NC - Rodanthe house threatened by Atlantic demolished. Another nearby soon will follow.

What You Need To Know

• Erosion rates in Rodanthe have increased to 3 to 4 meters per year
• Beach erosion caused five homes to collapse in Rodanthe since 2020
• The National Park Service bought two homes threatened by erosion

Five homes have collapsed in the area since 2020, filling the beach with debris. Four of those homes came down this year.  

The National Park Service purchased two homes off East Beacon Road to help reduce the risk of another home going into the ocean.  

Cape Hatteras National Seashore Superintendent Dave Hallac said they consider this a pilot project, and if successful, they’ll see how it can be expanded to the 12 other homes he says are still in danger of collapse.  

“Multiple homeowners have contacted us saying that they're very interested in having somebody purchase their property for those reasons … right now we're really focused on carrying out what we started and that was the acquisition of these properties. The removal of the structures, the restoration of the beach and turning it into a public access site,” Hallac said.  

The program is funded through the Land and Conservation Fund.

“I have mixed feelings because my husband built that house” said Marilyn Poskitt, a homeowner in Rodanthe.  

The New Jersey native has been vacationing in Rodanthe for nearly 50 years and had three homes built on Beacon Road, including the homes being demolished. She says the homes were sold many years ago to other owners, and she's happy that they're now in the hands of the park service.

“It’s nice to have it being taken down rather than the insurance companies letting them fall into the water. When they do that, there's a lot of debris, there's is glass, there are things that can injure, you know … So to have it done this way is a lot safer,” Poskitt said.

Hallac told reporters at a news conference Wednesday that that section of beach in Rodanthe is eroding 3 to 4 meters each year and doesn’t seem to be slowing down.

The contractor handling the project has 30 days to complete demolition and clean up.  

After it’s complete the area will become a walk-over public beach access.