Sad goodbye to neighbor in the NJ Blue Acres program

The individual stories of my neighbors involved in the Blue Acres buyout program are heartbreaking. I’m not blaming the state for the program. These are voluntary purchases; no one is forced to sell. But facing building code fines and violations after Sandy, many see this as their best option.

Yet I don’t see how the state’s purchase of houses at such low prices and forcing homeowners (in this case senior and disabled) into a life of housing insecurity solves any social purpose. It just seems that there ought to be some consideration of fairness when moving a home in a flood plane with another home elsewhere. Forcing a person who had a nice house (and paid taxes for years at the nice house level) people into homelessness, living with relatives, or rental of low income housing doesn’t seem fair. It was hard to hear that my neighbor does not have a life plan for the future.

In this case, the best we could do in an emotional conversation was to agree that we have some great memories of times shared at the bayshore.

If you are affected by the Blue Acres program and want someone to discuss it with, I would like to hear from you.

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