Beachfront properties in southern Brevard County ravaged by Hurricane Matthew last fall are getting a helping hand starting this week.
- $4 million project begins to restore south Brevard beaches
- Beachfront properties battered, damaged by Hurricane Matthew
- Millions are coming from hotel/motel tax revenue
- RELATED:
The county estimates that the storm caused $25 million in erosion damage.
Matthew ended up skirting the Space Coast, knocking down trees, creating debris and devouring the beachline, leaving some homes on the beach teetering on the edge of sand cliffs.
Workers are on the beach this week with heavy equipment, shoring up areas eroded by the storm's strong winds and waves.
It's part of a $4 million renourishment project, focusing on the south beaches area down to Sebastian Inlet.
Ben Robinson has lived oceanfront here for 18 years. His home and beach suffered the wrath of the mid-2000s hurricanes, and now some erosion damage from Matthew.
He is grateful for all the work being done.
"It means everything for us," he said. "It's a barrier for the next storm, and it encourages more growth of the vegetation, which holds off even the lesser storms."
Brevard County is using hotel/motel tax money to pay for this sand replenishment. The project money is in addition to the $15 million that Gov. Rick Scott allocated last week to beach restoration efforts in four counties, including Brevard, hit hard by Matthew.