Preservation

The OGHOA Preservation Committee

In the Ocean Grove National Historic District, featuring tightly-spaced 19^thcentury wooden houses and hotels, derelict buildings are unsightly and hazardous. Vacant, abandoned and poorly maintained properties diminish neighboring property values, increase the risk of injuries and property damage through arson and vandalism and discourage neighborhood stability and revitalization.

After a series of devastating fires, the Ocean Grove Home Owners Association formed the Preservation Committee to advocate for implementation of effective municipal tools to combat this problem.

Persistent participation at Township Committee meetings led to adoption of a Vacant and Abandoned Property Ordinance in 2014, and continued pressure on our elected officials resulted in passage of an important amendment in 2015. Click here for a link to the Neptune’s list of vacant and abandoned properties, as well as the full text of the Vacant and Abandoned Property Ordinance.

Unfortunately however, neither the ordinance nor the amendment will be effective without enforcement, and the Preservation Committee is committed to ensuring that appropriate action is taken against owners and lien-holders of derelict properties in Ocean Grove.

Nevertheless, some of these homes are owned by elderly or financially challenged neighbors that may be overwhelmed with the repairs and upkeep required to keep an older home safe.  The Preservation Committee is launching a series of resources with the hopes that YOU – as members of this wonderful and unique community – will reach out to people on your street who may be in need of connection and  assistance. Click below for the PDF document with resources:

OGHOA Help a Neighbor 2023

The current members of the Preservation Committee are:

Kim Vivenzio, John Winckelmann, Kathryn Cleary, Janice Breen, Sheree Kelly, David Austin, Marisa Austin, Terrence Checki, and Ronald Goldfaden (Chairman)

Another goal for the Preservation Committee is gaining Certified Local Government status for the Historic District. Click Here for more information on the CLG program.

For questions concerning the Preservation Committee, please reach out to Ronald Goldfaden at contact@oghoa.org.

If you suspect that a building in Ocean Grove is abandoned and vacant, please email the head of Neptune Township’s Housing Code Enforcement department Joe Ciccone with a cc to Ronald Goldfaden at contact@oghoa.org so that he, or other members of the committee, can follow up as needed.

Historic Preservation Commission (HPC)