SEABROOK -- In every pile of debris in Seabrook, there is a tale. There may be progress on 2nd Street, but around the corner, and just about everywhere else, debris is piling up.

"My neighborhood is a mess. People are starting to work on their homes. There is no one to come and pick it up the debris," said Dianne Ace, Seabrook resident.

Ace's frustration is shared by many other Seabrook residents, and nearly every coastal town hammered by Ike.

Even though Seabrook is still full of debris, much of Ike's mess has already been hauled out of the city.  What is piling up now is man-made debris.  It has come from contractors and residents as they rebuild their homes.

"The flood surge of the storm left debris in yards that normally wasn't there. Residents moved it to the street and we cleaned it up," said Chuck Pinto, Seabrook City Manager.

Chuck Pinto is Seabrook's city manager.  He said that the city cleaned up Ike’s debris, but they are not responsible for cleaning up the debris the construction crews are leaving behind now.

"When they start taking out your sheetrock and redoing the wiring inside your house, that debris is construction debris. The removal of construction debris should be their responsibility," said Pinto.

Coastal residents were surprised when FEMA stopped paying for debris removal in late October. This left local governments shouldering the costs.

Seabrook has spent $3 million to clean its streets. FEMA, has yet to reimburse it.

"We're going to start getting all sorts of animals living in it, and it's going to start to smell," said Ace.

Ultimately, residents will also have to bear the costs of clean-up. They'll have to turn to their insurance companies, and then, FEMA.