The problem is the gov't is standing behind the flood insurers. We have these mostly wealthy people who are being subsidized in their insurance costs should a major storm happen. The barrier islands are simply that, barriers. They get wiped out in big storms. If people want to build there, fine. Just don't expect the rest of us to foot the bill when the not so big storm wipes your house out. The original residents, if there any of them still around, built their houses as throwaways if a storm should hit. Same should be the case for the newbies if they can't afford the real cost of flood/hurricane insurance.