Community Corner

L.I. Survey: Long Beach Has Most 'Substantially Damaged' Homes

Number of declared homes likely to rise.

Long Beach has the largest number of homes that are declared substantially damaged, a finding based on a survey of more than two dozen towns and villages on Long Island’s South Shore and barrier islands that were impacted by Hurricane Sandy. 

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Of the more than 3,000 homes deemed substantially damaged in these communities, Long Beach reported a total of 1,065 such homes, a number that is likely to rise, according to Newsday, which conducted the survey. The Town of Hempstead and Village of Freeport had 521 and 130 substantially damaged homes respectively.

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The City of Long Beach was among a limited number of communities in which the Federal Emergency Management Agency assisted in conducting assessments of storm-damaged homes. Scott Kemins, the city’s building commissioner, told Newsday:

"There were very few homes that did not get damaged during the flooding.”

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A home is declared substantially damaged when the structure sustained damage of 50 percent or more of its pre-storm market value. Owners of these homes in a flood zones face requirements for rebuilding based on federal, state and local building-code standards. One standard requires that homeowners elevate their homes to specific heights to protect against storms and obtain flood insurance that is less expensive than if they rebuilt as before. Those who fail to meet these standards face financial penalties or increased insurance rates.

RELATED: NY Rising: Funds for Sandy Homeowners Coming Soon


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