Jersey Shore Magazine

photos by James Ward The decision was made by homeowners to lift their Point Pleasant Beach home in Zone AE to prevent an increase of nearly $4,000. per year in flood insurance. j e r s e y s h o r e • F a l l / H o l i d a y 2 0 1 3 The home was lifted by Ward Home Services of Point Pleasant Beach using a unified jacking machine. It was lifted almost seven feet—three feet above the BFE of nine feet. 72 The home is set on the foundation. In order for these homeowners to qualify for ICC funding, there are still requirements to be met, including creating proper flood vents and obtaining a new flood elevation certificate. Jersey shore HOMES RAISING THE JERSEY SHORE, continued from page 71 the takeaway is that rates for noncompliant homeowners—those who need to be higher, but refuse to raise their homes—will be astronomical. FEMA hasn't released final data, but rates have been quoted as being as high as $20,000. to $30,000. a year. Craig Alsdorf of Ward Home Services, contractors in Point Pleasant Beach, explains, "If a homeowner builds a home two feet above BFE, it could be $1,800. a year for a policy; if they are two feet below BFE, it could be $7,000." If towns choose not to adopt the FIRM map, they will be banned from using the NFIP. These tactics were evident after Sandy, as Kasimos stated, "If the state and municipalities didn't adopt the preliminary FEMA flood map, they wouldn't get money for Sandy." Senator Menendez (D-NJ) was present at a Senate Banking Committee hearing in September to request from FEMA a delay in the removal of NFIP subsidies. BiggertWaters called for an affordability study, which, in the year since it had been adopted, has not been conducted. With the adoption of the FIRM maps—and the associated rise in insurance rates—looming, Menendez requested that FEMA not "phase out subsidies or any grandfathering until it presents a plan to make flood insurance more affordable." Menendez, addressing FEMA administrator Craig Fugate, spoke to the frustration felt by homeowners. "These consequences are for real people. I'm not worried about the homes. I'm worried about the people that this is their single most important asset," Menendez stated. "First we had the storm, then we had the flood maps redone, now the humanmade disaster that is unaffordable... Look at the consequences on the economy. People won't buy these homes." Dunes and the FIRM Map Confusing the situation even further for homeowners is this: FEMA is required to come in and re-evaluate

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