THREE YEARS LATER & STILL ADVOCATING FOR SANDY VICTIMS

Dear Editor:

October 29, 2015 marks the three-year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy. Since this natural disaster struck, my office has dedicated its efforts with helping families within the 21st Assembly District and the greater Town of Hempstead area, especially Baldwin, Oceanside, East Rockaway, Island Park, and Long Beach, regain what they have lost and help return them to a sense of normalcy.

Throughout these three years, my office has aggressively advocated for mortgage relief; aiding victims who took early distribution from qualified retirement plans to cover storm damage expenses; and communicating with our New York State officials and agencies, as well as our congressional delegation and federal agencies, for assistance on behalf of the many families who were misplaced. We’ve also worked extensively to help families navigate through the multi-faceted FEMA, New York Rising, and Town of Hempstead Building Department processes. To protect families’ rights, we helped secure over $2 million in insurance money for families during FEMA and New York Rising appeals, and we worked with local elected officials, including County Executive Ed Mangano and Town of Hempstead Senior Councilman Anthony J. Santino to secure FEMA extensions regarding insurance claims. Together, we also have raised money and other basic assistance needs for Sandy victims in the Baldwin and Oceanside communities.

In addition to helping individual homeowners, my office has spearheaded a movement for local infrastructure projects, like the Bay Park Sewage Treatment Plant to the ocean and a nitrogen removal system for the Reynolds Channel, in Sandy’s aftermath. I have also sponsored legislation in the state Assembly (A.8376) to provide eligible homeowners affected by Superstorm Sandy with more time to receive their entitled funds during foreclosure proceedings.

But despite all of this advocacy, work, heartache and struggle, we still have families, some with vacant properties, who are being foreclosed on or worse. It is tragic and embarrassing that rebuilding has taken this long and that families are having empty property lots foreclosed on because of the bureaucracy and red-tape that has drastically failed our Long Island families. These foreclosures often lead to what is called ‘zombie homes,’ which are houses abandoned after the homeowners were evicted, but which have not been foreclosed upon by the bank. Banks are supposed to maintain the property to prevent the depreciation of a neighborhood or home values, which is not happening. As a result, I have helped sponsor legislation (A.6932) that addresses this issue.

We have thankfully come a long way. I am proud of the work that we have done while at the same time sharing in the frustrations and heartache that many of our Long Island families are experiencing. But in reality, this only highlights the work that still must be done to give Sandy victims back what they have lost. I will continue to advocate for and assist victims of the Sandy going forward.

Sincerely,

Brian Curran

Member of Assembly

21st District

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