OCEAN CITY, Md. - The challenge of providing adequate housing for the influx of student workers is no easy task. Local businesses, town officials, and non-profit organizations such as OCDC are trying to find solutions to this growing problem.
Thomas Fager, a manager at the Fager's Island restaurant, emphasizes the importance of these seasonal workers, "When I think about these kids coming here, they come back year after year and I always find myself in the back working side by side with them, and I see the same familiar faces. So I think they can go wherever they want. All across America. And a lot of them choose to come back here to Ocean City, Maryland." This sentiment underscores the loyalty and dedication of the student workforce but also highlights the necessity of providing them with suitable living conditions.
However, securing housing for these workers is becoming increasingly difficult. In response, Ocean City has taken legislative steps, such as approving a code change last year that allows businesses to build workforce housing off-site. Despite this, the uptake has been slow, with not a single business applying to take advantage of the new regulation.
Kevin Gibbs, owner of The Dough Roller restaurant, believes patience is key. "It's relatively new. So a lot of business owners are trying to figure out what properties to acquire, what to look for," Gibbs explains. His perspective suggests that while the initiative is a step in the right direction, the practical aspects of implementing such a plan are complex and require time.
In the meantime, some local entrepreneurs are taking matters into their own hands. Mike Ramadan is transforming the old Phillips Crab House property into a 300-bed facility aimed at addressing the worker housing shortage. Projects like Ramadan's are seen as vital to solving the housing crisis, offering both immediate relief and a model for future developments.
Fager also stresses the importance of quality in these housing solutions, "Not only just get housing for these kids, but quality housing. I hate to see them work so hard and then go home at the end of the day and they're crammed to a small room with two bunk beds. So not just good housing to get up here, but definitely quality for them."
The concerted effort by Ocean City and its community to improve housing for seasonal student workers reflects a shared commitment to ensuring that the backbone of the town's tourist industry is well supported. With the help of Ocean City and OCDC, businesses are hopeful that the lack of student workforce housing will soon be a problem of the past.