Brigantine Council Still Allows Marketing & Negotiation of Short-Term Rental Contracts


Brigantine City Council had another emergency meeting about short-term rentals on April 9. See video above.

During this time of COVID-19, how do we effectively slow the influx of visitors and short term renters into Brigantine?

On April 1, Council only took aim at online rental marketing like AirBnB. Local realtors, their online advertising and websites were not affected for some reason. Backlash ensued.

On the morning of April 9, Brigantine City Council cleared up a few issues, but muddied others.

Notes. Brigantine City Council Meeting APRIL 9.

Brigantine 2nd homeowners…COME ON DOWN…. so says Mayor Simpson in a really clumsy way.

No restrictions at this time. Mayor Simpson says ALL homeowners can come down to Brigantine. Even those 2nd homeowners, the non-voting lifeblood of Brigantine.

Didn’t Governor Murphy tell us to stay in place? Yikes.

Mayor Simpson also mentioned some creepy 14 day quarantine thing that Councilman Riordan is working on with Atlantic County. wtf.

See Riordan 14 Day Quarantine efforts here.

Are Brigantine Real Estate agents now in compliance? Simpson: they can’t do arms-length transactions. No person to person rentals at this time. But…..

Property owners and ALL realtors can still enter into contracts for June, July, etc … with the stipulation that the agreement can be voided / cancelled at any time.

So, it sounds like marketing and renting can still happen…. but actual occupation of the property can’t happen without the OK from the Brigantine Mayor and his City Council.

Those who use AirBnB and VRBO not quite happy about that one. Will they treat ALL rental transactions equally? Let’s hope so.

Question: What’s a short-term rental? Last week, it was anything less than 30 days. Now, a short-term rental is anything up to 180 days (6 months).

Brigantine Councilman Mike Riordan, who originally assisted in last week’s resolution, took time to defend his recent actions. Riordan, a local Real Estate agent, made sure to place blame on those who he believes shared un-true information.

Councilman Dennis Haney and others claim that Council was handcuffed by the State of NJ. Council couldn’t do anything to stop local realtors from conducting rental business as usual. That’s not really true.

Brigantine should have ENCOURAGED all rentals to stop on April 1. Just like other towns. Because it was the right thing to do.

Most would have complied.

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9 thoughts on “Brigantine Council Still Allows Marketing & Negotiation of Short-Term Rental Contracts”

  1. Did I hear correctly that the mayor and the council are going to allow homeowners (2nd homes) to come to Brigantine even though the shelter in place is in effect? Not liking this, if it is true.

  2. Wow, Simpson says we are allowed to visit our owned homes? What a guy/idiot. Are we also allowed to pay our taxes? Thanks mayor.

  3. Mrs. Pierrette R. Ritchie

    We better be permitted to come down! We pay exhorbitant taxes from which we receive absolutely no return, as our children have not and do not attend public schools in Brigantine or any NJ county. How date you say we cannot come down! Now or in the future!!!

  4. While prohibiting short term rentals ( via on line or by realtors) is absolutely the right thing to do, it is clearly unlawful and unconstitutional to ban second home owners. Should we ban full time residents from coming to Philadelphia or Wilmington for health care if they need it? That would be both morally and legally unacceptable. Everyone should act responsibly.

    1. As an American I am following the directive of sheltering in place. It is a choice, we are a free country. I think we all are working to flatten the curve and Atlantic county hasn’t even hit its peak yet, it’s just beginning down here. I love when the summer season opens up down here , but this year is quite different from others and sacrifice for the sake of others, for me, is a good way to go. I feel I’m doing something for our country and state.

  5. The time is coming for the clowns who run the show at their little kingdom by the sea…Let’s see how much longer the second home owners sit on the sidelines unable to have a say in any governmental decisions…..

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