LONG-TERM RECOVERY: SEASIDE COMMUNITY ENVISIONS A BRIGHTER FUTURE

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FEMA Press Release date: 

AUGUST 27, 2013

Release Number: 

4086-214

LINCROFT, N.J. -- When Superstorm Sandy subsided after battering the Borough of Sea Bright, the Jersey Shore community responded with the strong determination people associate with Sea Brighters. Their resolve in recovery efforts has resulted in two realizations – one, recovery is a long-term process; and two, the small community of nearly 2,000 residents will never be exactly the same.

Ten months after the storm, the community is actively engaged in creating a vision for a brighter future – a vision that leaders call Sea Bright 2020. On Wednesday, Aug. 21, about 160 residents gathered at Holy Cross Catholic School in nearby Rumson to identify key projects and strategies that will help move them beyond recovery.

It’s part of a proven long-term planning process guided and supported by FEMA’s Federal Disaster Recovery Coordination (FDRC) office. The recovery coordination office works with state and federal partners to help streamline access to federal funding, decrease gaps in assistance, and establish recovery goals in terms of outcomes, milestones and budget. The FDRC can also provide an array of skills, Sea Bright residents attend the Sea Bright 2020 Community Workshop to discuss ideas and concerns regarding key projects that will help restore the coastal town. This workshop is part of a three-month community engagement effort by N.J. Futures, the Edward Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University and supported by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Rosanna Arias/FEMAsuch as civil engineering, architecture, land-use planning, economic development, environmental science and disabilities integration.

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