Schumer Calls On FEMA To Quickly Approve New Aid To Help Rebuild City-Owned Regency Hotel And Convention Center In The Wake Of Devastating Floods

Schumer Calls On FEMA To Quickly Approve New Aid To Help Rebuild City-Owned Regency Hotel And Convention Center In The Wake Of Devastating Floods

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today called on FEMA to immediately allow the City of Binghamton to be eligible for additional public assistance in order to repair and restore the city-owned Regency Hotel and Convention Center. At the time of the floods, the hotel was leased to a private company. Since the floods, however, the company has terminated that lease, leaving the City with full responsibility for the hotel and the flood recovery efforts. The hotel is in desperate need of repair after it took heavy damage during the June floods, creating costs beyond the City of Binghamton's fiscal capacity.

"FEMA needs to step up the plate and deliver the funds to help Binghamton get back on its feet. This is a publicly owned building and it should be eligible for FEMA Public Assistance," Schumer said. "Now that the City of Binghamton is again responsible for the hotel, it needs all the help it can get in order to restore this important economic resource. I fear that if FEMA does not make this exception and provide the additional funding, the hotel could remain in its current state for far too long."

The Regency Hotel and Conference Center was severely damaged during the floods of June 2006. The hotel experienced costly damages to its structure, cosmetic appearance, and equipment. At the time of the floods, the hotel was under of the management of a private company who was leasing the property from the City. Since the floods, the company has walked away from their lease, leaving the City to finance major recovery efforts from the floods.

Schumer said the damages sustained from the June floods compounded the already serious economic difficulties that the hotel had been experiencing. Yet, the City of Binghamton is investing new resources in the Regency Hotel. In his letter, Schumer wrote, "(T)he City cannot do it alone. And as it works to make the hotel fit for new ownership, I strongly encourage you to find the property eligible for reimbursable funds through Public Assistance."

Directly following the June floods, Schumer urged Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Director R. David Paulison, Governor Pataki, and President Bush to rush funds and assistance to storm ravaged areas. Schumer also urged Director Paulison to work swiftly to provide displaced individuals and families of Delaware and surrounding counties with trailers as they worked to repair their homes. He successfully urged FEMA to provide several types of individual and public assistance, the Small Business Administration (SBA) to award several disaster loans to local businesses after this summer's floods, and the Department of Agriculture to grant millions of dollars in disaster-related aid. Senator Schumer wrote FEMA to support the NYS Office of Mental Health's application for funding under the Crisis Counseling Services program to provide services to those affected by the floods.

http://schumer.senate.gov/SchumerWebsite/pressroom/record.cfm?id=268068&&year=2007&