FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * DECESARIS GEATON A JR   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES INC [HOV] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) (Last) (First) (Middle) 10 HIGHWAY 35 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 04/28/2005 (Street) RED BANK, NJ 07701 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Class A Common Stock 04/28/2005   M   139,000 A $ 2.1582 483,050 D   Class A Common Stock 04/28/2005   S   9,000 D $ 50.21 474,050 D   Class A Common Stock 04/28/2005   S   4,000 D $ 50.2 470,050 D   Class A Common Stock 04/29/2005   S   3,100 D $ 50.05 466,950 D   Class A Common Stock 04/29/2005   S   200 D $ 50.06 466,750 D   Class A Common Stock 04/29/2005   S   400 D $ 50.08 466,350 D   Class A Common Stock 04/29/2005   S   100 D $ 50.1 466,250 D   Class A Common Stock 04/29/2005   S   200 D $ 50.13 466,050 D   Class A Common Stock 04/29/2005   S   500 D $ 50.15 465,550 D   Class A Common Stock 04/29/2005   S   2,800 D $ 50.19 462,750 D   Class A Common Stock 04/29/2005   S   35,500 D $ 50.2 427,250 D   Class A Common Stock 04/29/2005   S   500 D $ 50.21 426,750 D   Class A Common Stock 04/29/2005   S   1,200 D $ 50.22 425,550 D   Class A Common Stock 04/29/2005   S   1,200 D $ 50.23 424,350 D   Class A Common Stock 04/29/2005   S   1,700 D $ 50.24 422,650 D   Class A Common Stock 04/29/2005   S   8,600 D $ 50.25 414,050 D   Class A Common Stock 04/29/2005   S   1,200 D $ 50.26 412,850 D   Class A Common Stock 04/29/2005   S   1,200 D $ 50.27 411,650 D   Class A Common Stock 04/29/2005   S   1,300 D $ 50.28 410,350 D   Class A Common Stock 04/29/2005   S   200 D $ 50.29 410,150 D   Class A Common Stock 04/29/2005   S   6,200 D $ 50.3 403,950 D   Class A Common Stock 04/29/2005   S   300 D $ 50.31 403,650 D   Class A Common Stock 04/29/2005   S   500 D $ 50.32 403,150 D   Class A Common Stock 04/29/2005   S   2,900 D $ 50.33 400,250 D   Class A Common Stock 04/29/2005   S   100 D $ 50.34 400,150 D   Class A Common Stock 04/29/2005   S   5,700 D $ 50.35 394,450 D   Class A Common Stock 04/29/2005   S   100 D $ 50.36 394,350 D   Class A Common Stock 04/29/2005   S   20,000 D $ 50.39 374,350 D   Class A Common Stock 04/29/2005   S   100 D $ 50.42 374,250 D   Class A Common Stock 04/29/2005   S   30,200 (1) D $ 50.792 344,050 (2) D

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Employee Stock Option (Right to buy)

$ 2.1582

04/28/2005

M

139,000 (3)

(4)

07/01/2005

Class A Common Stock

139,000

(5)

0 (3)

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
DECESARIS GEATON A JR 10 HIGHWAY 35 RED BANK, NJ 07701	X

Signatures

Nancy A. Marrazzo		05/02/2005
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	30,200 consists of the following trades: 200 @ $50.43; 1,000 @ $50.5; 1,000 @ $50.52; 500 @ $50.55; 200 @ $50.58; 1,500 @ $50.59; 800 @ $50.6; 800 @ $50.61; 300 @ $50.62; 200 @ $50.63; 500 @ $50.65; 200 @ $50.66; 400 @ $50.68; 1,100 @ $50.7; 1,000 @ $50.72; 400 @ $50.73; 1,400 @ $50.74; 3,400 @ $50.75; 1,100 @ $50.76; 900 @ $50.77; 1,000 @ $50.78; 1,000 @ $50.8; 800 @ $50.81; 1,800 @ $50.83; 100 @ $50.85; 100 @ $50.86; 200 @ $50.87; 400 @ $50.88; 200 @ $50.9; 700 @ $50.92; 100 @ $50.98; 3,900 @ $51; 500 @ $51.02; 200 @ $51.03; 300 @ $51.05; 300 @ $51.07; 100 @ $51.09; 600 @ $51.14; 300 @ $51.17; 200 @ $51.2; 100 @ $51.21; 100 @ $51.29; 300 @ $51.35.
(2)	In addition, the Reporting Person is trustee and beneficary of the Geaton A. DeCesaris Charitable Remainder Unitrust for which he holds indirectly 20,000 shares of Class A Common Stock; the Reporting Person continues to report beneficial ownership of all of the Class A Common Stock held by the unitrust but disclaims beneficial ownership except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein. The Reporting Person also holds indirectly 200,000 shares of Class A Common Stock which are held by the DeCesaris Family LLC #1 for which he disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares held by the LLC except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein. In addition, the Reporting Person holds indirectly 105,740 shares of Class A Common Stock which are held by the Geaton and Jospehine DeCesaris Family Trust and 21,458 shares of Class A Common stock which are held by Five Queens, Inc., a subchapter S corporation owned by the Reporting Person's children and of which he is the President.
(3)	This option was previously reported as covering 69,500 shares at an exercise prices of $4.3165 per share, but was adjusted to reflect the 2-for-1 stock split on March 19, 2004.
(4)	Immediate
(5)	N/A

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