Here's How Coronavirus Could Impact Jersey Shore Summer

JERSEY SHORE — New Jersey makes tens of billions through tourism each year, much of which is generated at the Jersey Shore. This summer won't be business as usual, but many decisions will determine how different the shore will look during its tourism peak.

State and local officials have already examined difficult questions: should the beaches and boardwalks close? When can they reopen? How much should short-term rentals become restricted? Will warmer weather affect the virus?

Governor Phil Murphy has left the decisions of beach and boardwalk closures and rental restrictions up to municipalities — and several towns have taken such steps (see list of towns below).

He told PIX11 that it's "too early to tell" the state of the shore this summer. Decisions to reopen the economy will rely on the success of flattening the curve and the future availability of large-scale, rapid testing, Murphy said.

"The balance of April I think is going to be the toughest period we’ve got — the last week and the next couple," Murphy said. "I think May will be a little bit — assuming we all stay home and keep distance — May will be a little bit better."

But about 1.5 million people live at the Jersey Shore, according to the 2010 Census. Shore counties also reported 48 million visitors in 2018, according to nj.com. So whatever happens will affect the lives of millions of people living in, working in and visiting the Jersey Shore.

As It Stands

Officials have reported the following case totals in the Shore's counties as of Friday morning:

• Monmouth: 4,299 positive cases, 278 deaths
• Ocean: 4,272 cases, 185 deaths
• Atlantic: 344 cases, 13 deaths
• Cape May: 190 cases, 12 deaths

Atlantic County has reported 66 recoveries, while Cape May County has tallied 18 cleared from quarantined. Monmouth and Ocean County officials have not publicly disclosed recovery statistics.

Tourists spent nearly $45 million in 2018, Murphy said last year. The money generated $5 billion in state and local taxes in 2018. Jersey Shore counties accounted for 48 percent of tourism spending that year, according to state figures.

Although there's hope to salvage at least some of this summer, some around the shore have made efforts to prepare for the worst-case scenario economic hit.

Cape May County formed a Business Recovery Task Force this week to help business owners navigate available aid and find funding opportunities.

“I have been talking daily to business owners where I live in Sea Isle City and from across the County," said Freeholder Vice-Director Leonard Desiderio. "We hear their concerns and we will find a way to help.”

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Closing off Shore Attractions

Long Beach Township banned short-term rentals — 21 days or fewer — last month. Point Pleasant Beach Manasquan and Asbury Park have taken similar steps.

Part of Long Beach Township's reasoning was the fact that the town has one full-service grocery store and the local hospital has only 120 beds, according to the "declaration of disaster and emergency."

Murphy and Jersey Shore officials have encouraged people to stay at their primary homes and stay away from the area. They have also mentioned worries about the current capacity of grocery stores and hospitals.

“As (second) homeowners, they obviously have a right to be here," said Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson. "But they have been asked not to come, not now while resources are limited and we continue to fight further spread of the virus."

Many towns have tried to stave off an influx of people by closing main attractions, such as beaches and boardwalks.

Seaside Heights Mayor Anthony Vaz anticipated last month that more would want to visit the beach as the weather improved. He announced March 24 that the beaches would close until further notice. The boardwalk in Seaside Heights and Seaside Park is closed as well.

Many shore points have come to similar decisions:

• Ocean City closed its beaches and boardwalk.
• Long Branch closed its boardwalk but not the beach.
• Long Beach Island's municipalities have made different decisions. Ship Bottom closed all bay and ocean beaches. Long Beach Township closed its beaches to everyone except residents and property owners with disaster-reentry passes.
• Point Pleasant Beach, Bay Head and Mantoloking agreed to close their beaches April 3.
• Asbury Park closed its boardwalk to the public in late March.
• Lavallette closed its boardwalk and beach.
• Toms River closed its public beach and boardwalk in the Ortley Beach section.
• Brick Township closed access to all of its beaches, both oceanfront and bayside.
• Mantoloking and Bay Head have barred parking by all except essential vehicles and permanent residents.

There has been enforcement of the orders, too. In Seaside Park, police found Konstanti Apessos Jr., 21, of Manchester, sitting on a lifeguard stand on the beach, reading a book, despite knowing the beach was closed. He was charged with defiant trespass, the attorney general's office said.

Many shore areas took significant steps to ban short-term rentals. The Cape May County Board of Freeholders voted April 7 to prohibit prohibit hotels, motels and other short-term rental businesses from lodging transient guests or seasonal tenants.

Long Beach Township police also charged a woman last week with violating emergency orders after renting out a condo she owns. She was also charged with obstruction for falsely claiming to have rented it for 30 days, the Office of Attorney General said.

Businesses, Workers Feel the Pressure

Bob's Grill, a seasonal Ocean City restaurant, normally would have first opened on Easter, weather permitting.

They stagger their seasonal openings and closings, beginning with a limited menu on Sundays in April and opening weekends in May. They progressively stay open more until July 4, when they operate the eatery every day for all three meals.

Easter weekend normally attracts some Ocean City visitors. But this year, that couldn't happen.

The federal government allocated $349 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program, which provides loans for small businesses. But Bob's hasn't been able to secure state or federal aid, according to Joy Harbaugh, who runs the restaurant with Bob Harbaugh.

"If you weren’t operating in February, you didn’t qualify for didn’t even qualify for PPP, even though we still pay rent, insurance, our water bill," she said. "We still have all of our bills even though we’re not open."

Tim McLoone owns a dozen restaurants in the Jersey Shore. After the State ordered restaurants only serve takeout. Many of his restaurants opted to close, since takeout doesn't make nearly enough money, he said. McLoone laid off between 700 and 1,000 employees.

"It was a terrible day. It was heartbreaking," McLoone said.

The financial windfall has already created budget crunches more many local governments. Many municipalities will need to either need to furlough employees, raise taxes or some combination.

More than 60 Toms River employees will be furloughed as the township deals with the financial stresses of efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Life and livelihood on the Jersey Shore largely hinges on success or failure to slow the spread.

"I’m praying to God that with the warm weather, we’ll be able to slowly but surely get back on our feet," Murphy said, "including on the shore."