OCEAN CITY, Md. - Nikoliy, a J-1 worker from Bolivia, currently shares a home with nine other J-1 workers in Ocean City. The living conditions can be chaotic, he says, but they manage. “It’s kind of crazy because it’s a bit of chaos in my house all the time, but once a week, they do like clean,” he said.
Nikoliy is just one of many J-1 visa workers in the town, and Plim Plaza is working to address the shortage of seasonal workforce housing. The company planned to submit an application to the Ocean City Planning Committee last Tuesday to house 73 seasonal workers for the next summer season. However, the proposal was postponed due to parking issues.
According to Plim Plaza's attorney, the current code requires the restriction of 14 parking spaces for student workers. However, these spaces are currently allocated for guests. The company feared that if they presented their application without resolving the parking situation, it would be denied, forcing them to wait a whole year before proposing again.
With worker housing in short supply around Ocean City, Plim Plaza is determined to ensure their proposal is not denied. The company’s attorney plans to have an informal discussion with the committee to gauge their reception to the proposal. From there, they will make the necessary changes before the public hearing.