Local Officials Describe Sandy's Widespread Devastation, 'Human Misery' to Senate Panel
State Senate looking to improve infrastructure, hear from local mayors, police chiefs on Hurricane Sandy specifics
Local officials described in dramatic detail the work of rescue and rebuilding after Hurricane Sandy, as state senators listened to how the Jersey Shore is grappling with widespread devastation and how to improve for the future.
“This is flooding, devastation, I’d never have imagined in my lifetime,” said Toms River Police Chief Michael Mastronardy, one of the first panelists detailing specific anecdotes and financial spending in response to Hurricane Sandy.
The panelists were called by the state Senate Budget Committee, held in Toms River Monday. It was the first of several meetings aiming to equip senators with a better understanding as the state figures out how to fund the rebuilding of a collapsed infrastructure and to improve it in preparation of future superstorms.
Mayors, state and local police and officials were called, each describing the “human misery…much of which is still left to be calculated,” said State Police Col. Joseph R. Fuentes, as well as the dollars and cents that has so far totaled $35 million in Toms River alone and $29.4 billion statewide.
Mastronardy, speaking on the large number of rescues needed in Toms River, both the mainland and waterfront, said the hours during the storm were “horror stories, one after the other.”
The Toms River police chief was one on a long list of local and state officials who described destruction during the storm, in the days following, and what the continued consequences will be in the future.
Getting thousands back into homes destroyed by the storm, reconnecting miles of pipes, fighting quickly spreading mold, and paying millions of bills were just some of the issues officials described of a post-Sandy New Jersey.
How to Improve Emergency Response
But state senators also called the hearing to build a better infrastructure and response, they said.
“One of the things we can do better is communication with the community,” Mastronardy said.
State senators wanted to know what sort of rescue equipment did local police and emergency responders need to conduct a widespread emergency rescue operation, with surging floods.
M. Teresa Ruiz (D-29) said the so-called “100-year storms” are coming much more frequently. How to best prepare?
“You didn’t have the equipment necessary that was emergent. We are seeing storms more and more,” Ruiz said. “There has to be severe investment to recover…but also prepare by purchasing the necessary equipment.”
Mastronardy said the amount of equipment that could satisfy a storm seemed incalculable.
“I needed the whole navy to rescue,” said the Toms River police chief. “We used jet skis, kayaks, canoes, everything we could use to get to people. Front end loaders of public works – they were the only things high enough.”
Mastronardy emphasized that for future storms, state and local officials and utilities need to figure out how to better their communication systems, both for emergency responders and to the public.
“We were lacking communication, quite frankly,” Mastronardy said. “People get frustrated when they don’t know.”
Mastronardy feared local police departments could see widespread reports of missing copper pipes as residents slowly return and rebuild to areas such as the barrier island of Ocean County and coastal Monmouth. “We need some more time here. Our big issue now is to get the trash out of there.”
State Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-36) chairing the meeting today, said local officials are on the front lines in places such as Route 37 in Toms River as hundreds of barrier island residents from other towns line up to assess the devastation to their homes and businesses.
“You are the gatekeeper of that bridge,” Sarlo said.
While Mastronardy said the lines have been hours, and that big trucks full of sand and construction equipment, and multiple checkpoints in place, the emphasis is on both safety as well as getting people to see their homes.
“These people are victims, we want to get them in there as soon as possible.” Mastronardy said. “We had a recipe for disaster, but no one in the barrier island died or had serious injury. And we want to keep it that way during re-entry.”
Emergency Appropriations and Widespread Property Damage
Toms River Township Administrator Paul Shives urged the state to improve communication to townships from the state tax assessors.
With 225 homes in Toms River completely gone from the storm, and widespread private property damage, thousands of residents have come forward wanting to know how to pay taxes on a property that doesn’t exist, for example.
“We want to tell them the accurate information from the state,” said Shives who a called for a uniform policy and communication for tax assessment.
Shives urged for a more permanent solution than the previous dune protection measures, and instead hoped for rebuilding with the Army Corps of Engineers involved.
“We want to rebuild the dunes to save and protect what’s there,” Shives said.
There needs to be state hearings on how the utilities responded, too, Shives said. “JCP&L did not give us accurate information,” Shives said, as Toms River saw tens of thousands without power still a week after the storm.
Just to cover emergency costs, Toms River approved $35 million in emergency appropriation bonds.
Sarlo said that in the coming weeks he’d expect many more towns to come forward with their expenses. “We’re going to hear from people from Belmar, Manasquan on these appropriations,” Sarlo said.
Sen. Jennifer Beck described how along the Shrewsbury River, in Sea Bright and in countless marinas along the shore, so many new channels emerged and so many boats are still unmoored.
“I’m surprised to see them out there, boating today,” Beck said. “What are the issues here?”
Fuentes said boaters are becoming surprised when their maritime radar shows new depths they are not accustomed to. It’s just one more aftereffect of Hurricane Sandy.
“I know the boating industry is looking at this as one of the biggest tragedies to their industry,” Fuentes said.
Fuentes said more than 400 troopers from out of state came to New Jersey’s aid.
Senators worried about mold issue long term.
Shives said the local inspectors using expanded work hours and working with the department of community affairs is helping to mediate the mold issues. Shives said the mold is a tremendous concern now and as time progresses.
Fuentes said state police mobilized on countless levels: helicopters patrolling the barrier islands, officers serving at checkpoints for security, patrols using night vision goggles to better police areas in widespread blackouts.
Fuentes detailed how state roads and transportation as well as gas rationing, were additional duties.
"This summary does not convey the full work of the OEM community and the heroics…nor does it properly convey the spectrum of human misery that has still be be calculated by this storm," Fuentes said.
Multiple Mayors Respond to Senate Questions
“Toms River was hit hard. But Brick Township was hit hard. Belmar was hit hard, Union Beach was hit hard,” Sarlo said, as he introduced a second set of local officials from those towns.
“No picture no video will do this justice,” Brick Mayor Stephen Acropolis said. Brick Township’s eastern facing mainland homes saw five-foot waves crash into them.
There were 109 homes burned to the ground or were destroyed, said the Brick Township mayor. With 6,000 homes damaged, $400 million in ratables affected, $50 million in cleanup costs, Brick has the largest amount of waterfront property in Ocean County, said the mayor.
“We have debris floating 30-40 yards still floating in lagoons behind peoples homes, we’ve got to get this addressed,” Acropolis said. “People use the bay, it’s a huge issue for us. It can’t be about dredging the channels, it has to be about removing the debris.”
He urged for a streamlining of the CAFRA process. Termite certification is needed for this area as homes are repaired for mold, but out-of-state contractors might not know those local laws, Acropolis said. “The state needs to look into that,” he said, and he went on to praise the National Guard assistance and suggesting the impact of proper cell phone towers and use of social media to better spread information.
"If you look at Brick Township model of repopulating the barrier island, with buses with security, when residents go back out there there is a level of personal responsibility…you don’t want to have a fatality where someone is going somewhere and ends up getting hurt,” said the mayor.
Acropolis also expressed frustration with JCP&L. The mayor said the utility called to ask him if power was on at a Brick elementary school. “You’re calling me, and you’re the electric company?” Acropolis said.
Acropolis said in the coming weeks as power goes back on in reconnected areas, he’s worried about electrical fires. “Salt water and copper don’t mix,” Acropolis said, but he wishes the electric company would do a better job of saying where they are about to reconnect power. “They haven’t done that.”
Sarlo commended Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty for the borough's work after the storm, which included $20 million in emergency appropriations.
Hurricane Sandy "destroyed 60 percent of our town," Doherty said. "It was fast and furious."
Doherty detailed the dredging of lakes, council action, work with public safety officials and more. The borough worked leading up to the storm, calling for the evacuation of all of Belmar.
"I ordered the first-ever mandatory evacuation of the entire town," Doherty said, after hearing National Weather Service forecaster say that Hurricane Sandy would be like nothing no one alive had ever seen. "He was dead on."
Ocean County Officials Detail Issues
While town-specifics are important, Sarlo said, addressing issues on a county level is essential.
"Going forward these folks are going to rely more on the counties," said Sarlo introducing Ocean County Administrator Carl Block and Freeholder John Bartlett.
Bartlett detailed how a county-wide contract for debris removal is "an offer you can't refuse," which was offered to Ocean County towns to cover the costs of debris removal through its contract with two companies.
"These two are experts in the field of debris clean-up, we will assume the clean-up," Bartlett said. "The county in its financial strength will upfront the costs."
A third of the tax base of Ocean County is along the barrier island. "That's not to say we've sufferred complete destruction, but it's significant," Bartlett said.
"From Point Pleasant to Holgate to Long Beach Island — 44 miles of oceanfront, and then the bayside and then the mainland. It's tremendous," said the freeholder.
In some cases, tax bases have nearly completely washed away, Bartlett said. He asked the state senate to consider short-term tax stabilization. He asked that realty transfer fees that the county collects should stay in county and be used for rebuilding costs.
"The barrier island did not do what the good lord meant them to do, to be a barrier," Bartlett said. "The water came right over the top."
County Adminstrator Carl Block said there needs to be guidelines for land use and dune protection.
"We're getting questions now, what can I do to my house," Block said. "We've got houses that are now on a dune, that weren't, what do they do...The dune goes away, the dune comes back, can you build there. The state needs to know now."
In addition to this unique situations, the county had to run polling places for the November election. Block said there were 24 polling places in Ocean County operating on a generator.
Block foresees $100 million in contracts for the emergency, debris removal and longtime work for Ocean County.
Block and Bartlett said it's important to work with the state Department of Environmental Protection to figure out how to rebuild areas of widespread destruction, where the natural history of the area has changed and older and newers structures both crumbled.
In some cases the infrastructure is very old. "Freeholder Lacey told me a utility pole snapped near his house. It was built in 1937," Bartlett said.
Sarlo said "we're going to have to find a way to rebuild smartly. New Jersey's economy is built on tourism."
Anthony Dalonges
3:32 pm on Monday, November 26, 2012
do we have any idea when electric/gas/water will be restored in the ortley beach area
Mark
3:32 pm on Monday, November 26, 2012
The State Senators need to hear from Toms River Township barrier island homeowners about the extreme incompetency of elected officials. They need to hear about how Toms River Public Works failed to properly re-enforce the dunes prior to the storm. They need to hear how people are being forced to wait hrs to get to their property simply because of the nonsense and meaningless check points that the Toms River Police Chief has put into effect. These checkpoints accomplish NOTHING other than anguish and frustration for homeowners! (Hey Mastronardy, stop giving interviews and do your jib!)
They need to hear how homeowners are being forced to use the streets as toilets since the Township has failed to provide portable toilets!
They need to hear how the mold covered debries has not been picked up once since homeowners have been allowed back!
They need to hear about the totaly lack of communication from Township officials!
Wanda
7:40 am on Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Amen. You said it right. And why can Brick residents of barrier islan go every day and TR residents twice a week. Am I supposed to call FEMA they can't come on their scheduled day because it is not my scheduled day with TR? And now we are hearing the contractors won't work in TR areas of barrier island because it is too much hassle to get there!
JosephGhabourLaw
3:32 pm on Monday, November 26, 2012
The only good news from Sandy is this. If your home was damaged (lost value), and/or rendered uninhabitable, send a certified letter to the the tax assessor of your municipality.
Include your address and block/lot number, and tell the assessor your home has been materially deprecaited by the storm and that you request reassessment. Be sure to do so by January 10, 2013, which is the statewide deadline. Good luck in your recovery!
Chief Wahoo
3:56 pm on Monday, November 26, 2012
i think EVERYONE on the barrier island MUST send aletter to the tax assesor.....the value of the property will NEVER be the same from this point on
Dentss Dunnagun
2:31 pm on Tuesday, November 27, 2012
I think everyone in the state should file a letter ! it's about time we hold politicians accountable for the utter mess they have made this once great state !
Marianne
3:32 pm on Monday, November 26, 2012
One thought, may be off base, but here in TX our utilities were deregulated and we can choose our power company, which is very competitive, are the utilities deregulated in NJ? If not, that might be an option to consider.
Aaron Schorr
4:52 pm on Monday, November 26, 2012
They are, but you still have a primary who maintains the infrastructure. Just like you do in TX.
KC
2:25 am on Friday, November 30, 2012
Deregulation? They did that with the phone companies and look at the crap for service we now have.
Sandra
3:32 pm on Monday, November 26, 2012
I don't think JCP&L can be blamed for the delays to power. Why blame them for any delays, as you said it was a hundred year storm. I do not like being without power but at least they got it back on in Ocean county before up northern jersey got theirs in areas.
Cynthia E Miller
3:32 pm on Monday, November 26, 2012
Excellent articles. I would also like to know when are they going to update the dates we are allowed on the island. the schedule I think ends the first week of December. We haven't heard or seen any updated articles to date. I appreciate any assistance or a website you can direct me to. As always, you are great at keeping us posted.
Chris Constantino
4:42 pm on Monday, November 26, 2012
I am glad that the officials have this and other opportunities to express their concerns and detail their plights to the state officials who have the ability to recommend changes... But this statement was WAY OFF base: "The barrier island did not do what the good lord meant them to do, to be a barrier," Bartlett said. "The water came right over the top." The barrier island is in no way shape or form meant to be a permanent barrier. In fact, shoreline dynamics and natural movement of a barrier island is landward, and it will 'overtop' (aka overwash) and in all eventuality (if left in an undisturbed, natural state) would ultimately weld to the mainland. Yes...they trip the waves and prevent the ocean's forces from directly impacting the mainland, but we have drawn a line in the sand, so to speak, and have completely disrupted the ability of the islands being able to maintain themselves. So this is not totally unexpected....we are mostly to blame for "The barrier island Not doing what the good lord meant them to do."
Coreen Onnembo
4:52 pm on Monday, November 26, 2012
Agreed, the article was great: As a home owner in Ortley Beach I experienced the frustration yesterday sitting in my car from Coolridge Ave/Rt 37 east to my home on 2nd Ave. Why should this 15 minute ride become 3 hours? It's bad enough my house was knocked off it's foundation & condemmed by the town but we also have to feel the anxiety of waiting without answers about what we do next. Other communities received texts & phone calls about the process but Ortley Beach was left out in the cold. Ortley you failed us. We pay the highest taxes in the shore communities yet you ignored us like we were refugees, I cry everytime I see my house on 17- 2nd Ave, I don't sleep at night but I still have to go to work each day to teach my students prepared and with a positive attitude. How and where am I going to find the time, money & energy to empty out what I can salvage? When are Ortley officials going to tell us how they will start demolition of our condemmed homes or who is responsible to do so. I do want to say a MAJOR THANK YOU to the POLICE, STATE TROOPERS , RED CROSS, & VOLUNTEERS that have shared hours of their lives to try & help. Don't know what we would have done without all of you. Where are our elected officials at this time? Why arent' they helping the traffic issue or standing in the cold handing out snacks or supplies?
Coreen Onnembo
4:53 pm on Monday, November 26, 2012
FEMA doesn't help 2nd home owners but Ortley Beach takes the tax money & funds the tenants contribute each summer to keep our community alive.FEMA doesn't provide small business loans for summer rental properties because we lived on a barrier island. Banks want their mortgage money but tell me where do we get it now? Is the next move that we all walk away and leave the banks with an island of forclosed property?
So sad, so frustrating...where do we go for answers?
Chris Constantino
4:53 pm on Monday, November 26, 2012
Gas and electric SUPPLY are already deregulated in New Jersey.... It's the infrastructure and transmission that are not... So energy dereg doesn't make a difference..
What matters is that First Energy has not invested enough in the infrastructure since they took over JCPL...add a 100 year storm event to the mix and is spells disaster....literally...
Johnjcpa
5:03 pm on Monday, November 26, 2012
"The barrier island did not do what the good lord meant them to do, to be a barrier," Bartlett said. "The water came right over the top."
The barrier island did exactly what it was supposed to do, the problem is thinking of the barrier islands as suitable for permanent building.
From what I saw and heard at Ortley on Sunday, a good many people are unrealistic about their repair plans. Those homes sat in salt water, you are not going to be able to just take up the floors and out down a new floor. The studs and floor beams are going to need more than a quick splash of bleach to kill the root of the mold you can see on porous surfaces.
mike
6:54 pm on Monday, November 26, 2012
Build up-build Right-I heard today only 18% of homeowners on the island have flood insurance. What are you all thinking? Less than a year ago we had Irene pay us a visit.....and a wake up call. That means a lot of people own their homes outright, and are not required to have a flood policy. I guess I just don't understand being penny smart and dollar foolish. A flood policy is probably a weeks rent for a lot of these people. I'm sorry for everyone involved in this .....I'm one of you. But everybody is so damn quick to blame everyone or anyone else......when the doody hits the fan . Look in the mirror. Get the communion money out and buy a flood policy, and you won't have to deal with this in the future. Stop morning about what everybody else is doing wrong. Do something positive tomorrow. Good things happen to good people.
Tim O C
8:00 pm on Monday, November 26, 2012
@Mike
what the insurance co didnt tell ppl about was content insurance
wonder what % of folks had that one?
Dont worry banks and insurance co will once again come out smelling like a rose
Coreen Onnembo
8:27 pm on Monday, November 26, 2012
I have flood insurance and contents insurance & general homeowners insurance. The only one that is covering anything is the Flood policy and hopefully it will be enough to rebuild. Storm surge= no coverage through your homeowners/contents.
I paid my share for the past 10 years so now what?
taxed-out-the-wazoo
9:09 pm on Monday, November 26, 2012
Not sure about you guys, but I am suing my broker/agent for NOT advising me re the coverage option to flood insurance....a breach of fiduciary duty for sure.
taxed-out-the-wazoo
9:14 pm on Monday, November 26, 2012
Btw - I have private insurance...with more coverage than needed, including contents and awesome coveage re loss of use, if my house burns down apparently. But only bldg. coverage for flood; a completely different (and expensive) policy; instead of the bldg. and now available contents coverage for flood. Many, many bad faith law suits coming down the road for sure.
taxed-out-the-wazoo
9:29 pm on Monday, November 26, 2012
Hey Mike...agree with you. I had no mortgage, but STILL had flood insurance. Some, including my agent, tried to talk me out of it. But, that is me. However, even I was caught off guard when my agent DID not advise me about the availability of contents coverage as I did not have it with my flood policy (have several $100,000 of coverage/contents in private insurance) because previously, private insurance covered contents lost in flood. Now, it does not. Is this my fault, or my broker's fault who happily collected my payments for years and had an obligation to make sure my coverage was at least adequate? His oversight failed me when I needed it most (I have NEVER filed one claim before re my beach house). So, sometimes IT IS just that....someone else's fault....when they fail to do their job.
taxed-out-the-wazoo
8:40 pm on Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Hey Really??? - that is why I hire a professional who is allegedly skilled in the insurance area and would make sure my coverage is adequate. It isn't my job to do his. Otherwise, I would go directly to the insurance companies and cut out the middle man. And, I thank you for recognizing my intellgence and the rest of the beach home owners. Although I did not know that intelligence equated in any way with location of homeownership. Well....what do I know - right? :)
KC
2:31 am on Friday, November 30, 2012
Well my family paid through the nose for insurance that the insurance company can wheedle out of - homeowners insurance claiming damages caused by a flood and flood insurer refusing to pay on contents. Try calling them and you can't even get a human being on the phone. Insurance is one big scam and they are going to be investigated for their shenanigans as well. In the meantime I put them right up there with lawyers, politicians and bankers. Scumpond professions all.
Robert Bressman
6:57 pm on Monday, November 26, 2012
The elected officials in Toms River should have thought about the dunes long before this, but they were too busy building a girls softball field, $7.3 million, a court room off the police station and a new pet shelter $6.9 million and lets not forget all the money they saved refinancing the towns debt. Instead of protecting property that compromises 20% of the towns tax base, they settled on buying unnecessary toys. This disaster clearly falls in the lap of those who run this town, because it could've been avoided if they did their jobs.
letsgetreal
9:07 pm on Monday, November 26, 2012
I just have to disagree with this statement...so then is Brick, Mantoloking, Point, Belmar, Seaside, Bradley Beach, Breezy Point, Sandy Hook, Atlantic Highlands, ect to blame also...some of these towns had dunes built up and they took heavy damage. Come on now, I am no supporter of the local Gov but blaming them for not having dunes up when the surf was 20' plus is just ridiculous. I just have a hard time supporting this and I want to but...you just lost me on this. It was a MAJOR storm...15' dunes would not have saved the flood from coming over. I do however agree with you that the money spent on those projects you listed is ridiculous!
taxed-out-the-wazoo
9:07 pm on Monday, November 26, 2012
Isn't it strange that some of the worst devastation on the barrier island was in Toms River Township run communities? Would better dunes have prevented the devastation, probably not in full, but would have certainly offset some of the damage. How about not ignoring these communities for years....that may have prevented some of the damage to infrastructure, too. Clearly, the barrier islands taxpayers, those gingerly referred to as "those people" were nothing more than such. A disgrace for sure.
Chuck Lada
9:10 am on Tuesday, November 27, 2012
The addition to the court room at the police station is a complete joke. Why are all court matters scheduled for one day a week? Is it so the part time judge can continue working all over Ocean County? The existing court room was plenty large, They simply need to schedule court two or three days each week instead of one.
If a private business was run like Toms River, it would have gone bankrupt years ago.
PicklesthePup
7:45 pm on Monday, November 26, 2012
“One of the things we can do better is communication with the community,” Mastronardy said. <---this is ironic considering that the communication is still extremely poor!
taxed-out-the-wazoo
9:18 pm on Monday, November 26, 2012
Agreed Pickles...how about when Chief M. holds special meetings/provides information to some groups instead of posting information for everyone AS WELL AS escorting news/media to areas prohibited due to safety issues? Can anyone just give him a whistle and tell him to step aside? Oh, right....FEMA is working on that!
Mark
5:06 am on Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Chief Mastronardy is a nice fellow but this is way way over his level of competence. He's a nice story teller and tries to be your friend but what we need is true leadership and it severely lacking here!
Mac
10:31 am on Sunday, December 2, 2012
Mark, if you really feel that way, then you truly understand why nice-guy Chief M. will be Ocean County's next Sheriff. Tradition.
Marion Warr
8:14 pm on Monday, November 26, 2012
During the worst of the power outages, information could have been called in to a radio station with a widespread broadcast area, like 101.5 FM that covers most of this geographic area. Emergency Management groups should be responsible for sharing useful info with the radio station. Hurricanes aren't a surprise like a tornado or earth quake. Transformers and power poles etc. should have been transported to easy to reach high ground near where the storm surge was to be the worst. Ice and clean water should have been available to the blacked out areas within a few hours not after most freezers were completely thawed. This should be the plan for every emergency due to weather. It shouldn't be this hard..
Coreen Onnembo
8:28 pm on Monday, November 26, 2012
They should have but they didn't.....NOW how do we start over?
Lauren
9:03 pm on Monday, November 26, 2012
It is definitely going to be a challenge to start over. Our summer home burned to the ground during the hurricane in Camp Osborn. My heart goes out to everyone that lost something.
Senior Citizen
9:08 pm on Monday, November 26, 2012
To: President Obama, Governor Mario Cuomo, and Governor Chris Christie,
Subject: Hurricane Sandy PART1
As you know and have witnessed, Hurricane Sandy has caused such disaster throughout the tri-state area. It has left many people homeless for quite a while, and it is evident that it will be a long time until they will be able to rebuild, as they will need to wait to be paid by their insurance company. It is obvious that these people will not be paid full value for what they have lost. The cost of damages will well exceed the price that it will cost to replace what these people originally had. Taking this into consideration, I have come up with a suggestion for you that will help all of these people that are in need, as well as cost the state and federal governments very little. I think that we can all agree that the amount of money that it will cost these people to rebuild their homes to their original, unharmed state will not match the money that the insurance companies will be willing to distribute. Therefore I feel that, whatever this rebuilding will cost them, plus whatever amount of money the insurance company is willing to give them, since this amount is obviously not going to cover the entire rebuilding cost, these people, who need to rebuild, should be able to withdraw the difference out of their 401Ks and IRA's, without having to pay federal or state income taxes so that they can afford to rebuild with no problem
Johnjcpa
6:14 am on Tuesday, November 27, 2012
8. Are there special hardship distributions available for hurricanes and natural disasters?
Generally, there are no special rules for hardship distributions on account of hurricanes or other natural disasters. You should follow the regular hardship distribution rules and show that you have an immediate and heavy financial need and, in some cases, have exhausted other resources. Your plan will list the specific criteria it uses to determine if a participant is eligible for a hardship distribution. Expenses for repairing damage to an employee's principal residence may automatically qualify.
Occasionally, when a hurricane or other natural disaster is especially devastating, legislation is passed that provides for special plan distributions and loans that would otherwise not be available to employees. For example, in 2005 a law was passed to help individuals and businesses affected by Hurricane Katrina.
See Tax Relief in Disaster Situations and Publication 547, Casualties, Disasters, and Thefts, for disaster area relief. (from IRS.gov)
Before making that decision, best think about consequences of not having the retirement funds. Building a house you can't afford to live in won't help in the long term.
Chief Wahoo
9:49 pm on Monday, November 26, 2012
Lots of envy and jealousy. Just the way the TPTB like it !
Lauren
11:51 pm on Monday, November 26, 2012
There is way too much envy and jealousy on here. I hope everyone is able to rebuild, whether it is their permanent home or their summer home....both of which I am sure they worked very hard for. This is a difficult time for everyone that lost something. A little compassion and respect for others would be perfect right about now.
Greg
12:19 am on Tuesday, November 27, 2012
"jersey style"
Sal
4:32 am on Tuesday, November 27, 2012
The real problem is lax inadequate building codes. Direct oceanfront homes are difficult and very costly to protect from hurricane damages____while it is possible__the costs are highly prohibitive to all but the most wealthy of property owners who can afford to have 25 ton boulders carted in to place in front of their homes. Forget sand dunes__they do very little to help in 100 year storms.
Yet, homes further inland can be made virtually flood proof by simply elevating them 12 feet above normal sea levels up on substantially sized concrete pilings . Come on people, come on building officials__it's time to wake up and accept reality____new seashore (flood zone) building codes are needed quickly before rebuilding begins.
Rebuilding Ground Level homes back on the ground as they were before is not going to accomplish anything and it is just an invitation to future losses.. I suggest contact Monroe County, FL (FL Keys) building officials for advice on entirely new construction codes. Another big advantage to building homes up on concrete pilings is that is provides more available parking spaces under the homes in towns like Seaside Heights where parking space is in short supply.
Marion Warr
5:39 am on Tuesday, November 27, 2012
I agree. We can't afford not to change the building code if we want to survive the next big storm. The most efficient way is to look at other places that have survived previous big storms. You don't have to be an engineer to see that, just have a little common sense. Should streets be allowed to go straight from the ocean to the bay? Can the first block west of the businesses on the boardwalk be left to parking that could be converted to a line of defense at the approach of a storm? We have to be smart and thinking ahead to avert a future financial and destructive disaster.
A Resident
8:48 am on Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Actually, a lot of those "new" and "better" building codes are in place...for new construction. Many of the damaged homes were built long before that, so it's a moot point. Also, if you look at Bay Head and Mantoloking beach fronts, you will see they had dunes with boulders and cars, then covered with sand. You will also notice many houses by those dunes damaged. Dunes help, but they are far far from being a great help.
Chris Constantino
11:34 am on Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Using Brick, Mantoloking, Point, Belmar, Seaside, Bradley Beach, Breezy Point, Sandy Hook, Atlantic Highlands, etc as examples for dunes not providing adequate shore protection is a flawed comparison.
Brick/Mantoloking had a very narrow beach in many of the damaged areas that provided little protection or supply of sand to the dunes that were there. These dunes were, in fact, narrow and lacked the volume of sand to provide adequate protection. To top it off, much of the development was right in the dune or in very close proximity to the dune.
That seawall in Bay Head saved a lot of butts - if it was higher/covered more linear footage, it would have performed better...but there is a benefit to cost ratio that needs to be considered esp considering the costs to built a seawall. Again, if the dune was significant enough and there was a beach wide enough to support the dune
About 1/2 of Point Beach had no dunes prior to the storm and where there were dunes it was just like Brick/Mantoloking - narrow beaches in many of the damaged areas that provided little protection or supply of sand to the dunes that were there. Again, these dunes were narrow/lacked the volume of sand to provide adequate protection.
Seaside Heights has no dunes; hence the damage; Seaside Park's dunes provided a good level of shore protection, minimizing damage from oceanfront storm surge (much of the damage was bayside surge flooding - a whole other ball of wax that needs to be tackled).
Chris Constantino
11:45 am on Tuesday, November 27, 2012
And if you think the damage was bad in Belmar/Bradley Beach/Spring Lake/Sea Girt/Manasquan was bad - imagine if there was no beach fill or dunes.
Atlantic Highlands has no dunes because it is on the bay and is only protected by low bulkheads.
And in the case of Sandy Hook - several sections of the dune are wide yet they are not high...and the bayside is very low.
Breezy Point (near and dear to me) - the dunes were low and flat, the beach was very low and the bayside is low...the elevation of the surge exceeded all of this...
Situations in Atlantic Highlands, Sandy Hook, and Breezy Point/Rockaways was exasperated by the fact the the storm surge elevations increased DRAMATICALLY as it was funneled into the New York Bight/Raritan Bay/New York Harbor.
If we are going to continue to develop along our coastline, we must implement more stringent codes dealing with location/proximity to the water as well as higher water levels and velocity (waves). In addition, if we are not going to abandon, then sound engineered beaches/dunes need to be incorporated in the plan....this all needs to be implemented with consideration to the environment, public use and recreation since ALL of our dollars will be protecting a small percentage live in an area of high risk. We have 'tooled' around with mother nature on a large scale by developing on a barrier island (which is meant to be fluid and dynamic and not developed), so whatever we do - all of this needs to be taken into consideration.
WMS826
9:24 pm on Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Build or buy at your own risk. This is not a public problem.
N.j, ecconomy was never built on tourism before and is not now. We have only a short season of useage in these areas, the entire state does not count on the beach for the ecconomy to work. Why did you pay so much for a house that is uninsurable in many cases is the question you will need to ask yourselves.
Chris Constantino
12:43 pm on Wednesday, November 28, 2012
NJ tourism is upwards of $32 billion a year. Significant chuck of our economy.....with only 3 to 4 months!
foggyworld
9:49 pm on Tuesday, November 27, 2012
It's all going on behind a curtain. Berkeley pols and FEMA folks are meeting tonight without inviting any of the devastated neighbors to participate. The Governor said homeowners would have a vote. Apparently not true in Bayville but what's new about that?
Chase
9:24 pm on Thursday, November 29, 2012
Who is making $$$$$=32 billion a year? Year after Year these shore beach towns claim a loss. Where is all this money going to? The towns claim they are not making any? The businesses claim they are not making any? How much is it going to take to rebuild this area?
Robert Steelman
6:02 pm on Sunday, December 2, 2012
Sandy stopped the music. Not everyone has a chair. A disaster like this should open eyes to curbing waste and gov mismanagement. Time to rebuild on a more solid foundation. Property owners, don't sit on your rights to good government. Send those tax letters by Jan.
WMS826
1:41 am on Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Free everything for anyone who was two hundred miles or closer to Sandy.
This is getting Ri-god-dam-diculus...