Clinton Andrews, a distinguished professor at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, recently led his graduate seminar students on a field study along the New Jersey coastline to examine local housing and economic issues.
Andrews, who is also a center director and associate dean of research at the Bloustein School, teaches a graduate seminar that includes students from both the Public Informatics and Urban Planning and Policy Development programs. The class completed a project funded by the National Science Foundation focused on analyzing the fiscal effects of coastal hazards. Their route started in Sandy Hook and continued down to Asbury Park.
During their trip, students observed different types of shore economies. In Sea Bright, they noted an economy centered around restaurants and beach clubs with seasonal access fees exceeding $1,000. In Deal, they saw neighborhoods dominated by large single-family homes. Asbury Park presented a mixed recreational economy with attractions such as its boardwalk and venues like the Stone Pony.
“Each of these towns has a different shore economy … we were trying to understand the elements of (those) economies and the diversity of them,” Andrews said.
The group found that seasonality played an important role in housing dynamics along the Jersey Shore. According to Andrews, “a house that is empty in January may be fully occupied in July.” Understanding when properties are vacant or occupied was key for their analysis of the local housing market. He also pointed out that while New Jersey’s beaches offer many amenities, frequent storms create risks for property owners: “high amenity and high risk,” Andrews said.
Students also learned about affordable housing challenges in shore communities. While some areas have affordable options available, others resist these requirements—a longstanding issue in New Jersey since lawsuits began over this topic in the 1970s. Andrews’ class focused on how limited affordable housing affects workforce needs during summer months.
For affluent homeowners along the coast, Andrews’ class estimated that more than $2 billion per year is spent on home improvements beyond initial purchase costs.
Reflecting on their experience, Andrews emphasized how firsthand observation allowed students to better understand both physical environments and economic realities across different coastal towns: “By driving down the shoreline and observing the empty winter streets, the group confronted the shore in a different light than its peak season.”
The Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy operates as part of Rutgers University (source). The school supports community development through research centers focused on transportation, health policy, workforce development, energy policy and more (source). Its urban planning program holds national recognition (source), reflecting its commitment to building just and sustainable communities locally and globally (source). Stuart Shapiro became dean of the school in 2023 (source).
Learn more about Public Informatics, Urban Planning, and Doctoral programs at Rutgers.