Letter to SBA Administrator McMahon - Bringing Your Attention to a Critical Situation Impacting Homeowners, Businesses, and Renters Across Several Counties Across the Rochester Finger Lakes, Western New York, and Southern Tier Regions Caused by a Devastating Wind Storm

Letter

We write to bring your attention to a critical situation impacting homeowners, businesses, and renters across several counties across the Rochester Finger Lakes, Western New York, and Southern Tier regions caused by a devastating wind storm. The counties in conjunction with New York State will now begin the process of assessing damage to businesses, homeowners, and municipalities. We urge you to work with affected counties and the State of New York to determine whether damage meets the statutory disaster threshold for Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster assistance, and if it does, to make assistance available as expeditiously as possible.

This major wind storm swept into New York on March 8, 2017, lasting several hours with counties like Monroe County experiencing wind gusts reaching 81 miles per hour, the second highest gust ever recorded in the region. Over 200,000 homes, business, and utility customers lost power. Hundreds of utility poles and trees were knocked down by the wind gusts, exposing live power lines that made roads impassable for days. The knocked down trees damaged homes, schools, and businesses from the Finger Lakes to Erie County. Reports revealed businesses and homes that incurred significant damage, such as a dentist's office in Monroe County that was crushed by a falling tree, a Rochester gas station with a collapsed roof, and bowling center in Erie County with roof damage, and other business with exterior damage and sheered-away exterior signs. The near record-setting wind also partially shored off the Greece Arcadia Middle School roof in Monroe County and damaged another schools roofs in Chautauqua and Niagara Counties. School districts across the region were closed on Thursday, with some closures extending into Friday.

As costs begin to mount for homeowners, residents, and business owners who must clean up debris, replace personal property, and repair uninsured structures, the availability to tap low-interest federal loans from the SBA will be vital. Residents and homeowners should not be doubly faced with high interest loans simply to ensure they can repair their homes or keep their businesses open. We are grateful for the prompt attention that the federal government has historically given to quickly responding to disasters impacting New York State. In that spirit, we strongly urge you to approve any forthcoming requests for SBA assistance as New York recovers from these storms.

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