Cape May County Votes To Close Hotels, Motels Amid Coronavirus

CAPE MAY COUNTY, NJ — The Cape May County Board of Freeholders voted Tuesday to prohibit hotels, motels and other short-term rental businesses from lodging transient guests or seasonal tenants. The Board will continue monitoring the novel-coronavirus outbreak to determine when these businesses can reopen.

The resolution, which is effective immediately, doesn't require businesses to evict guests or seasonal tenants currently staying at those properties. Businesses can continue taking reservations and preparing the property for reopening. But officials have no definite date for when they will lift the ban.

"We don’t need visitors at this time," said Freeholder Director Gerald M. Thornton. "We must do everything we can to flatten the curve. The more we discourage people from traveling at this time it will help eliminate the spread of COVID-19."

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Several Cape May County towns have restricted certain forms of short-term rentals during the pandemic. Ocean City announced a moratorium March 29 for online marketplaces of short-term rentals. Mayor Jay Gillian also urged private owners to suspend them until further notice and said the real-estate community agreed to do so. Read more: Ocean City Bans Short-Term Online Rentals Amid Coronavirus

All 16 Cape May County mayors also collectively urged people to stop short-term rentals during the coronavirus outbreak. The Freeholders issued the ban to create a uniform county policy.

Governor Phil Murphy issued a stay-at-home order March 21 that closed many "non-essential" services. The order allowed hotels and other "places of accommodation" to stay open.

County officials and all county mayors had urged hotels and motels to only rent to people serving essential functions, per Murphy's order. Read more: Cape May County Mayors Urge Halt In Short-Term Rentals

The Cape May County Health Department has reported 100 positive cases of the coronavirus as of Tuesday night. Two people have died, and 15 have been cleared from quarantine.

"The more we discourage people from traveling at this time it will help eliminate the spread of COVID-19," Thornton said. "When we can ensure it is safe, I will be the first one to welcome tourists will open arms.”

Murphy announced 3,361 new cases and 232 more deaths Tuesday in New Jersey. The State has reported 44,416 positive cases and 1,232 deaths from the virus.

Read more: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

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