SAND Storm surge moved high volumes of sand from the beaches and residents estimate that there was a depth of approximately 2 to 3 feet of sand carried from the beach into the neighborhood.
HOUSING The housing inventory in Breezy Point is predominantly comprised of single family housing in the form of bungalows and newer single family homes. The majority of these are light wood frame homes, considered “combustible” by New York City building codes. At the time of survey, the field team found that almost every home had been affected in some way by the storm, with approximately 51 homes (19% of those surveyed) receiving a red tag, 65 (25%) receiving a yellow tag, and 115 (44%) receiving a green tag by the DoB. The remainder were either unknown or had not yet received a designation. The areas closest to the ocean suffered the most extensive structural damage due to storm surge, while the homes at the interior suffered damage from flooding or, in a portion of “the Wedge,” were destroyed by fire (in which case only the foundations remain). Some of the homes in the neighborhood have been raised off of the ground approximately 2 to 3 feet, which reduced the flood level on the first floor. Regardless of whether they had been raised or not, the first floors of homes that did not have to be demolished had to be gutted to above the flood line, dried out, and reconstructed. Much of this work had been or was being done at the time of survey. Several additional patterns were evident across both housing types. Many of the homes had wooden decks, which were either destroyed or had separated from the homes. At least one resident noted that, although her home was not structurally damaged, she had received a yellow tag from the DoB because her deck was structurally compromised. Another resident noted that their neighbors deck, which had become detached during the storm, was ramming against their home and causing damage. In addition to the decks, wood and vinyl siding was missing from homes in many cases, as were roof shingles and canvas awnings covering many of the porches. Others reported leaky roofs caused by roof damage.
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Several residents noted that they had just finished major renovations prior to Sandy. One resident, who was very proud of his renovation, was in the process of re-renovating his first floor to deal with Sandy damage. Although he had to discard the majority of the building materials removed from his home, he was able to salvage and re-use the marble counter tops from his cabinets.
BUNGALOWS As in the other coastal communities with the bungalow typology, the bungalows in Breezy Point were especially hard hit during Sandy. Many of these homes had been passed down from generation to generation, with one resident noting that his bungalow was constructed in 1930 and his family had owned their home for 75 years. This made it especially difficult for residents after Sandy, as these homes have had a long history, full of personal memories. During Sandy, many of the bungalows in Breezy Point were either completely destroyed or suffered severe structural damage as a result of being shifted off of their foundations. The majority of the bungalows had concrete block foundations, which were easily damaged during the storm. In some cases, the blocks separated from one another, especially at the corners. Damages to the foundation had significant impacts on the rest of the bungalow, including damage to main structural elements and, in some cases, the separation and cracking of the floor. One couple noted that sand and debris had been pushed under their deck and crawl space. As a result, the wood siding on their home, their deck, and their floor had been pushed up. They noted that there was a large crack in their living room floor, which looked like it was separating. In addition to the work they had to do to remediate the damage on their first floor, they also needed help removing the sand and debris under their home, which they noted smelled “like a cesspool,” so that they could address any structural damage that may have occurred and properly remediate for mold damage. They had just renovated their home prior to Sandy and wanted to fix the home, but were considering demolition, which was free before December 31st. They planned to discuss this with the DoB to see if the damage to their structure was significant, so that they could make a proper decision. In many cases, the bungalows were tightly arranged next to one another, which meant that as one bungalow was lifted off of its foundation, it posed the threat of causing damage to its neighbor. This arrangement also proved to be a fire hazard,
ARCHITECTURE FOR HUMANITY NEW YORK