what really gets me is this was a super storm, something that occurs once every 100 years, yet insurance companies and this township among others will find ways to make it nearly impossible to rebuild or get flood insurance. I see that my home is now located in a V zone as i am on a lagoon. Well my house only sustained damage to its crawl space, i am lucky, none of my neighbors can live in theirs...yes i lost my furnace but that was due to it being in the crawl...i had to rip out and replace my insulation...nothing compared to most....but now because of this once in a hundred or 500 year super storm, my flood rates are going to triple IF i don't put my house on pilings???? Come on, people need to stand together and fight this crap....

my home will be labeled sustantially damaged by Brick. I am not sure they will even grant a permit to repair. May be forced to demolish or raise. If i am allowed to repair at existing elevation flood ins will be too high and unaffordable for me.

The flood maps that just came out were not related to sandy. These have been in the works for years. They are pre-sandy. We went for a permit three years ago and the town wanted a flood elevation certificate from us. It has nothing to do with the permit, but they said that FEMA was updating the flood maps and needed this info. That was three years ago. I know it blows, we lost our house, but the maps were coming out anyway. Sandy had nothing to do with it.

Oh.. Also, the township adopting these new maps will open the door for people with severe damage to gets grants such as icc (increased cost of compliance) of up to 30k. It sucks for the thousands of homes like Lisa who were not damaged much and now might have to come down. This is a shit sandwich for all of us. I just want to go home!

FEMA lies do why they are having this I don't know. They come in and tell you they work with the insurance company. If you have insurance they don't cover it. Then the insurance company only covers so much. So now I am fighting the insurance because they wouldn't pay for structural damage that I was needed to be fixed. It is all wrong. Sometimes I wonder if it worth staying or to move into an apartment in northern jersey closer to where my hubby works. Good luck everyone.

Lets see what Acroplis does in this, his last year as Mayor.

Living on or near the bay is paradise lost.........

I believe the Mayor has done well trying to help people that were hurt by Sandy..while trying to recover himself from Damage alone with other council members...This isn't republic and Democrate issues its helping Bricktown families recover...

The Mayor was MIA for the first week or so because he was at his 1st job with the TRMUA. Least he could have done was go on radio and talk to his voters.

JB, where did you read about certain homes being grandfatherEd in? Can you a hyper link on here to it?

Hey Brick..he had damage at his house ,no power,flooded area..He came out running and was availble to get things going and started the help...

Read this - they are getting rid of grandfathering policies, expect rates to go up in increments, and totally phased out by 2014. All flood insurance rates will be going up, regardless of when your house was built and if it was compliant with the FEMA maps at that time:

http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2012/07/31/257675.htm

Hurricane Katrina bankruptciesJim Sensenbrenner, Republican chairman of the House Judiciary Committee claimed: "If someone in Katrina is down and out, and has no possibility of being able to repay 40 percent or more of their debts, then the new bankruptcy law doesn't apply.[26]

The Justice Department's US Trustee program has since said it would not attempt to enforce the means test rules for disaster victims, including those affected by Hurricane Katrina.[citation needed] The Justice Department Trustees oversee the administration of bankruptcy law and are able to file the motions necessary to enforce the means test. Despite these assurances, bankruptcy judges are still able to enforce these rules sua sponte.[27]

The Department of Justice also indicated it would not oppose a debtor's eligibility to file bankruptcy because the debtor did not fulfill the credit counseling requirements before filing.[citation needed] U.S. Trustees have the discretion to grant waivers of the credit counseling requirements to debtors.
- Katrina August 29, 2005 - what have we learned from it since. New Orleans - is still under repairs. it's 2013.

You would be better off - WALKING Away from your home today mortgage or not, either way,they will have to raise YOUR Property TAXES - at least $2500.00 to make up the loss. you have to realize - so many homes are gone, each home brought in at least $6000.00 in property Taxes - minimal. with 120 homes lost - that would be $720,000.00 missing. How many people ran out of money homes sitting dormant those who can't afford to rebuild - another 500 homes. once you Raise taxes, people are going to walk. How many homes were recently put back together - 500 ? how many were done poorly - ? once that Mold returns - no insurance company will pay twice .. FEMA won't pay twice. The Town needs huge funding -that the Federal Government wont provide- Don't blame the Mayor, Don't blame the Council - it's WAY out of their controls...
Self-preservation - look out for your self, your family and help your friends.. NO - ONE else is going to do it for you. once the first person leaves and abandons their home - others will follow. Filing a Chpt 7 or 13 is easly done, spend the $4000.00 and walk away. Start over somewhere else. In 5 years - you'll have new credit, and a better life. The choice is yours, Stay- fight- deal with the High taxes - LAKEWOOD - Rabbi's are knocking now take the money$$ - RUN.
STAY, deal with the changes comming over 5 yrs or take a breath, breathe,look at your family, and in 6 months or less - you'l have a new life DRAMA free a new life elsewhere.

FYI - If you had damage and can not afford to repair or raise your home to the required elevations you have until January 31 2013 to apply for a low interest loan @ 1.688% through the small business administration.
You can apply for up to $220,000 for renovations and $40,000 for contents.
THIS IS NOT FOR BUSINESSES.... IT IS FOR RESIDENTIAL HOMEOWNERS. FEMA suggests that EVERYONE APPLY for the loan. You have 18 months to decide if you want to use the loan or not, but if you do not apply by January 31, 2013 you are out of luck. If you do not know how to go about starting the process. FEMA has set up a specific location especially for this process. The Ocean County SBA Recovery Center is located at The Southern Ocean County Chamber Of Commerce Office Located at the Stafford Heritage Park Train Station across from Manahawkin Lake between RT9 and RT 72.. There are FEMA Loan specialists there who will help you fill out the application. You can not get this rate at a bank and you do not have to take the loan but if you apply by January 31, 2013 you have 18 months to decide if you need it or not. There is also another location at Brookdale Community College 765 Newman Springs Road, Lincroft in The Bankier Library (ROOM 246)
Take Note The DRC (Disaster Recovery Center located in Civic Plaza is not a loan recovery center. They will direct you to the Manahawkin location.....

A Loan - who wants a loan? - if your on a fixed income - you cant afford any loans, if you have bad credit - under a 720 FICO, making less than $42,000.00 with $10,000 in a bank - you won't be approved. They will advise you to try other options or see what grant funding is available - you just have to apply - Another 4 months of run around. But wait - try it yourself and get back to me .. see for yourself how long this will take..
if your on a fixed income, - taxes are $400 a month,utilities are another $400 a month, Auto insurance $120 a month, food + misc $400 a month + Medicare parts A+B+C+D+ Supplimnet another $1250.00.. thats about $2600.00 per month this year,, What happen when you add the Property tax increase ?? another 250 a month ? X 12 months + the loan amount - maybe you don't understand - what the Term - Fixed INCOME means..
if your a retiree or someone stuck in their job - they - He or She does not have the means to produce any extra monty.?
How can they barrow - what they can not pay back..? other than taking the money - then file Bankruptcy.. after.