Rep. Chris Smith Calls for House to Pass Sandy Relief

For the text of Smith’s remarks:

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Kyrillos Introduces Resolution Calling on Feds to Ensure Sandy Hook Gateway National Recreation Area Open for Summer of 2013

Concerned about the potential impact on the Bayshore region’s economy of a prolonged closure of the Sandy Hook Gateway National Recreation Area, Senator Joe Kyrillos (R- Monmouth) has introduced a resolution calling on the federal government to make reopening Sandy Hook a priority.

“Sandy Hook sustained enormous damage during Hurricane Sandy along with the homes and businesses of Bayshore residents,” Kyrillos said. “But there is more devastation in store if this economic engine for our region is not restored and reopened in time for the 2013 tourism season. The Sandy Hook Recreation Area is the source of millions of dollars of economic activity every year and an affordable summer getaway for tourists from near and far who will lose out on a treasured summer tradition if it is not reopened. We cannot afford to lose the economic activity generated by Sandy Hook as we seek to rebuild our shoreline.”

Sandy Hook Gateway National Recreation Area is federally owned property that is maintained and operated by the National Park Service.

Text of the resolution is as follows:

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Congress has a duty to provide disaster aid

By Congressman Frank LoBiondo

More than two months after Hurricane Sandy struck South Jersey, the scars of devastation upon our homes, our businesses, our shoreline and our friends and neighbors remain ever so visible and ever so painful.

Each day our region struggles to recover and residents attempt to rebuild their lives as heightened levels of anxiety, frustration, sadness and anger remain. No one in South Jersey has forgotten Sandy, and it is imperative that Washington not be allowed to overlook the real destruction and critical need our communities continue to face.

As widely reported, some of my colleagues have intentionally delayed aid from reaching affected communities, unnecessarily creating a disaster in dealing with this disaster. Citing the Senate-passed “pork” laden bill, they question if federal resources will truly reach those in need.

I appreciate their concerns and have actively sought to alleviate them by working with the congressional delegations of New Jersey and New York, as well as Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., to strip out extraneous provisions. Thus, as originally planned in the final days of 2012, the bill we are introducing in the House of Representatives on Tuesday should provide federal aid only to states affected by the storm.

Likewise, there are some local opinions that stand against any federal assistance in the aftermath of a wide-scale disaster such as Sandy. They argue individual states and impacted municipalities should be solely responsible for recovery and rebuilding efforts, while federal tax dollars should not be used for “local issues”. I strongly disagree with the shortsighted view that New Jersey, which supported other states as they dealt with disasters and which sends more tax dollars to Washington than it receives, should be short-changed at its time of need.

That is not to say federal aid should be unchecked. In 2005 and 2006, more than $100 billion was sent to the Gulf Coast states, including $60 billion within just 10 days of the storm in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Ocean Grove Beachfront and Boardwalk May Not Get FEMA Funding To Rebuild

By Art Gallagher

Photo credit: Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association

Neptune Township’s beachfront and boardwalk in the Ocean Grove section of the Township might not get the estimated $3 million in FEMA funding needed to rebuild because the property is owned by the private non-profit and religious Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association (OGCMA), according to an article by freelance journalist Caren Chesler published at NJSpotLight.

Neptune Township Committee Member and Ocean Grove business owner Randy Bishop, as well as Michael Bascom, the Township’s CFO are working with OGCMA to pursuade FEMA to pay for the repairs on the stretch of beach that connects the regional shoreline from Asbury Park south to Spring Lake.

In a press release posted on OGCMA’s website, President Dr. Dale C. Whilden said, “The Camp Meeting is fully committed to restoring Ocean Grove’s beautiful beachfront, a keystone of our community as well as a protection from ocean storms, and we’re on track to implement a comprehensive beach and boardwalk restoration plan.  With God’s blessing and the assistance of our local, state and federal officials, as well as support from individuals and organizations, our beach will open on Memorial Day weekend.”

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Weekend hotel evictions continuing for displaced Sandy victims

Status OF Transition Sheltering Assistance Extension Is Uncertain. Refugees Left To Fend For Themselves With No Notice

By Art Gallagher

Evicitions from FEMA sponsored hotel accommodations are continuing this weekend for New Jersey residents whose homes were destroyed by Superstorm Sandy.  MoreMonmouthMusings  reported on Wednesday that some residents have been left to sleep in their cars on weekends.

NJ.com is reporting that the Ocean Place Resort in Long Branch is evicting refugees to accomodate a pre-booked scrapbooking retreat.

Highlands residents Angus Mcdougland and Leia Sims have been living at Ocean Place since Sandy destoyed their home.  This morning they received a notice from the hotel that they needed to check out today or pay $260 per night to stay.  Mcdougland told MMM that there is a college basketball team filling the hotel, in addition to the scrapbookers.

Lois Pongo, also of Highlands, was locked out the room where she’s been staying this week at the Holiday Inn in Hazlet this morning.  Hotel employees told her that she was no longer eligible for transitional housing assistance.  Pongo paid for her room for tonight and is scrambling to get her contractors to finish the repairs on her home this weekend.

Pongo visited the FEMA Recovery Center in Leonardo on Thursday to verify that her temporary housing was to be extended. She was left with the impression that her temporary housing was in place.  The Leonardo FEMA office which had been so helpful earlier this week said they could not help her today.

Governor Christie announced on Thursday that FEMA’s transitional housing program had been extended for two weeks until January 25th.  Evidently someone at FEMA gave Christie bad or incomplete information.

• Tweet

Sea Bright Going Long and Strong

• Tweet

Congressman Chris Smith’s Statement At Belmar Boardwalk Groundbreaking

Yesterday, in the State of the State address in Trenton, Governor Chris Christie eloquently spoke of the courage, tenacity and resolve of the people of New Jersey both during and after the worst storm in our history.

He introduced and told the stories of a few jersey heroes.  However, the statehouse could have been filled to overflowing with people who performed remarkable feats of selflessness and bravery.

  Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Displaced residents being evicted from temporary housing for weddings. Sleeping in cars for weekends

O’Scanlon:  Temporary FEMA Housing to be extended for two weeks

Displaced residents should call Assemblyman O’Scanlon’s offfice for help: 732-933-1591

Sea Bright Mayor Dina Long told MMM that the residents of her community that have been sleeping in cars are people who have been put up in hotels by FEMA who are evicted by the hotels on weekends in order to accommodate wedding guests.

“When hotels have weddings or events, people get evicted for the weekend,” Long said via twitter, “I just learned of people sleeping in cars because of this and I’m hopping mad.”

Long said that FEMA’s response has been, “Well, when that happens the people should call us.”  Yet, when people do call FEMA’s 800 #, the FEMA employees who answer the phone are dropping the ball or don’t know what to do.

Long said she trying to reach her displaced residents in this situation to coordinate weekend housing through Sea Bright Rising and other charities. “FEMA knows where my people are, I need their help in locating them.”

Union Beach Councilman Charlie Cocuzza told MMM that the same situation is happening to displaced residents of his borough. “The hotels are asking people to leave on Friday and tell them they can come back on Sunday night,” said Cocuzza, “These people are falling through the cracks on weekends.”

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon said that his legislative office has been transformed to a clearing house for temporary housing to match people in need with a roof over their heads. “This should not be happening,” said O’Scanlon, “but too often we’re hearing about it too late. No one should be sleeping in their cars.  Anyone, from my district or not, can call my office and we’ll find them a place to stay.”

O’Scanlon’s office said landlords or anyone willing to put up a displaced resident can also contact them.  O’Scanlon’s phone # is 732-933-1591.

FEMA temporay housing allowances are set to expire on Saturday the 12th.  O’Scanlon told MMM that the program will be extended for two weeks.

Posted: January 9th, 2013 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Declan O'Scanlon, FEMA, Hurricane Sandy, Sea Bright, Union Beach | Tags: Charlie Cocuzza, Declan O'Scanlon, Dina Long, FEMA, Sea Bright, sleeping in cars, Temporary Housing, Union Beach | 4 Comments »

• Tweet

Why are people sleeping in cars?

In an interview with NJ.com Sea Bright Mayor Dina Long expressed her frustration with a lack of specifics in Governor Christie’s State of the State Address, even though she said she is meeting with state officials and FEMA today.

“We’re glad we’re on the governor’s radar, but the story of the owner of Sea Bright Pizza, Cono Trezza, is emblematic of my entire community,” Long said, citing one of many Sea Bright establishments yet to be back in business. “We want to do the right thing in terms of rebuilding by doing it smarter and by mitigating flood risk. Unfortunately, because of a lack of specificity coming from the state of New Jersey, and a lack of support and money from Washington, D.C., people who want to do the right thing are in limbo. I’m glad that we’re Jersey strong, because we’re going to have to be strong enough to pull ourselves out of this. We’re a 1,500-person town with a $5 million budget that needs help, and we’re not getting help.”

“I would not respond well to somebody who criticized this Republican governor, because [Christie] has been a determined, inspirational leader,” Long said. “But in order for us to rebuild smart from Sandy, we need more than just moral support. We need to know whether or not we’re going to get financial assistance or not. And if the answer is not, that’s fine – we’ll figure it out ourselves.”

Long’s frustration is understandable. Frustration among municipal officials and residents alike is likely to rise in the coming weeks and months as the difficult realities of rebuiding are confronted.  Yet, for a mayor to expect the Governor to recite what specific actions will be taken in any given town during a State of the State Address is unrealistic, especially when that Governor highlighted your town during the address and you’ve got a meeting to handle specifics scheduled for the next day.

However, Long’s next line is alarming and should have been the lead to the story:

“Every day that goes by, the resolve of our business owners goes away,” Long added. “I’ve got people sleeping in cars – I could care less about the boardwalk.” (emphasis added)

Why are people sleeping in cars?

A friend of mine whose home in Highlands was flooded by Sandy has been staying with friends, at no cost to the taxpayers, for the last two months during her home clean up and rebuilding.  That arrangement stopped working last weekend.  My friend visited the FEMA office in Leonardo and was put up in a hotel in a matter of hours.   That residents of Sea Bright are sleeping in cars doesn’t make sense.  Maybe they are choosing to sleep in their cars.  Maybe someone is dropping the ball.  Maybe there is red tape.   Red tape and dropping the ball is unacceptable.

My friend says that FEMA temporary housing is expiring on the 12th.  That could lead to a lot more people sleeping in cars.  That’s not acceptable either.

Where is all the money that was raised by concerts being spent?  How is the millions that Christie raised privately being spent?  Evidently its not being spent on people in Sea Bright and elsewhere who have been displaced and are sleeping in cars.

We can’t have people who are displaced by a natural disaster sleeping in cars because of red tape.  Not in Monmouth County.  Not in New Jersey.  Not in the United States of America.

We’re better than that.

UPDATE:  Displaced residents are sleeping in cars because they are being evicted from their hotels on weekends to accommodate wedding guests.  Read about it here.

• Tweet

Deadline to appeal property tax assessment due to hurricane damage is tomorrow, January 9

Monmouth County property owners have until tomorrow, January 9, 2013 to notify the Monmouth County Board of Taxation of “material damage” caused by Superstorm Sandy and to receive a reduction in their property tax assessment for 2013.

The Tax Board has been surveying properties in heavily damaged areas and already reduced assessments without owners’ notification.  I checked on a properties in Highlands and Keansburg this morning.   The assessment on the Highlands property had been reduced by 30% and the Keansburg property by 15%.

If your property was materially damaged by Sandy, call the Tax Board at 732-431-7401 or submit your property information here online.

• Tweet