Schumer, Gillibrand Announce Delaware County to Receive More Than $1.7 Million in FEMA Funds to Purchase Flood-Prone Properties Damaged By 2011 Floods

Press Release

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and U.S. Senator Charles Schumer announced today $108 million in federal funding to repair and protect the Coney Island Houses public housing development that sustained severe damage during 2012's Hurricane Sandy. The funding announced today also marks a tentative agreement between the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to apply this model to fund repairs and mitigation measures at least 15 other public housing developments impacted by Sandy.

The agreement of a total project cost of $108 million will allow NYCHA to repair and protect five buildings in the Coney Island Houses where Sandy's storm surge brought damaging water and sand into the basements and first floors, crippling electrical and mechanical systems and leaving residents without power and heat for 22 days.

Today's funds mean that NYCHA can move forward with making critical repairs and implementing key resiliency measures to better protect residents. Through FEMA's program, which provides funding for in-kind repairs and mitigation, NYCHA will be able repair all of the damages caused by Sandy at Coney Island Houses, where all boilers, electrical and mechanical equipment in the five buildings were destroyed, and make it more resilient to future storms. New construction of an elevated boiler building, the installation of a flood barrier system, as well as stand-by generators will now help protect NYCHA residents in this flood zone from future extreme weather.

The funds will also support the installation of a security system including CCTV cameras and layered access entryways in the five Coney Island Houses buildings.

The Coney Island grant will serve as a model to obtain necessary funding for repairs and resiliency at all other severely damaged developments in NYCHA's portfolio, including Red Hook East and West, Carey Gardens, Redfern Houses, Ocean Bay Apartments, and Baruch Houses, among others.

This agreement with FEMA follows other significant progress as a result of Mayor de Blasio's overhaul of Sandy recovery programs. The new Mayor's Office of Recovery and Resiliency is also implementing key resiliency measure across the city, as detailed in PlaNYC.

"NYCHA residents faced with weeks of cold and darkness in Sandy's aftermath -- and many are still feeling the impact. This huge investment of $108 million will allow us to repair and protect Coney Island Houses, including elevated boilers, standby generators, and flood protection, so that residents are better prepared next time they need to be. Plus, this will serve as a model to get all other impacted NYCHA developments the support they need," said Mayor de Blasio. "Thank you to Senator Schumer for his continued leadership and partnership, and to FEMA for providing these vital funds."

"Mayor de Blasio and I worked long and hard to secure these FEMA funds for the families in NYCHA who were hammered by Superstorm Sandy. This massive $108 million federal investment will help repair and protect Sandy-damaged NYCHA houses in Coney Island, and serve as a model to repair all other Sandy-impacted NYCHA buildings throughout the city so that many thousands of residents can be made whole," said U.S. Senator Charles Schumer. "Key resiliency measures like elevating boiler rooms, installing flood barrier systems and providing stand-by generators will help make our NYCHA buildings stronger in the event of a future storm like Sandy, and I want to thank Mayor de Blasio for working with me to secure these funds."

"Residents of public housing in Coney Island deserve not just long awaited repairs, but to know that their homes will be more resilient against future storms," said NYCHA Chair and CEO Shola Olatoye. "We want to thank FEMA, Mayor de Blasio, Senator Schumer and the many other local and national leaders, including City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Council Member Ritchie Torres and Council Member Mark Treyger, who worked so very hard with the New Yorkers pressing needs in mind."

"Last year's passage of the Super Storm Sandy Disaster Relief Appropriations Act laid the foundation for a full and complete recovery, which the Mayor in partnership with the congressional delegation must continuously work hard to bring to life. This is an important step in the right direction for public housing residents in Coney Island who have often been neglected over the last few decades. Moving forward, we cannot rest until everyone is back on their feet," said Congressman Hakeem Jeffries.

"The $108 million in federal funding that our City has secured for Coney Island Houses will go further than a rebuild of brick and mortar; these funds will fundamentally rebuild the promise made to public housing residents of a safe, secure place to call home. This is a tremendous step forward for our borough's resiliency efforts, as is the tentative agreement between NYCHA and FEMA to apply this model for funding that will help other Sandy-damaged developments in Brooklyn, such as Carey Gardens and Red Hook East and West. Thanks to an strengthening commitment to storm-preparedness and restoration of our key infrastructure, I believe that New York City is better equipped today to handle the challenges posed by Mother Nature and Father Time," said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams.

"As a result of our collaborative efforts, we finally have both the resources and a comprehensive strategy in place to improve the Coney Island Houses that had been devastated by Hurricane Sandy. The securitization of federal funding will enable our communities to rebuild safer, smarter, and structurally resilient for any future storm. I applaud Mayor Bill de Blasio's leadership and my colleges in the City Council for their commitment to Coney Island," said State Senator Diane Savino.

"Less than eight months after an unprecedented hearing on the temporary boilers installed post-Sandy, NYCHA now has the resources to install permanent and more durable equipment. These funds will go a long way toward making some of our most vulnerable public housing developments safer and more resilient. I want to thank Mayor de Blasio, Senator Schumer, Chair Olatoye, Speaker Mark-Viverito and Councilmember Treyger for their efforts to secure the $108 million dollars in federal support," said Council Member Ritchie Torres.

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"It is not enough to simply rebuild and repair; we must also prepare ourselves for the next storm and the next potential flood. That's exactly what this federal grant will do, helping to lower the risk of flood damage for Delaware County properties that are most in harm's way," said Senator Schumer. "These much-needed federal funds will help the county and the Village of Sidney purchase and repurpose nearly 50 flood-prone properties in the area for the creation of open space. Spending a penny today on flood-prevention efforts could save the federal government and Delaware County homeowners a dollar tomorrow in repair costs."

"Flooding from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee has devastated communities throughout Delaware County and left some homes and businesses beyond repair," said Senator Gillibrand. "By purchasing severely flood-prone properties and turning those high-risk areas into open space, we can help protect the community from future flooding. This critical FEMA program helps us better prepare for the future and helps sustain our communities by preventing further devastation of homes and businesses."

"Hearing this good news today only ensures that as time goes on we'll be able to move these flood prone locations to higher ground," said Jim Eisel, Chairman of the Delaware County Board of Supervisors. "These funds facilitate getting the job done sooner rather than later."

In April of 2014, Senators Schumer and Gillibrand announced that FEMA had awarded Delaware County another $1.7 million in federal funds to buyout and demolish severely flood-damaged buildings in Delaware County, also in the Town of Sidney. This money was one of the several installments used to remove blighted properties in Delaware County and create new green space in the village. Because the damaged buildings were located in a flood hazard zone, where there was persistent and severe flooding, demolishing the structures was Delaware County's preferred plan.Delaware County applied for these funds so that it would be able to acquire the properties and demolish all structures, fill any basements, and place topsoil over the sites, grade and seed. After demolition and site reclamation, the properties were turned over to the municipality to maintain as open space.

FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program provides funding under Section 404 of the Stafford Act, the federal disaster law that supplies aid to states and localities to implement long-term resiliency measures after a major disaster. The purpose of these grants is to reduce the loss of life and property due to natural disasters and to enable mitigation measures to be implemented during the immediate recovery from a disaster

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