A number of waterfront homes damaged by Superstorm Sandy will be up for auction in May.

About 150 residents along the South Shore decided to sell their homes to New York state instead of making costly repairs after the October 2012 storm. The state will begin auctioning off those homes with starting bids as low as $28,000.

Neighbors to the damaged homes told News 12 that they are worried about buyers developing the properties into blights in the community. Others are concerned about their property values.

State officials say property values will increase when the homes are rebuilt.

"We are going to make sure that these homes are built to the highest standards," said Jon Kaiman, of NY Rising.

State officials say the minimum bid prices for these homes may seem low. Experts say the prices are sure to shoot up due to the competitive state of real estate on Long Island.

Auctions are May 19 and May 20 at the Hyatt Regency Long Island in Hauppauge.