FEMA's power to bail itself out of its Katrina debt on the backs of NJ and other flood zone residents comes from the 2012 Biggert-Waters Act. Congress must amend it so that FEMA's erroneous maps aren't finalized and its over-reaching building elevation heights and exorbitant annual insurance costs don't result in the abandonment of TENS OF THOUSANDS OF HOMES. Almost 20% of US homes are under FEMA's expanding jurisdictioon coast to coast, along the Mississippi, etc. StopFemaNow.com has more info. So does Facebook.com/StopFemaNow. Our voice must be heard from Trenton to Washington, or the Shore is doomed.

Really so years of insurance premiums and you dont get covered isnt that something like selling services that are not rendered . Thats ok with you ? What do you tell the 75 year old thats saved and paid for years Sorry move thats your answer ? Nones asking for every dollar matched but they sure as hell have an expectation of being paid at least what there covered for >. Then you feel Its ok this storm this area has to pay for the years of mismangement , Most of these people dont live on the ocean You see ocean front people crying about anything no >
If you payed for 100,000 dollar flood insurance policy and you have that or even less
Isnt it a Reasonable to believe you will be covered and paid not nickel and dimed not extorted out of your retirement . Or worse up root your family from scholls and friends and Also what happens If a town cant meet its tax base to cover its budget ,
Where does that money come from ? It doesn't so what happens next Lay offs of Police fire teachers Shall I paint you the Effect this has > ..You must live very comfortable to say such a thing when clearly there so many effected ..

No, we just don't think we should be extorted to pay off the debts FEMA accrued during other floods while we try to recover from this one.

Deserve every dime to fix our homes. We had insurance, the house was ruined. Damn straight I want my insurance money. I've paid premiums for tens of years, where the heck is my money?

Are you this ignorant about every topic you comment on?? Your levels of compassion and knowledge are staggering. Are you really a FEMA beancounter in disguise??

"Does everyone think they deserve to have every dime to fix their homes? It doesn't work like that."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insurance
"HOMEOWNERS will only pay so much"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flood_insurance

Getting full reimbursement is not what this is about. I'm not asking anyone to rebuild my home. I just want to know why, after getting water in my house for the first time in thirty years (I'm on a lagoon), I'm suddenly in a V-9 zone, and being told if I don't raise my house (to the tune of 45,000 un-reimbursed dollars) I will pay $30,000 a year for flood insurance. Okay, I won't do it and won't get the insurance, obviously, but that's my choice and my chance to take since I own the house. But I will never be able to sell this house if I don't raise it, as no homeowner can get a mortgage on it if it's in the V-zone and less than 9-feet above sea level. Does that make sense?

We do liv inland, way inland. What a dumb remark. We paid our flood ins and house ins timely always sine 1983. Our home took in 5 1/2 feet of water from flooding near fischer blvd. Such devestation - most of the renovations are getting done by family members - hard working people. Sounds like you are not a very compassionate person.

Jerzymom....do you have ANY idea how much it would cost these people to elevate their homes....ANY idea?? And....this is not just about people who live on the ocean! this is about families, elderly, etc who may or may not live on a body of water or lagoon, etc. who have suddenly been put in a flood zone same as those who live on the ocean!! that is crazy, particularly if those same people experienced no real damage to their homes!!

Jerzymom - I think you misread this. This isn't about people complaining because FEMA didn't give them money. This is people fighting FEMA rezoning their homes into financial penury. Imagine you lived somewhere for 30-40 however many years. Each year paying your flood insurance premium. When you do get flooded out for the first time in all those years you get the run around from the insurance company (NFIP, otherwise known as FEMA) to pay out what you were insured for - delays and nickle and diming (my family is now working on our third adjuster - they keep having family emergencies and getting reassigned! - so we have to start over). And the cherry on top is they are telling you your premiums will go up "ONLY" 300-700% if you raise your home (costing up to $200k itself) and they will go up 30,000% if you don't. But don't worry, if you had enough damage in this flood they will "grant" you $30k. No word on where the rest is supposed to come from. Or if as in my case, you don't hit the 50% threshold, then you are just out of luck. And if it's not your primary residence you are really left out in the cold.

It's one thing to require new construction to meet new height elevations and building codes. It's an entirely different equation when you demand the entire coastline - from Maine to Texas - retro fit existing homes. I don't even think it's possible for us to raise our home - the steps would have to start in the road.

I bought flood insurance from the federal government to cover my assets. I expect to be covered in full in exchange for the premiums i paid and the promises that the insurance contract that i purchased promised. If a private business sold me the same bill of goods and didn't deliver, it would be considered consumer fraud. Why is it any different for the federal govt. Because they are the big dogs and they can without getting in trouble? For shame on them if they mismanaged the money that i paid them and are now broke. I still expect them to pay up and to pay every dime that i am owed. I do not expect to get anything that i am not entitled to. I expect to be put back into the same position that i was in prior to my loss. This is what i was promised, this is what i paid for and this is what i expect.

I hope for your own sanity you never have to experience what we have at the shore. No one is asking for a gift, simply payment for what we have been paying for years to the insurance companies.

we paid insurance for years; we were told we are covered up to a certain amount; now we are told sorry,not true. Let me know how you feel when this happens to you and your family; what an insensitive person you are to write this ,hard to beleive you really are a "mom"....???

Set it up and I am there.

www.facebook.com/StopFemaNow

@Ken...you have no idea what you are talking about so why not know the facts before you open your uneducated yapper?. Flood Insurance is not a slush fund that is paid for by the government just dropping money into it. It is paid for by people paying premiums...all we want is what we paid for. Your ignorance is sad and infuriating. Keep quiet unless you have a clue about what you are talking about

I quess you would not ask to be paid by your insurance. So if anything happens to your health, auto,home or job you will not be expecting a payment. Why do you pay for insurance if you will not use it?

Ken....I agree with the others....you really DON'T know what you're talking about. You actually think this only affects people living on the barrier island?? The new proposed zones are insane. You don't put people in a V zone who never even experienced any real damage to their homes, and who don't live on the barrier island....and if you don't think this will eventually hit your wallet....think again. You'll see.

Ken - any idea what happens to Toms Rivers finances if that "Sand Bar" is depopulated? Careful what you wish for....

So Leroy, you think that the 15,000 damaged homes were all oceanfront?? You are exhibiting quite the breadth of knowledge on the issue, especially your disregard of the insurance aspect. Wow!!

Leroy, I'm not steps away from the Ocean, but actually miles.

If you ever have a fire, flood, or catastrophe in your home, I can only hope you find the same level of compassion, literacy and intelligence waiting for you.

BTW, hope the FEMA flood maps don't put you in a flood zone too. Karma can be a bitch.

My mainland house was flooded for the first time ever, and FEMA says it must be elevated 9 feet ($100,000+ if it were even feasible) or I'll pay $30,000 PER YEAR insurance premiums. That's a rip-off by FEMA bureaucrats, based on incorrect flood zone maps to boot! - StopFemaNow.com -. Facebook.com/StopFemaNow.

I did not know that Lacey Township Ocean Gate where oceanfront. I assume you are new to the area. Check on a map where these damaged homes are. Three miles that would make them large steps

Leroy....you are a moron. Try and read up on the facts. This is also about people who live at the Shore....and who do NOT live on the ocean. With the compassion you have, I feel sorry for you and your future. It's called....KARMA.

what goes around comes around....

ps; nice name...

True John, but you should have included Jerzey Mom also, unbelievable.......

clamdigger is on spot! The biggest obstacle here is insurance companies in general. We are a country of over-insured. NJ is possibly the most over-insured state in the country. We have home-owners, auto, health, dental, life, business liab/comp, financial, disability,....etc.... The premiums alone are enough to put the average blue collar in finacial dyer straights. It is out right extortion. What is paid in our premiums is never what is recovered when needed. I understand the need for insurance when relying on loans, etc. I guess the banks need some sort of guarantee to get their funds back in the case of loss, but things are just so out of control. Tort reform? That definitely needs a revisit. I don't know if that would help this issue now though. People, especially those who are being "extorted" by insurance companies and FEMA should just be able to choose their own security. No insurance and pay yourselves a personal policy, or go with an actual insurance policy. Rebuild your homes, as you can or are comfortable with, and choose your own security base. STOP THE EXTORTION. As I have said before, its the insurance companies and lawyers/lobbyists who run this country. Good luck and God bless all of you who are affected by this storm of garbage that has hit you. My prayers go out to all of you each and everyday. I salute you George Kasimos. Carry on.

Agreed!

Your right Mark.......I remember they did recommend a V zone for the island. That's how fast they change course. No wonder the info. from TR is always changing. They think we forget. Now they want you to believe they are on our side. Watch your backs!

So true, I posted parts of his letter to FEMA on a few FB pages and on this site, as well as a link to the whole letter. It didnt seem to bother many people.

Michael Capo - I read the letter from one of your links and was outraged. I think you informing us of that led a lot of people to let the TR government know what they think. And you got results - at least they are, de facto if not overtly, abandoning his argument. I think he should be fired for writing that letter.

2 words: eminent domain. No one's precious ocean view is more important than my life and my home. Get easements to build dunes and replenish beaches from the elite few who stand in the way. They can afford to raise their homes to look over the dunes.

Then the majority of us won't be flooded, won't have to raise our homes and won't have to pay crushing annual premiums.

Most of the anger exhibited here is misdirected. The Federal Government and FEMA are not the cause of the problem for the Bay houses. The destruction of the 'barrier' aspect of the barrier beach places the properties on the west side of the Bay at risk during a storm. The FEMA maps are just reflecting the reality. The cause is people who want to have unobstructed views of the ocean, without thought of the consequences to others, and the greedy local government officials and developers that benefit from the degradation of the environment. You are fighting the wrong war.

John Eric Mangino - have you ever heard of divide and conquer. Don't let them do that here. They want us to fight with each other - mainlanders vs islanders - instead of focusing on the real problem which is Biggert Waters and FEMA. Get Congress to repeal that monstrosity and not pretend you can charge actuarially calculated rates for flood insurance (a product with zero free market viability which the Fed government acknowledged by starting NFIP to begin with).

+10^

These people & association s should named in a civil suit to pay back these people the most damage happened in this areas & innocent people lost there homes because someone didn't want there view obstructed eminent domain these areas

From what I understand only a few people have not signed yet.

sure you have the threat of Eminent Domain, but seems like that can all be worked out with a bit of sensible negotiation.

More importantly, when do the FEMA engineers sit down with those of us on the mainland to discuss the unreasonable V Zone and elevations 6-8' higher than Sandy rose to?

Build the dunes, but then do not ravish 10,000 homes on the mainland after you do. Re-assess and do it quick so we can rebuild!

JOHNNY Done it....Well said, maybe a lawsuit and/or eminent domain will get their signatures on the easements.

Missing Brick...The mainland wouldn't be in a "V" zone if it wasn't for the selfish on the sandbar. A few have signed that's a start it's the homeowner associations who are refusing. Pull their charter and take the land before the people on Rt 9 have waterfront property. Just wait till it's time to renew your regular insurance, if they'll let us renew. All of TR is going to suffer.

Those folks yelling "stop fema now" should be yelling "sign the easements"

^^^I understand that the dunes need to be there and I think they will be.

However, after they are in place, we still need to fight those maps. FEMA has said that the current maps don't even take those into account, nor other impediments to high velocity waves.

The thing is, during Sandy (a hundred year storm!) there were no high velocity waves...so where is this coming from? Build the dunes, then redo the maps with EVERYTHING considered.

Our government should do what it needs to do in that regard, but people who do not live on the ocean should NOT be put in a V zone. So many people incurred no real damage with this storm and others before it, yet are being proposed for a V zone. Absolutely insane and unfair to them.

Bravo taxed to death! I saw a proposal once that anyone who leaves "government service" to take a high paying job in the public sector related to what they did for government should pay 100% tax on the salary delta for 5 years. Discourage that revolving door!

Floodgate is right. We can't afford to be negative, or point fingers at each other, like arguing waterfront homes should be shut out of the insurance program. Generalizations are dangerous. Also, the main problem with the NFIP is that only 20% of homes in flood areas have flood insurance. Making policies so expensive people opt out of the program works against spreading the risk as broadly as possible. We are all in this together, and if we don't all hang together we will all hang - or elevate- separately.
The common problem we face is that the PREMIUMS resulting from Biggert-Waters are too high. The new map elevations are too severe, but even if the old maps are used, the Biggert-Waters demand for "actuarial" premiums to pay off Katrina would drive premiums to pretty much the same place. When Biggert-Waters was enacted there was fear it might make insurance unaffordable, and we are becoming living proof that fear has come true. The only sure way to fix this is to cap premiums as a percentage of coverage and get the Katrina debt transferred back to Treasury rather than the NFIP. The sooner we find a "white knight" in Congress to ride point on this, the better.

I support this statement.

Well said JOHNNY.....All you who voted for that POS in the oval office and now can't get your home built and/or getting creamed by FEMA. Regret your vote yet?

But, but, but...Obama cut the red tape. How ungrateful of you.

But, but, but...Obama cut the red tape a day after the storm. I heard him say it right on my friend's generator-powered TV. How ungrateful of you!

You just can't expect people to suddenly pay for costs of elevating their homes if the home NEVER experienced any material damage. This is killing people's funds for their children, values of homes, etc. The costs wipe out funds for families, and those who have relied on the value of their homes for retirement. This would devastate so many people....and it WOULD have an impact on those "not affected" yet.

Yes he was but as I read it he Questions alot about these Maps and Fema
he doe not state he agrees with them he yes thanks them but thats just a polite statement . What elase can he say if they dont adopt the Maps under the Govenors Orders we see not one penny in Town and county reimbursements, But then again We arent seeing it anyway .

Certain Senators and Congressmembers wanted to bail out FEMA from its Katrina debt by ripping off the 20% of Americans who live near water (rivers, Great Lakes, the Gulf of Mexico and oceans) with $30,000 annual insurance premiums. The 2012 Biggert-Waters Act has to be corrected! Visit Facebook.com/StopFemaNow ("like" us to send a message to Washington DC).

14 feet ! ! ! ! JC.....do you know how many times I enter and exit my home on a daily basis ? I would be in bed by 7PM due to exhaustion.

Pinhead...buy a clue. Obama's the 1st "president" to send foreign aid to the Muslim Brotherhood which is officially designated a terrorist group BY THE US GOVERNMENT. They DID NOT lose that designation when they were "elected" in Egypt. Now THERE's a difference...but let's send 'em a few more fighter jets & Abrams tanks at a cost of a few BILLION bucks anyway!

Pin.....Carolannie is on the money. WHY would this president send foreign aid to the Muslim Brotherhood based on what they have been designated by our officials? These same people would slice and dice everyone one of us if they could....yet, our prez does this. Incomprehensible....I don't get it. Back to the flood zones.....lnless you're on the ocean or barrier island, leave the mainland zones the way they were....waterfront or no waterfront!!!!

Caolannie10 is totally wrong: http://www.politifact.com/rhode-island/statements/2012/apr/27/barry-hinckley/us-senate-candidate-barry-hinckley-says-obama-admi/

JB so true. Especially when you look at how the tax base (assessed home properties and businesses) increased 30, 40 or more percent over the last couple of town-wide re-valuations. Many people on the mainland saw some significant property tax reductions as their assessed values were reduced. The shift in the ratable base was to the barrier island where assessments and taxes were doubled and tripled. Some say its the fair share, but that's not the issue, its water under the bridge. The issue is twofold. One there simply will be properties on both the barrier island and along the bayfront communities that will simply not be paying what they were in property taxes. Two, there will be significant recovery costs that if not paid for by State or Federal agencies, must be paid for by municipalities. These losses of revenue will have to be made up by the property owners (homes and businesses) that are still on the tax rolls. I predict increases (when everything known and yet to be known is factored) approaching or exceeding 30%. Unless our elected officials get their heads around this, its going to be a mess for a long time.

JB......ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. Some people just don't get it yet. These proposed flood zones, etc would affect everyone!!!
Also, it is absolutely WRONG for people who incurred no real damage to elevate their homes. People who do not live on the ocean or barrier island should not have to put their homes on pilings for Godsake!!!! That is just insane.

I think the 20% number is the baseline. It will continue to grow as the FEMA policies (left un-checked) continue to take their financial toll and translate into more loss of ratables. Im guessing the number may actually hit 30%. Add to that towns that try to ecxeed the 2.5% cap by being "creative" to fund cleanup and rebuild expenses. I surely hope not. The impact would be more than most can imagine. Especially on inland properties who saw a tax reduction after the last town-wide re-assessment. This would tend to double the impact, to see your taxes reduced, then increase 30 or more percent. Potentially a real mess. And a perfect example of why supporting STOP FEMA NOW is important.

Yeah, but we WILL have a nice boardwalk, right?

George....you are absolutely right. NOONE wins if these new zones stick...noone!! This will have a devastating effect at the Shore and the rest of the State. Folks who are "not affected" by these proposed zones...WILL be affected financially. It will fall on them. This impacts EVERYONE in the state. It's unconstitutional to require people to elevate their homes when in fact they never experienced any real damage to their home during H.Sandy or any other storm!!!

George....you are absolutely right. NOONE wins if these new zones stick...noone!! This will have a devastating effect at the Shore and the rest of the State. Folks who are "not affected" by these proposed zones...WILL be affected financially. It will fall on them. This impacts EVERYONE in the state. It's just outright WRONG AND INSANE to require people to elevate their homes when in fact they never experienced any real damage to their home during H.Sandy or any other storm!!!

"You are the wrong color" for Washington, but you don't use that racist argument for the state environmental protection dept. which is going along with FEMA's latest boondoggle-bungle. Don't let facts get in the way of your biased agenda!

The FEMA bureaucracy is wrong on this over-reaching plan to bail itself out of its Katrina debt. The Biggert-Waters Act must be corrected by Congress (both parties, all colors).

I can see how easy it is to arrive at the "color" conclusion. There are lots of facts that could lead one there. But I think the real issue is the fact that FEMA was in big financial trouble, then Katrina hit. That was the straw that broke the camel's back. FEMA never recovered from that financial hit, so Biggert Waters was passed to bail them out. Then Sandy came along and magnified the FEMA deficit and the Biggert Waters impacts 10 fold. The fact that it hit us (predominantly non-minority) is an unfortunate coincidence. We know what needs to be changed so lets all work together to make the change.

The same comments were made against Bush by some folks in Louisiana and Mississippi so now it's our turn? Please. Stop the hate and let's focus on the problem. It's our problem, a New Jersey problem so we'll deal with it the right way. We use our elected officials to fight the battle. Your coucilman/woman from your district/ward is not getting it done? Go to the council president or mayor. Not working? Go to the county executive and freeholders. Still not going your way? Hit up the governor's office as well as your district congressman and our US senators. Let's put Bob Menendez to work. If he has time to fly down to the Dominican Republic for yacht parties he should have a little time to help his state. Come to think of it, outside of him continually defending himself of prostitution allegations what has Menendez done for us? Especially the victims of Sandy?

Sue - I agree with one point you made. Most of the people in the picture are middle class. We are neither clients of government (I mean dependent) nor are we funders of the political parties. And we can't be depended on to vote one way or another. Neither party thinks we are their constituency. And the media aren't interested because rather than having a sob story about how the government isn't helping us out of some pathetic situation we are self-sufficient people who are demanding the government stop trying to destroy us.

Toms River is doing the same

Joyce, you are truly obsessed w/George Gilmore. Your exact same post appears everywhere no matter what the topic. I don't know any of these characters, but people get elected when other individuals help finance their campaigns. Of course, if you're democrat, taxPAYERS fund your campaign thru payments to unions. BTW, is it true YOU are on Mayor Amato's opponent's payroll...or is that just a nasty rumor?

Sandy was an extra tropical cyclone. Then there was the confluence of four other weather systems connected to a full moon at high tide when it made landfall that caused so much devastation.

Sandy was classified as a 'Super Storm' because other volatile weather systems broke apart her eye. She was a post-tropical cyclone with hurricane force winds at a size of over 1,000 miles wide.The strength of Sandy intensified as she merged with the other storm systems. The 2nd most destructive storm in our history which resulted in 87 deaths and $72 billion in damage was hardly "just a tropical storm" to say the least. It's like saying a diamond is just another piece of carbon or the Earth is just another planet.

Yes. But what would the Cat. 3 surge be under a full moon and high tide conditions.?

They aren't the only players he has funded. Which township clerk is the cousin of Amato? This stuff is too simple.

Michael, Whoever that person is has 3 votes from my family. Step two is to encourage part times to register to vote in Ocean County ( Its legal even if Ocean County is not your primary residence). Step three is starting to explore succession from Toms River Township.

So, where is all of the money that has been raised so far? I have gone to fundraisers, shopped local, with funds going to "Sandy victims". The concerts, the benefits, etc.... So much money being "raised", yet, no money doled out. Where is it all? Why are our residents still suffering? This is bad. Very bad. Who is living high on the hog with all of this charity?

Best of luck on getting the FEMA flood maps altered and having the elevation requirements lowered. I too feel that it's a bit excessive for some areas as our mainland property (on water) has the same requirement as the barrier islands. Know that we all will have to elevate to some degree because unless the entire Barnegat Penninsula, from Bay Head to South Seaside Park had all the properties removed and was returned to its natural state of a wide area of dunes and brush, there will be breaches from the ocean during massive impact storms. Since the Seasides are economic engines for the towns, the county and the state they need to stay. No gov't can afford to compensate all the barrier property owners if they were to be removed so they stay was well (plus the municipalities need the ratables). So we build the ocean dunes the best we can and go back to a time when we were a bit less foolish and left our natural protection in place. Best of luck to us all.

Matt, ICC grants cover up to $30,000 to elevate,demolish,relocate, or floodproof (generally non residential) structures. Additional grant monies (haz mit /CDBG)are still being worked on.

Lived at home.

Too funny!