Family Cottages, Traditions May Die With Sandy

Families that inherited small homes on the Jersey Shore over the years are trying to decide whether it is possible to repair or rebuild after Superstorm Sandy.

Homes in Mantoloking damaged from Sandy (Andy Chase, Townsquare Media NJ)

Many cottages that are passed down through families are owned outright and do not have flood insurance. Even those homeowners with some form of insurance say it won't be enough to cover the costs of replacing what they lost.

Most were built by middle- and working-class families.

Even before Sandy, many vacation home owners were struggling to maintain the properties and pay New Jersey's notoriously high property taxes.