Scott Gurian

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has offered voluntary buyouts to another set of homeowners in Sayreville, a northern New Jersey town that experienced massive flooding from the Raritan River.

Devastated by Sandy, Sea Bright is now casting an eye towards the future, using the storm as an opportunity to make it more livable, sustainable and resilient.

Nearly ten months after Sandy, Governor Christie is continuing to avoid discussions about the threat of climate change leading to more severe storms. But remarks the Governor made yesterday show he seems to be taking a softer approach.

Governor Chris Christie and U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan visited a town damaged by Sandy to call attention to a new federal report on how the region should prepare for future storms. Despite the governor's reluctance to speak about climate change, he did express concern about an increase in severe storms.

A task force appointed by President Obama is expected to release its report Monday on the post-Sandy rebuilding, which could guide the storm recovery process.

Before a rare joint meeting of the Senate and Assembly Environment committees, a series of environmental experts testified that the state is not considering the future effects of climate change and not focusing enough of its efforts on offering buyouts in flood prone areas.

For many homeowners and businesses recovering from Sandy, the mantra has been to rebuild stronger. But some New Jersey residents have concluded that their best option is not to rebuild at all.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has announced a program to provide residents of flood-prone areas grants of up to $30,000 to elevate their homes to protect them from future storms. Priority will be given to homeowners who suffered the most damage from Sandy and face the greatest risk of future flooding.

Over the past 30 years, several research reports and the state’s own Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) warned that the Jersey Shore was overbuilt and that a storm like Sandy would cause widespread destruction. New Jersey Public Radio has reviewed internal DEP documents that even recommended a strategic retreat from the water’s edge, but that language disappeared after Gov. Chris Christie took control of the office in 2010. 

The state of New Jersey has issued its first round of buyout offers for Sandy-ravaged homes in Sayreville — and Governor Chris Christie says dozens more offers are on the way.

FEMA has released new maps that have greatly reduced the number of homes located in the highest-risk zones, and a great number of homeowners once concerned about what to do with their...

Seven months after Sandy, tourism officials in Atlantic City are doing their best to dispel lingering misperceptions about damage to the city’s boardwalk.  They’re gearing up for what they hope will be a busy summer season, and they’re hopeful that by re-branding the city as more than just a gambling mecca, they might be able to turn around the six-year drop in tourist revenue.

 

Memorial Day weekend marks the start of the summer travel season, and it's particularly important for the resort communities along the Jersey Shore still suffering the effects of Hurricane Sandy.

In the popular tourist spot Point Pleasant Beach, N.J., it has taken seven months and more than $1 million to ...

Most of the attention on Sandy’s impact has focused on coastal areas, but several inland towns were also devastated, including the small, Bergen County borough of Moonachie.

Six months after Sandy, Governor Chris Christie’s message to New Jersey residents is that more help is on the way. 

While the most badly damaged structures in Union Beach, N.J.,  are being totally demolished, more than 1,700 homes and rentals — or about 80 percent of all the borough’s dwellings — s...

It's been six months since Hurricane Sandy caused flooding and destruction throughout the region. Matthew Schuerman, WNYC editor, and Scott Gurian, freelance reporter, discuss their reporting on the recovery, from the re-building in Long Beach, Long Island to how federal money is being used to improve infrastructure.

Plus: your six-month calls. How is the recovery going in your area? If your home was affected by the storm, have you decided whether to stay and do nothing, to renovate for flood prevention, or to move away from the shore altogether? Call 212-433-9692 or post your story here.

With $37 billion at his fingertips, Marc Ferzan is managing a budget of federal aid money that’s more than the entire state of New Jersey spends in an average year. He's also been op...

It’s been a rollercoaster of emotions the past few weeks for Gigi Liaguno-Dorr, owner of Jakeabob’s Bay restaurant in Union Beach, New Jersey. Sandy damaged her building beyond repai...