Beyond the Playground: Recovery in Union Beach - Part 1

In the beginning of May, the community of Union Beach, New Jersey gathered to dedicate a new playground to the memory of Jack Pinto, a boy who was tragically killed in the school shooting in Newtown back in December. Now, over five weeks later, I will describe the current recovery status in this small town which was
ravaged by Hurricane Sandy.

The recovery process is very slow in materializing in Union Beach. I went down there today and saw some rebuilding work going on: contractors were replacing floors or walls, homes were being tested for mold, and others were being lifted to comply with the new ABFE floodplain requirements.

This small town with a population of 6,200 felt the brunt of Hurricane Sandy and the storm surge due to the position of Union Beach as a peninsula jutting into Raritan
Bay. The surge left whole neighborhoods completely destroyed. Now the people
there are trying to rebuild, but many are still displaced. Some of those
displaced residents have told me that they are struggling to pay the mortgage
on their damaged home, and then pay to live someplace else.

Rebuilding: Efforts vs. Issues

The current rebuilding efforts are at the core a potentially good development but they are full of potential problems. The first problem is the expense of rebuilding,
which depending on how much work is needed on each respective home, could be
very expensive.

The second problem comes even before rebuilding can take place, and that is the need for mold testing and depending on the results of the test, the home may need mold remediation work done. Mold growth in flooded buildings can become toxic and
cause a number of health issues.

The third problem is finding a reliable contractor and not falling into a trap where you choose someone who does not complete the work to meet current codes and
regulations for housing standards.  A reliable contractor for mold remediation would be a separate but related issue.

The final problem is with the buzz word of the post-Sandy world here in New Jersey:
floodplain. Many of us prior to the storm, honestly, did not know what
floodplain meant or why we should be concerned about it. Now, it is an issue
that many people are very concerned about.

Floodplain: the key word in a
Post-Sandy world

The floodplain, or also known as the ABFE (Advisory Base Flood Elevations) is a set
of guidelines and maps put in place by FEMA and the federal government. It will
place every home living in a coastal area, or an area with a boundary on any
type of body of water within a zone. Each zone will have different requirements
relating to the rebuilding of the homes or structures within the respective
zone.

So, depending on where you live, you may have to raise your home 7 feet or you may have to raise it as high as 14 feet. The penalty for not complying with the
regulation set forth in the ABFE is a higher insurance premium. The cost to
comply with some of the floodplain regulations is going to be cost prohibitive
to residents not only in Union Beach, but in other towns such as Sea Bright,
Keyport, Keansburg, Atlantic Highlands, Highlands, Long Branch, and Oceanport.

I was talking to a resident last week who has to raise his home 7 feet, and is
waiting to see if he can get homeowners insurance money to help offset the
cost. The Mayor is also promoting the NJ State Housing grants which are coming
as a potential source of economic relief for residents as well.

However, the NJ State Housing grant program gives out awards averaging $10,000 and maxing out at $15,000 which is not going to cover the cost of the repairs and the elevation of your home to comply with the ABFE regulations. In order to learn
more go to http://renewjerseystronger.org/

New Housing Development

I spoke with another group of residents who told me about a property developer who is looking to come in and develop new housing that is “bungalow” style and does not have enough space for the average Union Beach family. This was a concern to them, that with the massive amount of housing inventory that was lost from the
storm that the replacement housing is going to be inadequate for the needs of
the current residents.

That fear of developers coming in and changing the makeup or character of these small barrier island or towns along the bay is being felt throughout the entire area.
The residents in Union Beach and in other towns I have visited feel that they
should have input in the development of the town.

This article will continue with Part 2 which will focus on my most recent visit to Union Beach and the residents I met, and the issues that the northern part of the New Jersey shore area will face in the rebuilding process.