then, if you block the street by bringing
over all the units – you would of course need a street closing permit.  In
any other Town we would bring one unit at a time so not to obstruct the street. 
If we were to obstruct the street, we would contact the Town and hire traffic
control well in advance of the set.

They also only allow you a one hour window to deliver the
units from the scheduled time.  It’s just fine for any other building
material deliveries to happen during normal business hours without this one
hour restriction or any other “special” conditions.

And if I violate the ordinance, I could be subject to a fine
not to exceed $2,000, a jail term of up to 90 days or perform up to 90 days of
community service.

We build day in and day out in Chadwick
Beach, Lavallette, Ocean Beach,
Ortley Beach,
Surf City and
Seaside Park without any “special”
conditions – we are required to meet the same conditions as all other
contractors which is fair.

We have three jobs in LBI – one that we intended to go in
for permit within the next several days.  Due to the above
“special” conditions, I don’t know if we can build this home without
violating LBI’s “special” ordinances for modular construction. 
If I was a stick builder – no problem at all.

I am all for playing by the rules – but everyone should be
following the same rule book.

Here is the ordinance: