It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always.
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting the historic Fort Fisher State Historic Site gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Kure Beach, NC is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
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“Always best care is a family oriented agency . I am blessed in my heart to see the services being rendered to clients. Extra miles taken to make sure every client is well taken care, even in unpleasant weather conditions. The CEO and administrators were out in the snow last week picking up workers who were unsure of driving . I was glad to see this commitment, making sure families could sit back and relax. With no fear, I will recommend Always best to any family who needs awesome care for their love ones.”
“I am very grateful to work for Always Best Care since year 2019. All office staff are great people, very helpful and always treat everyone with love and respect. Definitively it is a bless to work for this agency.”
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“Always Best Care Senior Services was exactly what our family needed during a challenging time with our father. It all began with a fall, followed by an ER visit, and soon after, my sister and I found ourselves flying to NC to care for him and plan the next steps. Kathryn from Always Best Care was an absolute lifesaver! She guided us seamlessly through the process of finding the perfect independent senior living community for our father. Her extensive industry knowledge helped us navigate the additional health services he required with ease. Kathryn went above and beyond, consistently checking in and patiently responding to countless texts and emails from us. Thanks to her support, our father is now thriving in a supportive environment and is healthier than ever. We can’t imagine how we would have managed this journey without Kathryn’s expertise and compassion. Truly an incredible experience!”
“This virtual dementia training offers an immersive experience that helps us participants understand the daily challenges faced by those with dementia. It builds empathy, enhances caregiving skills, and provides practical insights into supporting individuals with dementia.”
“The team members are good about keeping in contact with you. The caregiver has been on time and has gotten along well with my mother.”
“Wow, the virtual reality dementia training is very eye opening. Gives you an idea of what someone living with dementia is like. This is such a horrible disease but this helps care givers understand the disease. Thanks so much!!”
“Enjoyed taking this virtual trip through the mind of a dementia.”
“This was a very good experience. It changed my mind on a lot of things . I didn’t know it was that bad for them and it’s very sad , I will always treat them all with care and love no matter what because there dealing with something that’s really hard to deal with .”
“I had a great experience”
“Great experience! I think everyone who cares for someone with dementia should have this experience.”
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“It was a great experience and it is a eye opener I loved it”
“Very knowledgeable and informative! Definitely recommend”
“It was a great experience it really opens your eyes to get a better understanding on what dementia patients go through.”
Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Fort Fisher State Recreation Area with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local Ocean View Restaurant or visit The Rocks at Fort Fisher, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Kure Beach, NC, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Kure Beach, NC understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Kure Beach, NC 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - It was a busy week for many beach communities in Southeastern North Carolina.Hurricane Erin pushed past the Carolinas primarily on Thursday, Aug. 21.In the days leading up to it, and in the days after, the system created dangerous surf conditions.Several rip current rescues were reported in areas like Wrightsville Beach, prompting it and other beach towns to issue no-swimming advisories.It also led to high tides that covered much of the sand on several beaches and led to minor erosion....
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - It was a busy week for many beach communities in Southeastern North Carolina.
Hurricane Erin pushed past the Carolinas primarily on Thursday, Aug. 21.
In the days leading up to it, and in the days after, the system created dangerous surf conditions.
Several rip current rescues were reported in areas like Wrightsville Beach, prompting it and other beach towns to issue no-swimming advisories.
It also led to high tides that covered much of the sand on several beaches and led to minor erosion.
Kure Beach Mayor Allen Oliver said Kure Beach fared relatively well during this system.
“I think we dodged a bullet with this storm,” Oliver said. “We didn’t get hit hard as some other areas did. We’re very fortunate. But it just shows you how strong these storms can be even when they’re off the shore.”
Oliver said high tides on Wednesday and Thursday were coming up all the way to the dune line, but the dunes were not damaged. The area only saw some minor erosion.
Oliver said they also had a few rip current rescues early on in the week. Despite some dangerous rip current conditions, they chose not to issue a no-swimming advisory. Oliver said this wound up working well because most people listened to lifeguards’ warnings.
“I think our people did a pretty good job of staying out,” Oliver said. “It’s kind of a bad time of the year with lifeguards going back to college and everything, so our staff is a little bit more limited than others. So you really rely on people to just listen to what they’re saying.”
He doesn’t think beachgoers are in the clear for the weekend quite yet. He urges people to pay attention to the flags on the lifeguard stand and stay out of the water if they’re not good swimmers.
Communications Manager for the Town of Oak Island, Mike Emory said the beach area is also doing well after Hurricane Erin passed offshore.
Emory said they haven’t seen much beach erosion and didn’t see too many rip current rescues. Friday, they were able to downgrade their beach flags from red to yellow.
Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue Director Sam Proffitt also said the dangerous surf conditions appear to be starting to lighten up, and they haven’t had nearly as many rip current rescues in the past few days.
All officials urged beachgoers to use caution this weekend.
Copyright 2025 WECT. All rights reserved.
As recently as late May 2025, a swimmer was injured off the coast of North Carolina’s Sunset Beach. Local authorities estimate the individual’s leg wound was most likely caused by a shark. Though the North Carolina beachgoer required medical attention following the incident, they avoided fatal injury and are expected to make a full recovery. Shark attacks are not common in the state of North Carolina, but this recent incident reminds us that sharks inhabit all waters along the Atlantic coast. Shark bites are possible, even in wai...
As recently as late May 2025, a swimmer was injured off the coast of North Carolina’s Sunset Beach. Local authorities estimate the individual’s leg wound was most likely caused by a shark. Though the North Carolina beachgoer required medical attention following the incident, they avoided fatal injury and are expected to make a full recovery. Shark attacks are not common in the state of North Carolina, but this recent incident reminds us that sharks inhabit all waters along the Atlantic coast. Shark bites are possible, even in waist-deep water, in most areas off the N.C. coast. Case in point: Sunset Beach does not even make this list.
North Carolina has a total of 117 shark attack records, 97 being unprovoked. The Global Shark Attack File includes data about all shark attacks reported, even though scientists couldn’t confirm the circumstances for some incidents. They group the attacks into provoked and unprovoked attacks, incidents involving sea or watercraft disasters, and questionable incidents (noted as “unknown” in this article).
The details about these questionable incidents are unclear – some have not yet been confirmed to have involved a shark. At the same time, some do not have enough evidence to indicate the true cause of death: drowning or the shark attack. While 100%-accurate data is difficult to discern, these statistics help outline a general image of where and how often shark attacks occur in North Carolina. Let’s look at some overall statistics and then find out more about the 8 North Carolina places with the most shark attacks!
This post was updated on July 13, 2025 to include the presumed shark attack at Sunset Beach, North Carolina.
Emerald Isle has the highest number of shark attacks in North Carolina—10. Fortunately, none were fatal. People involved were either swimming or surfing. Eight episodes were unprovoked, and two did not present sufficient information to be categorized.
The first attack on Emerald Isle happened on September 25, 1971, to a surfer named J. Homer, aged 17.
Shark attacks in the region started being more common in 2000. On August 21, 2000, a man was bitten by a shark that almost severed his hand. Other attacks happened in 2002, 2008, 2016, and 2020. The last reported attack occurred on October 21, 2020, and has not yet been confirmed to have involved a shark.
Luckily, none of the nine shark attacks at North Topsail Beach was fatal. The first occurred on September 15, 2001. Dale Fulcher, Jr., a 16-year-old boy, was surfing when a shark bit his foot.
Another incident occurred a few years later, on September 5, 2005, when a bull shark severely lacerated Elizabeth Gardner’s calf. Other attacks occurred in 2007, 2008, 2010, and 2011. Two of them took place in Surf City, Topsail Island.
The last attack at North Topsail Beach involved a 43-year-old woman named Tracy Fasick. She was swimming when a shark bit her, leaving lacerations to her right ankle and calf. The incident occurred on July 8, 2012.
The first suspected attack at Wrightsville Beach occurred on October 8, 1989. It took place between Wrightsville Beach & Carolina Beach in New Hanover County. Supposedly, Doug Nunnally, a 49-year-old man, was attacked by a shark while diving. The attack was fatal. However, the shark’s involvement is only suspected, not yet confirmed.
Other incidents happened in 1995, 2000, 2002, and 2010. The last shark attack at Wrightsville Beach occurred on August 17, 2011, but few details are known about it, including whether a shark was involved in the incident. However, the evidence says that the victim was a 12-year-old boy who suffered abrasions to his left hand.
Ocracoke might be the North Carolina region with the highest number of fatal attacks—4 out of 7.
The first fatal North Carolina shark attack happened in this area, sometime between 1900 and 1905, and involved a member of the Coast Guard. The following fatal incident occurred in July 1905 to another Coast Guard member.
Other incidents occurred in 1945, 1988, and 2011. On July 1, 2015, Andrew Costello, a 68-year-old man, was bitten by a 6-7-foot-long shark and suffered injuries to his torso, hip, lower leg, and hands. The man was swimming at Lifeguard Beach when the shark attacked him.
Most of the attacks at Ocean Isle involved children, except one in 2019 that involved a 19-year-old man.
The first shark attack at Ocean Isle, Brunswick County, occurred on August 10, 1980. The incident involved a 10-year-old girl called Susan Waters. A shark bit her knee and lower leg while she was wading. Another child named Brooklyn Daniel, aged 6, was attacked under the same circumstances on June 18, 2012.
There is another record from 2012 of a child being bitten by a shark, but shark involvement has not yet been confirmed.
The last attack at Ocean Isle occurred on June 27, 2021, when a 7-year-old girl had her calf bitten by a shark while swimming.
All shark attacks at Masonboro Island and Masonboro Inlet were unprovoked. The first happened on August 19, 1986. J. McCorley was surfing when a shark bit his hand.
Almost ten years later, Michael Greenwood was swimming in the area when a shark bit his left arm. Other attacks happened in 2003, 2006, and 2014.
The last one occurred on August 24, 2014, to Miller Diggs, who suffered lacerations to her left foot. The shark measured 4 feet long.
Holden Beach has six records of shark attacks, all unprovoked and none fatal. The first attack in the area happened on June 30, 1940, when a 10-foot shark lacerated William T. Dye’s thigh while fishing.
Sixty years later, another shark attacked a human at Holden Beach. A gray-colored shark measuring 6 feet long attacked Tim Poynter, a 14-year-old boy, while surfing. Luckily, the animal left only minor injuries.
Three other incidents took place in 2005, 2009, and 2011. The last attack at Holden Beach occurred on July 11, 2013, and involved Barbara Corey, a 63-year-old woman whose right foot was bitten while walking through the water.
Among the places in North Carolina with the most shark attacks, Carolina Beach has the highest number of shark attacks that happened under unclear circumstances.
The first occurred on October 8, 1989, between Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach in New Hanover County. Doug Nunnally, a 49-year-old man, was diving late afternoon. He was found dead later, and shark involvement was suspected. However, this hasn’t yet been confirmed.
Another man was found dead in 1995. He had supposedly drowned, but scientists identified shark bites post-mortem.
Alexis Huesgen and Chris O’Connor were both attacked by a 6-foot shark on July 27, 2004, and August 12, 2005, respectively.
The last shark attack in the area occurred on July 13, 2008, and the circumstances are unknown. Scientists suppose that Donald Griffin, a 52-year-old man, collided with a marine animal, possibly a shark or a dolphin, during body surfing. He had bruises, abrasions, and spine and nerve damage.
When the Army Corps of Engineers announced in May that a contract had been signed for fresh sand to be pumped onto Pleasure Island's beaches, Carolina and Kure beach officials expressed a sigh of relief.Without wide, attractive beaches, there wouldn't be many tourists. And without visitors, well, the economies of the two New Hanover County beach towns would likely find themselves in a financial mess.The announcement was especially welcome after the nourishment project had been delayed a year because initial bids for the project...
When the Army Corps of Engineers announced in May that a contract had been signed for fresh sand to be pumped onto Pleasure Island's beaches, Carolina and Kure beach officials expressed a sigh of relief.
Without wide, attractive beaches, there wouldn't be many tourists. And without visitors, well, the economies of the two New Hanover County beach towns would likely find themselves in a financial mess.
The announcement was especially welcome after the nourishment project had been delayed a year because initial bids for the project came in well over estimates. To put it simply, there was too much work along the Gulf and East coasts after a series of big tropical storms and not enough money earmarked to cover the escalating project costs.
The work, expected to begin this fall or winter, will buy Pleasure Island about three years of beach relief − assuming a sand-chomping hurricane or strong nor'easter doesn't take aim at the Cape Fear coast.
But what happens after that?
While the nourishment agreement between Washington and the beach towns has been extended, the Trump administration has shown little reservation in reversing policy decisions and financial agreements made by previous congresses and administrations.
Coastal communities use a variety of financial models to fund their beach-building projects.
Arguably among the luckiest North Carolina towns are New Hanover County's three beach towns and Ocean Isle Beach in Brunswick County, which see periodic federal beach nourishment projects. Under the agreements with Washington, the federal government generally picks up 65% of the nourishment's cost while the remaining 35% is the responsibility of local governments or the state.
In the case of Wrightsville, Carolina and Kure beaches, New Hanover County and the state split the local cost-share. New Hanover uses room-tax proceeds, a special additional tax on hotel and short-term rentals, to pay for its beach nourishment costs.
While a sustainable model, even local officials admit the fund could get stretched quickly if the county had to pick up more of a nourishment project's cost if the aggressive cost-cutting moves underway in Washington take aim at beach funding.
Funding for beach building could become a heated issue in a world of tighter budgets when many see nourishment projects as only benefiting oceanfront property owners and that the work needs to be done every several years to be truly effective and offer protection, since erosion is a natural process that's only been increasing in recent years due to rising seas and increased storm activity fueled by climate change.
The upcoming Pleasure Island project, for example, will cost $23.5 million. According to corps and county officials, the cost-share of the Carolina Beach portion of the project is 50% federal, 25% county, and 25% state. In Kure Beach, the break down is 65% federal, with New Hanover and Raleigh splitting the remaining 35%.
Delayed Pleasure Island beach nourishment gets green light, but only after hurricane seasonFor beach towns that don't have the federal funding backstop, the financial question looms large.
Yet local officials admit just letting their beaches wash away isn't a viable option, either. Beaches draw visitors, prime the local economy, and keep real estate values high. And for communities that have few sources of income and jobs other than tourism, sand is the only game in town.
But funding beach nourishment projects is becoming perilously expensive for many coastal communities, and tough choices are already being made.
In 2021 North Topsail Beach, which is facing serious erosion woes at the town's northern end, opted out of a federal beach nourishment project with neighboring Topsail Island town Surf City due to concerns about meeting the cost-sharing requirements.
Farther up the coast, Rodanthe on the Outer Banks is a small, unincorporated Dare County community that has some of the highest annual beach erosion rates in North Carolina. That constant pounding of the Atlantic has seen 10 oceanfront homes topple into the ocean in the past four years.
But county officials have told residents they simply don't have the money to fund a nourishment project for the community, especially as they are already paying for other large beach projects along the Outer Banks. They said a one-time beach nourishment for Rodanthe could cost as much as $40 million, and maintaining the village's beach over 30 years, where sand is washing away upwards of 20 feet a year in places, would cost more than $175 million.
On the Outer Banks, structures rise and fall as climate change loomsBesides room-tax proceeds, many coastal communities dedicate a portion of their property taxes to help fund beach-related project.
But most beach towns are pretty small, and the cost of beach nourishment projects isn't − and have been increasing in recent years. The upcoming Pleasure Island project, for example, had an estimated cost of just under $20 million. But the only bid for the work the corps received came in at $37.5 million, forcing a year-delay to the work until a lower bid could be secured.
That's left many beach towns looking to Raleigh for help. Surf City recently completed a nearly $20 million beach nourishment project, using sand from Banks Channel, that was largely funded with a $14.5 million state grant. Oak Island also is looking at a large-scale, end-to-end nourishment project that will cost at least $40 million, with a state grant projected to pick up about half the cost.
But grants are only good for a single dredging contract, and beach nourishment needs to take place every few years to really be effective. And with the state struggling to pay for Tropical Storm Helene relief and recovery efforts, especially with federal support getting cut, pumping sand might not be a priority in Raleigh for much longer.
The hollowing out of the Federal Emergency Management Agency by the Trump administration also could hit some coastal towns hard, since FEMA often pays to rebuild eroded beaches if the initial placement of sand was paid for by the local community. But with FEMA all but getting out of the disaster-relief business, that funding source also could soon dry up for beach towns.
Reporter Gareth McGrath can be reached at [email protected] or @GarethMcGrathSN on X/Twitter. This story was produced with financial support from the Green South Foundation and the Prentice Foundation. The USA TODAY Network maintains full editorial control of the work.
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