Wealthy People Build Homes on Shifting Sand, Taxpayers to Save Them

RICHMOND TIMES DISPATCH ^ | Aug 08, 2002 | THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

[putupon]

VIRGINIA BEACH - In the Sandbridge resort community, the beach is so eroded that during high tide waves crash against bulkheads protecting summer cottages and million-dollar mansions from the sea.

Now, after years of negotiation between the city and the federal government, an agreement has been reached to have the federal government pay 65 percent of the cost of beach replenishment for at least the next 46 years. Sandbridge residents and renters will pay the remaining 35 percent from property taxes and taxes on rental homes.

[putupon]

If I didn't have to pay for other people's vacation homes, maybe I could afford one.

[07055]

"And from a federal standpoint, they protected a lot of very valuable property."

Yes, they protected a lot of very valuable property that the government does not own.

In fact, they will significantly increase the value of that property--and all profits will go to the private owners.

Is this a great country or what?

[RolandBurnam]

get down with the system

[ArrogantBustard]

a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
Matt. 7:26-27

I've never had any sympathy whatever for these idiots. Sandbridge is a 'barrier island', a gigantic shifting sand bar. It's not in any sense a fixed, 'permanent' piece of land. They built their houses on shifting sand in the face of the ocean, and are surprised when the storms wash them away? NOT! When I used to live in Norfolk, my friends and I would go down to Sandbridge after a good Nor'easter or Hurricane, and see which houses weren't there anymore.

[evaporation-plus]

Here on Long Island, N.Y. they have been doing this for years. The ocean removes the beach sand, knocks down valuable homes that are insured by the Fed. Three levels of government, Fed, State and Local replace the sand, rebuild the homes and the homes become more valuable. Then the cycle repeats itself...... The ONLY loser is the taxpayer!!!!

[Citizen Soldier]

City Council unanimously approved the arrangement Tuesday, two weeks after city officials reached an agreement with representatives of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the local congressional delegation.

What would be interesting is how many of these officials have homes there!!!!!

I am from this area and I always resented that the taxpayers got to pay to save cottages built too close to the ocean, destroying the natural duneline, but the public was not allowed to use the beaches in front of the homes !!!!

[Incorrigible]

Long Beach Island and Sea Bright are places I think of when this issue comes up.

Hey, 07055, what are you doing with a Jersey zip in Memphis?

[lavaroise]

Welfare for the rich, welfare for the poor, that's compassionate.

[07055]

Grew up in Jersey but got out in the late 70s!

My wife is currently en route to Passaic though.

[Stefan Stackhouse]

When the next hurricane comes along -- which it will, it is just a matter of time -- these will all become toothpicks.

Very, very expensive toothpicks.

[Eva]

"The wiseman built his house upon the rock."

[Tarheel]

The same thing happens on the barrier islands here in NC. The weeping,wailing and moaning that occurs after a big storm/hurricane is unbelievable! Common sense is in short supply (you don't build on a barrier island that is nothing but shifting sand) among these nitwits, greed is not. One wonders about the gene pool that produces these geologically challenged individuals.

It would be interesting for an enterprising reporter to start digging up property ownership records of some of the people that currently own/or have recently owned this very expensive property. Bet there would be many DC types. In the case of NC, one wonders about names like Edwards, Gore and Gephardt.

The Tarheel

[breakem]

Some one may come along and correct me, but I believe some residents of Malibu, CA have benefited by this public largess.

Well what do folks here think of FEMA money for flood, tornado or earthquake victims?

[hammerdown]

ping

[evaporation-plus]

"Common sense is in short supply"

The ones with the homes know exactly what's going on..... It's the taxpayers, local and national that have NO common sense.

[FateAmenableToChange]

bump for later reference

[robertpaulsen]

No, no, no. You've got it all wrong. Instead of it costing the government 100% to replenish the beach, these residents voted to kick in 35% of the costs. Aren't they nice people?

[3catsanadog]

It's like a candle being burned at both ends. Sooner or later it's going to burn out. I wonder what will happen then.

[3catsanadog]

The Outer Banks - my favorite place on earth!

[Greeklawyer]

Government assistance is ok until they want to take a piece of your property and force a walkway though your home's property.