Ortley Beach Man in Dispute With State Over Home Demolition

An Ortley Beach man is continuing his dispute with the state Department of Transportation over whether the state agency should have torn his home down after Superstorm Sandy without notifying him first.

“It’s taken a tremendous toll on me and my family physically, mentally and financially,” Maria told a Chasing New Jersey reporter.

A spokesman for NJDOT said Nick Maria’s house was torn down because it was off its foundation and had come to rest on another house that was in the street, according to the Chasing New Jersey report, but questions have arisen over why the DOT tore the house down if it was not blocking a highway. Maria has also questioned whether the house was resting on another house in the first place.

Maria says he would have fixed his home, and the DOT never even told him it was going to be demolished so he could remove his belongings.