Thursday, May 23, 2013
Pennsylvania senator who stopped vote criticized; Menendez says he will introduce insurance rate bill
The Brick Township council this week unanimously supported a resolution urging the federal government to put off flood insurance rate hikes. Brick residents in flood zones face insurance rates of up to $31,000 per year if they do not raise their homes since the federal government's subsidization of the National Flood Insurance Program was eliminated by an act of congress last year. Last week, U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) blocked a measure that would have delayed the rate hikes, during which time a study could be conducted on insurance affordability and grant funding to help people raise homes could be obtained, if necessary. Toomey said at the time that his aim is to make the insurance program more financially sound, though the resolution …
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
FEMA willing to share data, township readying contract with oceanographic engineer
Brick Township's long-discussed appeal of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's advisory flood maps got a double shot in the arm this week. A conference call with representatives from FEMA and U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez's office on Tuesday yielded a piece of the puzzle township officials have long sought: access to FEMA's mapping software and its data. "What is in our control is the challenge," township resident Ron Jampel, who started the Save Our Communities 2013 group, told Brick council members a week ago. "We've got thousands and thousands of people wanting that answer. There's no more important matter than this for the people who have been displaced." The data from FEMA, township officials have said, is central to being able to …
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Township will solicit qualifications from national firms
The Brick Township council voted unanimously late Tuesday night to authorize township professionals to draw up a bid specification that will allow for the early appeal of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's flood maps. The request for qualifications, or RFQ, will a hydrology study and wave action modeling that will be used to oppose FEMA's advisory base flood elevation maps, which have placed thousands of Brick Township residents into flood zones, and 4,000 in 'V,' or velocity, zones. With the de-subsidization of federal flood insurance passed last year by Congress, residents in flood zones whose houses are not raised could pay as much as $30,000 a year for flood insurance, which is required by mortgage companies. Those in 'V' zones …
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Acropolis: Hire a national firm to oppose FEMA maps
The Brick Township council may vote Tuesday night on whether to authorize hiring a professional firm to develop a formal appeal of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's flood maps. Mayor Stephen C. Acropolis said Monday that he will ask the council to pass a resolution that authorizes the township to seek bids from national firms to help the township appeal FEMA's advisory base flood elevation maps. He will be supported in his effort by Councilman Joseph Sangiovanni. Councilman John Ducey has also indicated he will support the measure, according to a local grassroots group that has pushed for the township to hire such a firm. "We feel very strongly that right now, there are thousands of homes that are in zones they shouldn't be in," …
Thursday, March 21, 2013
New data released by the state Department of Community Affairs breaks down Sandy-related damage by municipality
In New Jersey, Brick sustained among the largest number of damaged housing units from Superstorm Sandy, with about 2,280 affected, according to an interactive map of destruction compiled by njspotlight.com. Of those homes in Brick, 744 were severely damaged — meaning they were impacted by more than $28,800, according to data provided by the state Department of Community Affairs. Major damage includes homes that suffered $8,000 to $28,800 in damages while severe is more than $28,800. The data notes that nearly 87,000 housing units were damaged statewide, about 12,500 of those were either destroyed or sustained major damage. At least 1,000 residences were damaged in 24 municipalities in seven counties. Nearly 400,000 businesses were impacted…
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Video update from Brick mayor
- THE NEIGHBORHOOD FILES
- Daniel Nee
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Saturday, March 9
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Regulations will likely change over time
Three weeks after it was endorsed by the township's planning board, the zoning laws for the township's newly-expanded flood zones under the Federal Emergency Management Agency's flood maps was approved on second reading by the Brick Township council Tuesday night. "By putting this out right now, this will help a lot of people," said Councilman Domenick Brando, explaining that the ordinance will allow residents to begin the task of rebuilding their homes following Superstorm Sandy. The ordinance will take effect March 25, township attorney Jean Cipriani said. Council members unanimously voted in favor of adopting the building code following a public hearing, though they also acknowledged the ordinance will likely have to be changed as …
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Governor: Don't listen to 'dopes' saying to hold off
Gov. Chris Christie took a stand this week against public officials and community leaders calling on residents to wait for potential changes to Federal Emergency Management Agency flood maps before elevating or rebuilding their homes in the wake of Superstorm Sandy. Christie, speaking in Lavallette Tuesday, said the state's adoption of FEMA's advisory base flood elevation maps last month will ensure residents build smarter and stronger, and avoid the consequences that came in Sandy's storm surge. "Fight away, I'm fighting too, but don't tell people not to rebuild their homes if they want to," said Christie. "Don't we want people in safer homes and more resilient homes?" Some have called on residents to wait for FEMA to put out revised, …
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Ordinances unanimously passes
The Brick Township council adopted the Federal Emergency Management Agency's advisory base flood elevation (ABFE) maps Tuesday night on second reading, the final passage of an ordinance that mirrors the state's adoption of the same maps. "We have to pass this ordinance so the people who are entitled to the money are able to get it," said Councilman John Ducey, referring to grants that will be available to residents of communities that adopt the FEMA maps. That doesn't mean officials in Brick agree with them, however. "I think the council made it clear, and I made it clear, that the council adopting the ABFEs does nothing more than allow us to get more points on a score when we go for the Hazard Mitigation Grants," said Mayor Stephen C. …
When the Levee Breaks
10:51 pm on Thursday, May 23, 2013
Cryin won't help you, and prayin wont do you no good, When the levee breaks, mama you got to move.... more ›