Ida Flooding Deadline To Apply For NY State Relief Extended

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — Gov. Kathy Hochul announced this week that the deadline for applications for the Ida Relief Fund will be extended until January 4, to provide relief to excluded survivors of the storms and flooding caused by the remnants of Hurricane Ida.

New Yorkers who are not eligible to receive storm recovery assistance through the FEMA Individual Assistance Program or other means can apply for funding that is being distributed through an established network of community organizations, including NeighborsLink in Westchester and Rockland counties.

"In the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, we have been fully committed to helping all New Yorkers recover from this devastating storm," Hochul said in a statement announcing the extension. "With this extension to apply for resources, excluded New Yorkers who are ineligible for FEMA relief and community organizations on the ground can now gather all the necessary information to apply to get the funding they need to rebuild."

The extension is seen as a way to bolster the state's commitment to support not-for-profit organizations and to take advantage of a joint effort to distribute assistance while offering more time to gather information and documents to those who need to apply for the assistance, according to state officials.

As of November 30, more than 1,800 people reached out about this program, and of these initial contacts, 403 households have submitted applications and 507 households qualified for FEMA funds and have since been referred there. To date, 54 households have received approximately $228,376. An additional 31 households have approved applications and are pending payment.

Orange County has now been included in the Disaster Declaration and impacted residents of this county should contact the ONA Hotline.

The following organizations are working with New York to provide assistance:

• Bronx - Catholic Charities Community Services, 402 East 152nd Street, Bronx.
• Brooklyn - Chinese American Planning Council, 4101 8th Ave, 4th Floor, Brooklyn.
• Queens - MinKwon, 133-29 41st Avenue, Suite 202, Flushing.
• Queens - Make the Road, 92-10 Roosevelt Ave, Jackson Heights.
• Staten Island - Make the Road, 161 Port Richmond Ave, Staten Island.
• Nassau - Economic Opportunity Commission of Nassau County, 134 Jackson Street, Hempstead.
• Suffolk - Make the Road, 1090 Suffolk Ave, Brentwood.
• Westchester and Rockland - NeighborsLink, 27 Columbus Ave, Mount Kisco.

"The remnants of Hurricane Ida destroyed the homes and livelihoods of so many in its wake and months later in the aftermath of emergencies and disasters, impacted people are still trying to manage basic information to get the necessary support they need to rebuild," Acting Secretary of State Brendan C Hughes said. "Governor Hochul's leadership, the Office for New Americans will continue to offer the necessary support to help the most vulnerable communities in need of the Ida Relief Fund to restore their lives."

The not-for-profit partner organizations have been providing assistance and accepting applications since September 27. In order to qualify for this program, the applicants must a) themselves not be eligible for FEMA assistance and b) not have an individual in their household who is eligible for assistance. To get connected with assistance, impacted residents should call the ONA Hotline at 1-800-566-7636 9:00 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday or visit the partner not-for-profits organizations. Hotline assistance is available in over 200 languages.