New studies have found that the mental development of children exposed to Superstorm Sandy in utero are associated with stress. This article originally appeared in Nexus Media News and the Guardian.
Retired HPD photographer Larry Racioppo spent months without electricity after Hurricane Sandy rebuilding his Rockaway Park home. His photos from that time, and of his neighborhood over the decade since, are the subject of an exhibit on display this month at the Rockaway Initiative for Sustainability and Equity (RISE) in Far Rockaway.
New potential funding mechanisms—including a measure that New Yorkers will see on the ballot this November—may provide an opportunity for homeowners in areas of high flood risk to sell their at-risk properties to the state or city. The properties are then rebuilt to be more resilient, or removed so the land can be used for coastal protection measures.
In the decade since Superstorm Sandy made landfall in New York, the city has lagged in spending federal and capital funds dedicated to recovery and resiliency, a new report found. Some city agencies that received hefty federal grants related to Sandy have spent less than half of those dollars.
“Addressing the remaining 60 percent of the waterfront that is hard and non-absorbent cannot be left to chance. The creation of a buffer there will require a comprehensive plan and revision of the zoning code to facilitate its implementation.”
Join City Limits at the 2022 Waterfront Conference, a day-long event of speeches and panels by experts in resiliency, housing, and policy to address approaches to the climate crisis that range from federal policy to hyperlocal solutions.
In areas hit hard by Sandy, the choice between rebuilding or retreating isn’t easy for anyone. It’s harder for those whose finances make elevating their home or accepting a buyout all but impossible.
There has been some progress toward making New York City as a whole—and the Resilient Neighborhoods in particular—safer. But much remains undone.
‘Having a non-profit lawyer or housing advocate on your side as you navigate insurance, mortgage relief, and complex federal and local regulations impeding your recovery can make all the difference.’
Five years after Sandy, the city and owners have begun addressing vulnerabilities throughout the sprawling Food Distribution Center, but it remains unclear how resilient the area would be if forced to confront another natural disaster head-on.
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