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Homes Are Collapsing in North Carolina. It Could Spell Trouble for Other Coastal Areas, Too
Since 2020, 27 beachfront homes have collapsed on Hatteras Island due to erosion outpacing beach nourishment efforts, experts warn this may signal future risks for other coasts.
- On October 18, 2025, Stacy Morgan and Brandon Dodick saw their Buxton and Rodanthe home swept into the ocean after late-September waves undermined its foundation; it was one of 16 collapses since September.
- Decades of development, Highway 12, and upstream dams have trapped sediment and worsened shoreline retreat, while RCOAST data show the coast lost 800 dump trucks of sand and nearly nine feet of elevation in five stormy weeks.
- RCOAST's 3D maps reveal collapsing beach elevations in real time, with Christy Swann saying `This is the highest erosion rate we've ever measured, hands down,` as storms stripped foundations and dropped the beach nearly a story.
- The NFIP has been unable to issue or modify policies during the government shutdown, and under current rules homeowners receive payouts only if homes collapse, forcing moves costing about $55,000.
- As experts warn, Buxton and Rodanthe may foreshadow other coastal losses, while Dare County's $45 million beach nourishment project is scheduled for next spring but planning may lag behind erosion.
Insights by Ground AI
12 Articles
12 Articles
When Stacy Morgan and her husband, Brandon Dodick, bought their beach house in Buxton, North Carolina, in May, they imagined that they would one day live there after their retirement.
Coverage Details
Total News Sources12
Leaning Left1Leaning Right0Center11Last UpdatedBias Distribution92% Center
Bias Distribution
- 92% of the sources are Center
92% Center
C 92%
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