OCEAN CITY — Plans for a significant seasonal workforce housing project are still moving forward behind the scenes, but whatever site is ultimately chosen, it won’t be ready for next summer.
In September, the Ocean City Mayor and Council received a presentation from the president of Holtz Builders out of Wisconsin expressing a desire to build one or more dormitory-style seasonal workforce housing projects in and around the resort area. Holtz Builders has had success in developing seasonal workforce housing in other resort areas to help address labor shortages and provide clean, safe and affordable accommodations for employees, both international J-1 visa students and domestic employees.
The company has expressed an interest in developing such a project in Ocean City to help with the resort’s critical seasonal employee shortage and their affordable housing needs. Throughout last summer, there was an acute seasonal labor shortage, particularly in the hospitality industry, forcing many businesses to close for a day or two, or at least cut back on hours of operation, during the peak summer season. It’s not secret Ocean City has a lack of affordable seasonal workforce housing and Holtz appears ready to step in and help fill that void with one or more projects.
Holtz Builders President Dan Bullock earlier this year toured the resort area for potential locations for one or more seasonal workforce housing and pinpointed five sites. One option identified was the Park-and-Ride in West Ocean City, which emerged as the early favorite. However, a deeper dive revealed there were significant zoning and environmental issues to overcome.
A second option was the town-owned municipal parking lot at 100th Street. That option would require a property swap with Delmarva Power in order to accommodate a seasonal workforce housing project. After the challenges with the Park-and-Ride location were revealed during a meeting in October, the 100th Street location emerged as the new favorite, although there are still other options on the table.
Margaritaville goes POOF
Summer housing now in slow mo
That can always kicked down the road has taken a true beatin.