Residents, legislators urge deadline extension for Sandy victims

NY Rising grant paperwork due March 1

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Long Beach native Dana Camera has been involved in the New York Rising Housing Recovery Program since it began in 2013, after Hurricane Sandy. At the time, she was taking care of her mother, who suffers from dementia, and four and a half years later the two women are still not living in their home.

On Feb. 23, at a press conference, Camera said that her goal is to change that before her mother dies. Joined by Legislator Steve Rhoads (R, D-19), Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Joe Saladino, construction workers and residents who shared similar stories, Camera urged Governor Andrew Cuomo and NY Rising to extend their deadlines for homeowners involved in the house-elevation program to submit work change orders.

By March 1, homeowners who are involved in the program must submit a Scope of Work Itemization Form 6100 and Scope of Work Change Request "should unforeseen field conditions emerge during construction," said Anne Fenton, of the Government Office of Storm Recovery. In other words, when someone lifts his or her home, there is an initial cost estimate that is approved in a grant request from NY Rising. Once the house-elevation process begins there are cost overruns and unanticipated challenges that cause homeowners to file change orders. If these orders are not filed by the deadline, the homeowner will not be granted additional funding for these projects. The second deadline set by NY Rising is Sept. 1, by which all residents involved must have their houses lifted.

“All we’re asking is for their attention to try to fix this,” said Michael Raab, a former Freeporter who lost his home in Sandy and now works as the Nassau County Storm Recovery Liaison. He added that NY Rising is a growing organization and he learned to be persistent, patient and sympathetic when working with them. “We’re all in this for the same reason,” he added, “to get people home.”

At the press conference, Rhoads said residents involved in the program “are finally approaching the faucet that’s been sputtering for four and a half years with their glass in hand.” He added that, on March 1, NY Rising plans to shut off the metaphorical faucet.

Camera said that, in the past, she has fronted what she referred to as an “exorbitant” amount of expenses on storage units and other additional supplies. Her home is now ready to be raised, but she fears what will happen if she runs into a complication, such as not having enough helical piles to support its structure.

“We don’t know [if this will happen] because the ground has changed over the years,” she said. She gestured to the half-finished house behind her and added that if she is expected to pay more her property will be in the same position.

“It’s just gonna be stuck in the air,” she said, referring to the home of John McElroy, a displaced Freeporter who is living in North Carolina while his house is being raised. During the process, his construction company found structural damage to the home’s outer sheathing. He had to file the Scope of Work Itemization Form 6100 in order for them to make the necessary repairs. However, if he found this closer to the deadline he would have to pay for the additional expenses himself or risk dropping out of the program.

Wantagh native Nancy Campisi, who is also a participant in the House-elevation program, said that she appreciates what NY Rising has done and believes that they will understand why the deadline should be extended.

Houses in areas such as Meadowmere Park are over 100 years old, according to its civic association president, Ruth Samuelsson. “You can imagine what’s going to happen when those homes are raised,” she said. “They’re gonna find a lot of mistakes.”

According to Rhoads, out of the number of people involved in the House-elevation program a third have completed the process, a third are going through it now and a third haven’t started. He wrote a letter to Governor Cuomo addressing his concerns with the deadlines and urged residents to reach out as well. You can contact the governor’s office by calling 518 474-8390 or by visiting www.governor.ny.gov and leaving a comment.