Some Ike victims may not be allowed to rebuild

I don't know where you are from but you are delusional if you think that Bolivar is the playground for rich oil tycoons. Thats a real side splitter. First of all, Bolivar was pretty much wiped off the map from Ike, second this place was basically a fish camp island and only recently were developers trying to entice people by building nicer homes. But please not oil tycoons far, far from it. Try Kahala Beach, Indian Beach and more points to the opposite west of Bolivar for the oil tycoons which by the way don't have their homes anymore either. But hey they rolled the dice and built their million plus dollar homes on the beach knowing about the Open Beaches Act. I am sorry for their loss but they knew the risk and were willing to take it. I live (or shall I say lived in Galveston but certainly not on the beach. I live on the bay side and all in all its very devastating but I feel fortunate one broken window and no stairs to get up to my house, I'm alive and well. On another note for those of you who don't live in the area, don't even believe that the death toll is only seven, pure bull@!$%#. Try the thousands, why they want to keep that under their hat I have no idea.

I agree with Jabbo. Those who wish to have homes on the water front should pay the entire amount for the damages--not insurance either as that dings all of us--or a special insurance for flood plane and beach homes that stays in a fund separate from the rest of us and is, no doubt, priced high as the sky.

Hear. Hear. I agree with jabbo, leafgreen, and marie. Anyone building on a beach or seaside will get no sympathy from me. None of our tax dollars should be spent remediating these beaches or these people's losses. In addition they should probably be penalized for the pollution created by these homes and materials washed into the sea by their own willful ignorance. These fools need to be stopped!

I'd like to add my complete agreement with this comment. We live in the most inland part of Galveston county and pay ridiciulously high home insurance because of all the fools that build on the beach. And then they go and cry that the government wants to take away their land when they new very well what they were getting into. And on a side note, the insurance companies that group them with homes that are very far inland should also be slapped in the face (figuratively). They need to quit being stupid and use groups that are at least a little more geographically dependent (like zip codes!). Why don't we put our money to good use and destroy those homes on the beach and rebuild somewhere a little safer. That way the spoiled babies don't cry and the money isn't wasted in the long term.

count me in, too. A barrier island is a moving aggregation of sand. No place for housing. Yet the owners expect insurance to pay for rebuilding, and then demand tax money be spent shipping the sand that washes away with every storm.
It's very unfortunate for the people who bought these places, not knowing the impermanance of their property. Too bad, but it's reality. Furthermore, the sea level has been rising for the past 12,000 years (following the end of the last ice age). There is no reason to expect that to stop. It is more likely to accelerate. This will only make matters worse.
Same for housing in river flood plains. Needs a gradual re-design and re-build. Not replacing flood-ruined homes with the same design, paid by insurance policy holders, only to flood again a few years later. Raise the floors or make them float!

I also agree that building on a barrier island is a foolish waste. If you really want to learn what a hurricane can do, look up Hog Island, New York. It is no longer there. the "Long Island Express" hurricane of 1938 took it out to sea. This old hurricane is a chilling reminder that hurricanes can happen all along the east coast. If this hurricane were to happen today, it would be a nightmare. (See the NOAA website for details) Barrier islands come and go at the whim of the oceans' currents. They are there as a first line of defense as are salt and brackish water marshes. We, in our arrogance, think we can tame nature. When we build "bigger, better, higher" levees or sea walls, they only give "bigger, better, and higher" catastrophies.....

No they should not. You were presented with a law of the state you built any ways. Who's fault is that? the tax payers of the state. No compensation should be made at all. These people signed on the dotted line well aware of the law

property taxes don't account for nothing? these people are taxpayers too.

That is not even right. That is fraud. If you built your house on sand you knew it when you did it why should insurance companies pay for some untimely fires so that every one else can pay for your mistake on where to build your home. I hope that your comment is traced as you have a sick idea of how to deal with things.

The sea will take what she wants and if your home is in the way she will take it. That knowlege is as old as time why did you think that your home would be different. The coast line is ever changing and has since the beginning of time. There is a law in place that if the coast line becomes public domain you can not build there. It is for every one to enjoy not just you

almost sound alittle jealous you dont have beach front property!

I would not invest in it as I think is is a risky investement. I lived on the beach for most of my life. We lived on a hill one block from the beach as it was a safe place to live. My mother didn't raise stupid and she wasn't either. We had hurricanes and the tide came up plenty high and took a lot of houses beneath us but it never got ours and when the shingles flew my dad replaced them.

As with the levees in New Orleans, they (dunes) give the populace a faults sense of security. They should not be rebuilt. What the sea takes, it should keep. You will lose the war against it. You may save a few, for now, but the sea will get them all.

Timmy,

change your radio channel, you're hyperventilating

Beached,
Please quit acting like you are some good samaritan. "I provide my beach house for rent for folks that want to enjoy a cost effective vacation. " You do it to make money and to have an investment. Come on- you make yourself sound like some saint. Why don't you just donate your property to the poor. They could use a great vacation. uhhh. perhaps you want to make some $$$. Face it...It's all about the $$$$.

Yep, the bottom line is money. It is for everything we do here on this planet. So I give some back to the community as a volunteer, to the church, red cross. Just how my wife and I are.
Some day when we sell, we will use that money to help pay for a retirement home, aging medical expenses, and whatever growning old brings to us. We will try very very hard not to be a burden to you and the rest of the US taxpayers. Yes, in the end, its all about the money. In the mean time, we are happy and it sounds like you are not. Sorry

Oh, and by the way, I don't act like a good Samaritan, I am one.

Apollo... Tornadoes usually don't strike the same are twice. These hurricanes are pretty common and getting worse. The state isn't stealing it. It's in the fine print when they signed up. They knew the risk. It's the same with these bankruptcies. These people bought too much home or were given loans they couldn't afford. Yet, now they are crying"We didn't know" Bull@!$%#! If you aren't educated enough to know what type of loan you are getting then you don't deserve to own a house. Get with it. Quit making excuses for people. You sound like a liberal.

The state didnt own the land until the beach erroded as beaches tend to do. When you are on the line like that and still choose to build it becomes your problem. Your boundries may change and part of the mortgage agreement that you signed spelled it out in black and white. Its very simple you can not build on public domain, the beaches are for everyone as small as they may be. You cannot own a beach unless you own an island all by your self.

Jabbo you need to read up on Texas/Houston history. Hurricanes aren't that common here. The last major hurricane to hit us was Alicia in 83.

Reason 1 the constitution
Reason 2 Government restrictions on takings
Reason 3 I am fully insured
Reason 4 I pay taxes too
Reason 5 I pay wages for the operation and maintenance on the property

I will give you reasons why you should not be compensated:

1. You are helping drive up the costs of homeowner's insurance everytime your money making property gets destroyed by the elements it is at high risk for. Sounds like you are making money off the place all the way around. Pay for your own rebuilding the next time the hurricane blasts it apart. You know it will happen again and again. Why keep rebuilding there ?

Beached,
1)The constitution doesn't gaurantee you the right to a beach home.
2)People signed a contract aware that the govt could take
3) Great, I am paying more because you are fully insured also. We all have to pay for these beach houses that are swept away and keep gettting rebuilt.
4) Doesn't give you any different rights from Joe.
5) I pay wages for the operation and maintenance of schools/government buildings. Does't give me the right to go against a contract that is set between the school and the county/owvers of the land.

the Constitution guarantee's me the right that the government doesn't take my property without just compensation.

I pay a high premium for my fully insured home. I don't see your name on my policy as a provider or a payee.

you and i pay wages and O and M on schools etc as part of either a bond or general taxes. You have the right to move or vote if you don't like how it is being managed. Thanks for your vote.

Just saying.
He will keep rebuilding because he will get a new home every 5-15 years. It's a win-win situation. Pay a higher premium but get a new beach front home. He's not paying the insurance anyway. His customers do when he provides the wonderful cost effective vacation he provides. See, he's a great guy who just wants to help people. He could care less about the money, except when it's time to be compensated.....

Again,
You dont' pay a higher premium, your cost effective vacations provide that money. You just jack up the rent. All beach front properties do that. You aren't eating any of it. And, I do help pay for beach front policies. I have to pay more to rebuild these homes. Or pay more taxes when the govt. tries to bail you all out. We are sick of it. Go out on you own. Get your own policy with all of your caring, good samaritan beach front home owners.

exactly.....I have no sympathey for stupidity and greed.

So I move to another school district and have the same rights,,,that argument makes no sense. I have no say!!! no matter where I go. They manage the property, not me. Yes I vote to give them MORE money but that's it. They get the existing levy money no matter what I do/day.

Reason's 1-5 = Imminent Domain it is in the publics best interest that homes in the high risk areas that are repeatedly damaged or destroyed should be seized by the government and the lands should be returned to their natural state.

And, Appolo, yes "stuff" happens everywhere but, hurricanes happen every year in the gulf states and every year the homes are rebuilt. We are talking about a relatively narrow strip of land along the high risk coastal areas, so just move a little further inland.

You should not be compensated you signed an agreement with the law written into it. You built it you own it the property line changed oh well..... beaches don't last forever, you bit the bullet you signed the paper work you should be and will be sol