-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 JtJ9yKcz06ndYzW5ZFO2WULUbC1THexqP8u2DD/9QY/ogroqk7gFhJQQE1Bfmn0+
 ymrp21qiECl3hTAHTtT1OQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000902664-06-001247.txt : 20060413
<SEC-HEADER>0000902664-06-001247.hdr.sgml : 20060413
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20060413174322
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000902664-06-001247
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20060412
FILED AS OF DATE:		20060413
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20060413

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000357294
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	OPERATIVE BUILDERS [1531]
		IRS NUMBER:				221851059
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1031

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		10 HWY 35
		STREET 2:		PO BOX 500
		CITY:			RED BANK
		STATE:			NJ
		ZIP:			07701
		BUSINESS PHONE:		7327477800

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		10 HWY 35 PO BOX 500
		STREET 2:		10 HWY 35 PO BOX 500
		CITY:			RED BANK
		STATE:			NJ
		ZIP:			07701

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			GENDELL JEFFREY L ET AL
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000948904

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-08551
		FILM NUMBER:		06759400

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		31 WEST 52ND ST
		STREET 2:		17TH FLOOR
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10019

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 2:		200 PARK AVENUE SUITE 3900
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10166
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>form4_ex.xml
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2006-04-12</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000357294</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HOVNANIAN ENTERPRISES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>HOV</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000948904</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GENDELL JEFFREY L ET AL</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1></rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>55 RAILROAD AVENUE, 3RD FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GREENWICH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CT</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>06830</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, no par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2006-04-12</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>28200</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>42.44</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4734691</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnotes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The Reporting Person is the managing member of Tontine Management, L.L.C. (&quot;TM&quot;), a Delaware limited liability company, the
 general partner of Tontine Partners, L.P. (&quot;TP&quot;), a Delaware limited partnership.  The Reporting Person is also the managing
 member of Tontine Overseas Associates, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company (&quot;TOA&quot;), the investment adviser to
 Tontine Overseas Fund, Ltd., a Cayman Islands corporation (&quot;TOF&quot;).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The Reporting Person directly owns 120,000 shares of the Common Stock.  TP directly owns 2,604,112 shares of Common Stock.
 TOF directly owns 2,010,579 shares of Common Stock.  All of the foregoing shares of Common Stock may be deemed to be
 beneficially owned by the Reporting Person.  The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of the Issuer's securities
 reported herein for purposes of Section 16(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise, except as
 to securities directly owned by the Reporting Person or representing the Reporting Person's pro rata interest in, and
 interest in the profits of, TP, TM, TOA and TOF.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Common Stock purchased by TOF.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Jeffrey L. Gendell</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2006-04-13</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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