Raising or Leaving Home in Rumson

It's been more than five months since Hurricane Sandy hit and the ocean and Shrewsbury River met and wreaked havoc on Sea Bright and Rumson's West Park.

A demographically diverse section of old Rumson, West Park's residents ended up with beach club cabanas, boats and personal belongings from the town across the river in their yards.

The water levels had washed many people out of their homes — some temporarily, some permanently. Even up to a few weeks ago, residents were still left somewhat in the dark with street lights still out.

Rumson officials, before the New Year, rushed to set base height elevation standards in flood zones for those who wanted to waste no time in getting to work elevating their homes.

Some were rallying for expeditious rebuilds. Some could not afford it. Some had to wait for insurance payouts. Others raised concerns that the new standards may push people out of town who cannot afford to elevate and/or insure. Paying the new price to live where they had lived near the water, unassumingly and modestly, for years was not an option for some.

Houses started to rise. Some are in the process of being completely reconstructed. Others are still abandoned, uninhabitable and for sale.

And, in the midst of it all, a nor-easter struck a couple of weeks ago and left West Park soggy and strewn with puddles of standing water.

There is rumor that cars, boats and more bulky material are sunk in sediment in the Shrewsbury River. The rumor, considering what the tide of the storm has brought in all up and down the shore, is pretty much a fact that has not yet been confirmed with numbers.

The NJ Department of Environmental Protection has launched its campaign to free up waterways of hazardous bulk materials from Sandy. When residents and/or officials know of or see a large, potentially toxic, item in the water or washed up, they are to notify their municipality. Officials, in turn, are to advise the DEP and they will arrange to have items removed.

There are still staunch remnants of Sandy in West Park. There's the debris that washed and piled up on the island that sits in the bay, sink holes and pitted roads, some still-downed power lines, bent over trees, filled dumpsters and furniture, puddles and even a tossed building or two. 

There are homes that some appear to have given up on, for one prohibitive reason or another. Then there are homes that now near rebuild completion and tower among others, signs of prepping to elevate and "For Sale" signs.

And, the boat that washed up and lodged itself onto a dismembered dock is still sitting there, sideways.

Take a look at the above photo gallery for a glimpse into what's happening post-Sandy in West Park.