A year ago the passage of the hurricane left devastation and death in the state
One year after Hurricane Ida hit New York State, Governor Kathy Hochul announced Monday the release of a proposed Action Plan by the Office of Storm Recovery Recovery (GOSR), which includes $41.2 million in federal funds to support initiatives that will help residents adapt to the effects of climate change while prioritizing historically underserved communities.
The state president indicated that they remain fully committed to the reconstruction of the infrastructure affected by the passage of the cyclone, especially in the most vulnerable communities.
“Our Action Plan will prioritize funding for housing, businesses, and other key programs in the hardest-hit and most distressed areas, which will help ensure all New Yorkers get back on their feet as we recover,” she Hochul said. “As we grapple with the effects of climate change, we will continue to do everything we can to help New Yorkers and their communities recover from extreme weather events.”
Among the proposed programs is Resilient Housing Renters, which would encourage renters to move out of storm-damaged homes while remaining in their existing communities by providing financial support for safe and stable new homes. There is also the ‘Housing Recovery and Reimbursement’, which would invest in repairs of storm damage to residential homes and/or reimbursement for repairs already completed. The Affordable Housing Resiliency program would invest in flood mitigation measures and resiliency improvements in public and affordable multi-family housing complexes, as well as expansion of affordable housing where feasible.
In addition, the state will consider New Yorkers’ input on these proposed programs. Therefore, the governor called on state residents to give her testimony on the plan before September 28, by attending the public hearing in person on September 8 at 6:30 p.m. at New Rochelle City Hall, or to the virtual hearing on September 13 at 6:30 p.m. You can get more information at https://stormrecovery.ny.gov/funding/action-plans-amendments.
On September 1, 2021, Hurricane Ida flooded homes and roads, causing $7.5 billion in damage and killing 17 New Yorkers. FEMA identified flood damage to 11,000 homes. Earlier this spring, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced an allocation of $3 billion in funding to help communities get back on their feet.
“Hurricane Ida was a stark reminder that the next climate emergency is not a question of if, but when. Our action plan will help New Yorkers rebuild and take steps to stay safe in the future,” said Katie Brennan, Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery.
For his part, Senator Charles Schumer recalled that Hurricane Ida devastated communities throughout New York and caused millions of dollars in damage to roads, businesses and hundreds of homes.
“I fought tooth and nail to deliver millions in federal funding to give families and communities in New York City and the Hudson Valley the support they need to recover and rebuild stronger. I applaud Governor Hochul for putting those dollars to work to help make our communities more resilient and get people on the road to recovery.”