Sandy victims, still out of homes, camp outside State House
TRENTON, N.J. (WPVI) -- This week marks three years since Hurricane Sandy devastated the New Jersey coastline. But many people who live at the shore and lost everything still haven't gotten what they need to get back on their feet.
On Tuesday they rallied in Trenton to demand action. They're planning on camping out across from the State House until Friday to remind the governor and lawmakers that they still need help.
Kelly Brier of Leonardo, New Jersey choked back tears when she said, "Three years later and we are no closer to being home and we fight every day.
Fight with insurance companies, banks, FEMA, the state grant program called RREM - it's an endless tangle of red tape, say these still-displaced Sandy survivors.
Nancy Wirtz of Forked River tells us, "We still have no home and I'm living every day with that nightmare that happened three years ago."
Marine veteran Doug Quinn of Toms River is tacking up pictures of him and the 2 1/2 feet of water that flooded his house. It's part of a memorial wall with mementos of the struggles Sandy victims have had returning home.
Quinn says, "I had $250,000 of flood insurance. I was paid $0.35 on the dollar. I should have no reason why I should have to sue my own government and pay attorneys to get them to honor their commitments."
Joe Karcz of Beach Haven West says, "If I could spare anybody the heart ache, the nightmare, the paperwork it'll be well worth it."
Karcz has moved 13 times since Sandy. He blames Governor Christie for not doing more to untangle the red tape strangling Sandy victims.
"We're still waiting for him to finish the job. He's busy running around the country for president. He don't care about us. We are in the Rearview mirror," he said.
The three years since Sandy has taken its toll on some of these victims, who wonder if they'll ever get back home.
Chuck Griffin of Little Egg Harbor says, "When you're constantly worrying about, how long will this take and when will we get back in and are we gonna be able to do it?"
The governor's office says the state continues to work on a daily basis with Sandy victims to help them recover, and that the governor is as committed today as he's always been to seeing the job through.
State police told the campers that they may not pitch tents across from the State House, so they'll be sleeping out under the stars.
