Journal of Light Construction: Hurricane Sandy

Is Florida’s Insurance Industry Ready for the Big One?

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 05:07:06 EST

After years without a blockbuster hurricane, Florida’s insurance funds are looking solid. But a controversial shakeup is raising eyebrows, and a heavy storm season could still bring trouble.

New York City to Revamp Sandy Rebuilding Program, Says Mayor

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 10:23:36 EST

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg says the city is ready to step up its Sandy rebuilding program with a reorganized effort called “NYC Build It Back.”

Andrea Kicks Off Storm Season with a Soggy Coastal Sprint

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 04:56:33 EST

Tropical Storm Andrea did little damage in its rainy rush up the East Coast. But the storm is a reminder that hurricane season seems to be getting longer.

Second-Home Owners Hurting After Sandy

Sun, 26 May 2013 02:55:09 EST

Owners of vacation or investment houses on the shore aren’t on FEMA’s list for post-Sandy financial aid. But they are on the list of houses that have to be elevated — now.

Government Works on Better Storm Surge Advisories

Sun, 26 May 2013 02:55:30 EST

Storm surge flooding can be a hurricane’s most dangerous threat, but shore dwellers often don’t appreciate the risk. Now the government hopes to make those risks more clear.

NOAA: Active Hurricane Season Ahead

Sun, 26 May 2013 01:50:04 EST

Northeast states are still feeling the after-effects of last year’s late-season Hurricane Sandy. But this year’s hurricane season starts next week — and authorities say it could be an active one.

New York Homeowners Cool to Post-Sandy Buyout Offers — Except for Staten Island

Mon, 13 May 2013 11:47:47 EST

Federal authorities have approved hundreds of millions of dollars of funding to help New York State buy out homeowners in threatened shore areas. But most storm victims would rather rebuild.

On the Wet Side of the Levee, Louisiana Homeowners Stress Over Flood Insurance

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 11:39:27 EST

Homeowners in Louisiana’s fragile delta are living outside the Federal levee system — and with FEMA policy changing, they’re worried about the future.

Crumbling Cliff Spurs Mega-Mansion Move

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 11:38:17 EST

Richard Schifter’s house-with-a-view sits on a beautiful Nantucket bluff. But the ocean isn’t bluffing — and now the cliff is crumbling under Schifter’s footings. So Schifter is hedging his investment and moving the giant house back from the edge of destruction — swimming pool and all.

Shore Protection Controversies Heat Up in NY and NJ

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 11:43:14 EST

On the New Jersey shore, well-off beachfront owners are fighting dune construction by public authorities. In New York, the situation is reversed: big-house owners are building their own dunes, over the objections of other townsfolk. The fight is less about the view than about the question: Who owns the beach?

In New York's Pricey Suburbs, A Rise In Home Elevations

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 01:24:23 EST

The New York Times takes a look at the effort by homeowners in the Hurricane Sandy impact area to elevate their houses.

Outer Banks' Access Highway: It's an Emergency

Mon, 8 Apr 2013 02:30:41 EST

Battered by hurricanes and nor’easters, N.C. 12—the Outer Banks’ fragile lifeline—is on life support.

$700 Million in Katrina Elevation Grants Unaccounted For

Mon, 8 Apr 2013 02:37:29 EST

An Inspector General report says more than half a billion dollars in Hurricane Katrina relief money may have been misspent. Most Katrina victims who were awarded $30,000 apiece to elevate their houses never documented that the work was done.

Sandy Aid Money Not Yet Flowing

Mon, 8 Apr 2013 01:51:00 EST

Congress authorized funding for Hurricane Sandy emergency relief in January. But the actual money hasn’t started flowing yet.

Watching the Money: Post-Sandy, Authorities Eye Fraud and Mismanagement

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 09:24:57 EST

From small-time scams to major misappropriation of relief money, government is on the lookout for crooked use of rebuilding funds.

Crews Grind Away on Sandy Underwater Debris Removal

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 09:45:58 EST

In the Barnegat Bay, side-scanning sonar and “picker” boats are the tools for a tedious cleanup.

A New Union? Sandy Brings Big Changes to a Beach-Cottage Community

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 12:45:49 EST

Some homeowners may be forced out. Others may be able to rebuild, better. But one thing’s for sure: Things are going to change in Union Beach, New Jersey.

NFIP Demands its Money Back from Flooded Staten Island Homeowner

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 03:55:56 EST

The NFIP paid a Staten Island homeowner $10,000 for flood damage to her first floor. Now they say the space was a basement — and they want their money back.

To Elevate - or What? Staten Island Homeowners Ponder their Options

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:30:27 EST

As Hurricane Katrina taught in New Orleans, the road home after a hurricane is not a simple path.

FEMA Puts One “On-Your-Lot” Trailer in New Jersey

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 12:47:58 EST

In a first for the New Jersey recovery effort, FEMA has provided a trailer to a New Jersey family on land they already own.