As someone who is now in a "V" zone, I really appreciate this. I also appreciate that Toms River has NOT adopted the FEMA maps yet and is looking into ways to change those maps. Good job Toms River!

DONT FIGHT FEMA MAPS,THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN,WE MUST RAISE OUR HOMES TO LIVE HERE.

Washington bureaucrats decided we each must spend $50,000 to $150,000 to raise houses several feet for the 0.01% chance of a flood and the 0.002% chance of another Sandy.

For homes with small yards where it's physically impossible to move them aside for pile-driving, the alternative is $30,000-a-year insurance premiums.

FEMA got the power to destroy the Shore from the misguided 2012 Biggert-Waters Act. Congress must correct it to allow phasing in reasonable elevations and premiums over the next decade.

More facts at StopFemaNow.com and Facebook.com/StopFemaNow. Information meeting Sat. March 9th, 3-4PM, Silverton First Aid Squad, 86 Maine St., Toms River. Homeowners from all towns are welcome to join our fight for rational rebuilding.

FEMA's irrational demands have devalued property values significantly. Save our Shore communities!

I am happy to see Toms River moving in the right direction .

Let's just hope that Berkeley Township follows suit. How about it BT officials, lets do the same for our ravaged constituents.

They still need to waive setbacks for steps and raised decks. I showed them a plan with a raised deck so we can put a grill at our "new" living level and they said I will need a variance. I find that ridiculous since it is air space. Now for those of you that dont know...when you build new you Must have high impact windows which are bulletproof! The only way around it is if you have plywood cut for each window and hardware to install onsite in order to get a CO....this process is not going to be easy!

What happens to us folks that can't afford to raise our houses? Nor can we afford $30,000 insurance premiums. I guess a lot of people will be walking away from their homes and our communities will be home to the rich.

I am not defending FEMA, but the rates they charged since taking over the flood insurance duties are not actuarially sound. If they were, then the private insurers would be in the business. FEMA can get the insurance fund solvent over a longer period of time and avoid the immediate devastating rate hikes. It appears as though they are trying to recoup the haircuts they took from Katrina and now Sandy in as short a timeframe as possible. Also, the $30,000 figure that is being thrown around is not the norm. Some houses will be below the new ABFE's and while they will pay significantly more, (premiums raised 20% per year for 5 years) the $30,000 will likely be the exception rather than the norm. Everyone needs to push our representatives at the State and Federal (especially Mindlessendez and Lousenberg) level to revisit Biggert Waters and smooth out the money recovery structure and timeframes. So to Gabby's point, don't be so quick to walk away.

There are approx 35,000 homes that are effected by the new FEMA maps. With keeping that in mind, what would happen if all 35,000 home owners JUST SAID NO to the new FEMA maps and the new building codes that are being imposed on us and just renovated their damaged homes? In this scenario, I would think that the 35,000 homeowners would be able to back FEMA into a corner and force them to come up with a more reasonable and financially feasible plan that’s practical and works for everybody. There is Strength in numbers. Furthermore, if we were all somehow able to agree and comply with the new flood maps, incur the cost, and raise our homes, 35,000 of them. this would be a project of ENORMOUS PROPORTION and take many years, not just 2 or 3 years to complete. There are only so many licensed NJ contractors. The current solution of raising our homes is absolutely nonsense and far from reasonable and practical. Let’s take Government and Politics out of the equation and come up with that’s equitable solution for all of us.

Michael Capo,
In most of your posts you suggest a tax revolt. Why don't you start a movement? I nominate you to take charge!

Thanks Michael. My ideas are only driven by frustration. Typically i'm not an anti government preacher but, Sometimes common scense has to kick in and a happy medium focused upon for the majority. The old saying "you cant please everyone" comes to mind which is very true but, the new building code restrictions are not pleasing to anyone and rightfuly so. The financial hardships and burdens that we will all face in the very near furture will be life changing to say the least. Strong in numbers is what we have to focus on force that hands that are forcing us.

Everybody should do absolutely nothing to their homes on the island.Its a horrible thing to say but donot spend any money@ local businesses, let the towns suffer and look like a 9th ward shithole that it is.Face it a quarter of our homes won't be ready for summer any way.start rebuilding in the fall, see how everyone likes that

Unless a miracle happens with a basic cleanup.........there will be no summer season for Ortley, whether you fix your home or not. Took a ride thru Lavellette today. Looks good. Streets are clean and not crumbling like in Ortley. Why isn't that happening here.

You guys ready for new storm Triton forming in mid west,rockies.8 days out,northeast it will be.just don't know intensity.where is that white towel.the models i look at say we are in a good pattern for a TKO!pow

I can't afford to stay or go...im screwed, anybody got and drugs, hard ones.

I am still trying to find out why businesses do not have to follow the FEMA map elevation levels. ? I don't see anything about the A & P, McDonalds, banks, gas stations, motels and restaurants, ETC. being raised.
Are they any safer then we are staying at their levels?
If homes have to be raised all structures should have to be raised.
If businesses stayed on there foundations and don't have to be raised why can't the homes that are on there foundations have the same rules?
WHAT IS THE FEMA RULE ON BUSINESS STRUCTURES??? COMPARED TO HOME STRUCTURES?

So confussed!!! All houses must be raised even in A zone, 7' before now 9' hight. Raised my home In 1977 now I must raise it again? I wish this would stop already. I have flood insurance & now if I don't raise it will go from $1,000to $30,000 a yr if I don't!! How is this fair? We r stuck or we walk away & drop our keys. We must raise 3' over the 9' now. So we must go 5' higher now to do as FEMA & Toms River wants along with Christie.

As I understand it, FEMA elevation levels apply to homes that have mortgages that are backed by Fanny, Freddie, and Ginnie.
The mandated flood insurance is on mortgaged property Businesses are on their own, their insurance isn't guaranteed by the Federal Government (taxpayers).

Unclebob, so you are saying that anyone that doesn't have a loan or mortgage on their property will not have to elevate and would be on there own like a business.

I could be wrong, but the elevations are all about insurance. If you want flood insurance and don't want to pay the exorbitant premiums that are threatened you have to elevate. They can't make you pick up a home that's paid for, but when you try to sell it, any prospective buyer will face the new flood insurance rates and your property will not be all that saleable. To put is plainly, Without access to affordable flood insurance, your property will be less valuable, less marketable. We are really between a rock and a hard place. Walk away from your equity or pony up the bucks to preserve your investment. If you own outright you run the risk that the next high tide will wipe you out again.