Sandy Victims Tell NJ Lawmakers They're Still Trying To Recover - By Phil Gregory, WBGO News
Four years after Superstorm Sandy, thousands of New Jersey residents still have not finished rebuilding. Some of them told their stories to an Assembly committee. Penny Ryan-Sesta says her house in Little Egg Harbor Township was destroyed and she’s still not back home. She says a state-approved contractor in the RREM program took her money but did not rebuild the home. “Being a victim of contractor fraud has elevated my fears, crushed my confidence, and further delayed our rebuilding project. I’m here to ask please don’t forget about us. Help us and the other thousands of families out there.” Doug Quinn says the site of his Sandy-damaged home in Toms River is now an empty lot. He says the state blocked him from the RREM rebuilding program because it lost documentation about his address and he had to go to Senator Bob Menendez to get his grant restored. “What about the people that don’t now you can call a senator? What about the people that are elderly? What about the people that have young children? What about the people that are just too wiped out from losing everything they own and living like a refugee for four years that just don’t have it in them to fight this kind of bureaucracy?” Julie Suarez says she rebuilt her Little Egg Harbor home with the help of a RREM grant but got a letter two years later demanding she repay the state $50,000. She says her four years of efforts to maintain her family’s stability is taking an emotional toll. “I have fought tooth and nail to get my family back home and keep us whole and keep our community together. It has been a challenge and then I open this letter. I don’t want you to feel sorry for me. I want you to help me.” Adam Gordon with the Fair Share Housing Network says about 5,000 families who originally applied for RREM grants to rebuild their Sandy damaged homes got to the point where they gave up. “That is what happens when these programs don’t work and people are being foreclosed upon. We need to focus partly on this group of people and make sure if there’s any way with these remaining resources that people can be made whole and get back in these communities.” Staci Berger with the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey urges the legislature to approve a bill that would put a moratorium on foreclosures of Sandy-damaged homes.” “It is unbelievable to me that the federal government or the state government would spend a lot of money and all of these good people’s time and energy and then allow a bank to repossess that house.” Assembly Regulatory Oversight committee chairman Reed Gusciora says legislation passed by the Assembly and awaiting action in the Senate would deal with many of the victims’ issues by ensuring project deadline fairness and establishing a foreclosure and mortgage relief program. © 2016 WBGO News
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4 years after Sandy, homeowners express frustration, outrage over slow recovery - By MaryAnn Spoto, NJ.com
TRENTON — Victims of Hurricane Sandy unleashed a torrent of frustration and anger at state lawmakers on Thursday over the continued slow recovery process that they say is leading to foreclosures, wasting public money and failing to plan for future storms. Two days shy of the fourth anniversary of Hurricane Sandy pummeling major swaths of New Jersey, the state Assembly Regulatory Oversight and Reform and Federal Relations committees listened to stories of heartbreak, financial ruin and poor planning that victims say continues long after the state's worst natural disaster. With speaker after speaker complaining about the slow recovery process, victims hammered at the state's Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation and Mitigation program, a federally-funded plan designed to help homeowners pay for repairs but has been fraught with problems from the start. Sandy victims just want to go home The state's main housing recovery program came under attack because of slow progress. Adam Gordon, associate director of the Fair Share Housing Center, said that of the thousands of people who were expected to have been helped through that program by now, only 699 cases have been completed. He said that of the 15,000 property owners applied for the RREM program, 12,500 were deemed eligible. Since then, thousands have dropped out of the program for unknown reasons, leaving just under 7,000 property owners still moving through that process, Gordon said. "We are far from finishing the job," Gordon said, noting the state expects to spend all the Sandy aid funding by the end of this fiscal year next June. "We need to finish the job because these funds were supposed to make people whole and we're just too far away...from making sure that happens," he said. One woman said that after following all the RREM rules and being back in her home for two years, she recently received a letter claiming she owes $51,000 to various Sandy aid programs without any explanation. "I don't know what these numbers are and I honestly have no idea how I'm going to repay them," she said. Joe Karcz, who's still not back in his home in the Beach Haven West section of Stafford Township, asked for a law granting Sandy victims waivers from the financial penalties of early withdrawals from their pensions. Sandy Berger, president and CEO of the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey, called the renewal of an effort to place a 3-year moratorium on foreclosures for Sandy victims, to replace the bill Gov. Chris Christie vetoed in January. "Because the process took so long, they are then in a position to lose their home," Berger said. "That's unconscionable." Allowing foreclosures to occur on homes that had been repaired by Sandy aid would be a waste of public funds, she said. Susan Marticek, executive director of the Ocean County Long Term Recovery Group, said one in five calls her organization gets weekly is from a Sandy victim facing foreclosure. Paul Jeffrey, president of the Ortley Beach Voters and Tax Payers Association, criticized the state for failing to plan for future storms beyond a massive beach replenishment project for the coastline. He cited the example of the former Joey Harrison's Surf Club in town, which was destroyed by Sandy. The oceanfront property is now for sale, but the state won't buy it through its Green Acres program because it instead wants large swaths rather than individual parcels. Yet the site is approved for 16 oceanfront condominiums which will most likely be destroyed in another major storm, Jeffrey said. "The recovery is far from complete...We think it's at least three to five years before the tax base is back and we're fully recovered," Jeffrey said. "And that's scary because you have heard and we all know (that) funds are drying up." MaryAnn Spoto may be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @MaryAnnSpoto. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Sandy victims still waiting for FEMA invited to fundraiser - By Steve Moran, Asbury Park Press
The New Jersey Organizing Project (NJOP), a grassroots advocacy group for victims of Superstorm Sandy, will be holding a fund raiser on Saturday, Oct. 29 from 4-7 p.m. at the Lighthouse Tavern, 397 Route 9 in Waretown. The “Sandyversary” event is being held to fund “the first community driven survey to get a picture of how the recovery is going, and how our health and finances may have been impacted (over the past four years),” according to their Web site. “Additionally, it will help support our ongoing work to pass legislation to stop foreclosure on Sandy impacted families,” said the organization’s director Amanda Devecka-Rinear, a fourth-generation resident of Cedar Bonnet Island. There are still thousands of people who registered for the state’s Rehabilitation, Reconstruction, Elevation and Mitigation (RREM) program, a $1.1 billion, federally funded program, that aren’t back home or have not had the work completed, said Devecka-Rinear NJOP’s past accomplishment were successfully lobbying Trenton for the creation of a Rental Assistance Program, and then led a coalition of communities and elected officials to extend rental assistance for families still out of their homes. “We then worked with Senate President Stephen Sweeney to pass the Efficiency and Transparency in Sandy Recovery Spending Act,” said Devecka-Rinear. NJOP also worked with state legislators to pass a bill with strong bipartisan support in both the Senate and Legislature to prevent foreclosures on families whose properties had been impacted by Sandy and were still not back in their homes. It was conditionally vetoed and sent back to the Senate by the Governor Chis Christie on the last day of the legislative session. It effectively killed the bill causing hundreds of people to lose their homes, said Joe Mangino, of Manahawkin another NJOP founder. The Legislature has already passed a new bill and it was unanimously voted out committee by the Senate earlier this week, he said. “Several members and others testified at that hearing We aren’t going to quit, we will just keep plugging away to help people keep their homes,” Devecka-Rinear said. She and Mangino drew national attention to Sandy victims and NJOP shortly after Christie’s veto when they traveled to Iowa and publicly confronted the governor during a campaign event when he was running for the Republican presidential nomination. The Sandy Memorial Wall they created in Trenton during a three-night campout at the statehouse to mark the third anniversary of Sandy last October served as the catalyst for the survey, said Mangino. “The stories we heard there and over the summer as we took the wall on tour inspired us to get a more broad based picture of what has and hasn’t happened in the last four years,” said Mangino. NJOP has already launched the survey effort, entitled the Sandy Truth Project, when last Saturday they went door to door with approximately 60 volunteer students from Stockton University in Atlantic City. Similar efforts are in the planning stages from there through Ocean County, including Little Egg/Tuckerton and Beach Haven West/LBI and on up the coast to Belmar, he added. The survey is also online at www.newjerseyop.org/sandy-truth-project.html. You can also find more information or join NJOP via their home page. The will also be computers set up at the event at the Lighthouse, whose owner incidentally is Jim Keady, another NJOP founder and the man Gov. Chris Christie shouted at to “Sit down and shut-up!” Keady had questioned the governor about the slow pace of the Sandy recovery efforts during a televised press conference in Belmar last November. Tickets for Saturday’s fundraiser are $25 and can be purchased via the Web site or by calling or emailing Magino at 609-312-3899 or [email protected]. Sandy Victims Still Not Back to Normal Nearly Four Years Later - By Brenda Flanagan, NJTV News
His voice breaking, Sandy victim Joe Mangino tried to explain his feelings. “Two days shy of the Sandy anniversary and the emotions are flowing and I’ve been hearing from people and they can’t deal with it,” he said. As a room full of Sandy survivors told their stories in a special hearing, the Regulatory Oversight Reform and Federal Relations Committee got an earful. Doug Quinn was back in Trenton after attending a protest here last year. “I lost my home and most of my possessions in Sandy three years ago. Today, that home is still a dirt lot,” he said then. “They left me in that space — of twisting in the wind — thinking I’m just not going to happen, and no one’s going to speak to me,” Quinn said. His home’s still a dirt lot, but after complaining to New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez, Quinn says he was able to get the state Department of Community Affairs to at least fix the problem of lost documents — if not their bad attitudes. “It was arrogant, it was cold, it was insensitive and it felt like being caught in a chapter of the book ‘Catch 22’. You have to understand how these people have lived. What it’s like to live like a refugee for all these years,” Quinn said. “I am on the brink of foreclosure. Post-Sandy debt, paying my mortgage which is now raised over $900 because of my taxes going up,” said Julie Suarez. Suarez is back in her home. She thought she was done. Then she told lawmakers she got a letter from the state demanding $50,000 in clawbacks — Sandy aid money it wanted paid back. “I know you hear these stories all the time. We all have a little different twist, but this is happening to thousands of people. That’s no small number. These are people that are part of the government program and they’re the ones that are still struggling,” she said. Out of 7,679 people in the state-administered Sandy rebuilding program, only 699 are back home, case closed. Housing advocates say thousands more dropped out. “They just gave up. And where are they now? Who knows? There’s no tracking going on to find out what happened to those families,” said Fair Share Housing Center Associate Director Adam Gordon. “The failure of this administration to include certified housing counseling in the early going — in their initial action plan — was one of the most egregious things I’ve ever seen and significantly harmed our recovery process. There needs to also be an immediate moratorium on foreclosures,” said Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey President and CEO Staci Berger. Finally, Sandy victims fear a repeat unless policy makers address climate change. “We want to look forward to a bright future but until New Jersey develops some sort of comprehensive strategy to deal with the extreme weather events and the level rise that is knocking at our door, I feel that future is nothing but a pipe dream,” Mangino said. Committee members say they’re considering legislation to control clawbacks and that they want to hear from the state DCA and ask them why so many Sandy victims are still suffering four years after the storm blew away.
NBC10 Investigators: New Jersey Demands Refunds from Superstorm Sandy Victims - By George Spencer, NBC 10 Philadelphia
For Lisa Stevens rebuilding after Superstorm Sandy meant down-sizing. The storm destroyed her bungalow in Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey. "I didn't build a mansion! I went smaller because that's what I could afford to do with my grant," Stevens said. But what has surprised Stevens most about the rebuilding process came in an email from the state of New Jersey. It was what has become to be known as a claw back notice. The email demanded that Stevens pay back more than $7,400 of the grant money she was given to help rebuild. It said she received "duplicate benefits." Stevens counters that her signed approvals show she did not receive duplicate benefits. “They knew every dollar amount I was getting,” Stevens said. “They signed off on it.” Stevens is among the 170-plus homeowners who have received similar notices from New Jersey’s Rehabilitation, Reconstruction, Elevation and Mitigation or RREM program. The NBC10 Investigators found some, like Julie Suarez, with far larger refund demands. Suarez, a public school teacher, was told she owes more than $51,000. “You can send us a cashier’s check at your earliest convenience. No ‘why.’ No ‘how to appeal.’ No ‘how to make a payment plan.’ Just, ‘you owe us 50-thousand dollars,’” she said. Amanda Devecka-Rinear with the New Jersey Organizing Project (NJOP) describes it as “a gut punch” for Sandy victims. Devecka-Rinear is the executive director of the advocacy organization set up to helping Sandy victims. She believes the number of refund demands will only rise as more families finish rebuilding. She also says better oversight could've prevented over-payments in the first place. NJOP wants the state to clarify its refund calculations, create realistic repayment options, and open a formal appeal process. "We've gotta look at what financial capacity folks have -- we don't want them to go further into debt, be threatened to lose these houses," said Devecka-Rinear. The NBC10 Investigators tried to take those requests to the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. After two interview denials, reporter George Spencer and photojournalist Dan Lee went to the agency’s Trenton, NJ office. Commissioner Charles Richman finally agreed to an interview at noon that day. But just two hours later, his communications director Lisa Ryan canceled the interview saying urgent and unexpected business came up. “He has an obligation to answer questions about it,” Spencer said. “We’ve provided you with a statement,” Ryan replied. Spencer and Lee waited for Richman to return to the office but after five hours, he did not return. New Jersey officials have a legal obligation to recover funds that were duplicated, exceeded costs or were used on ineligible expenses. The DCA says any refund letters relate only to those over-payments. In a statement the agency points out that all impacted homeowners “were afforded the opportunity to provide us with additional documentation (i.e., receipts, invoices) to offset potential recovery of grant funds.” The NBC Investigators also reached out to Governor Chris Christie’s office. No one replied. Suarez gets emotional when she thinks about paying back more than $50,000. She says even on the State’s 36-month payment plan, there won’t be enough time to pay the bill. And for Stevens, there’s still no appeal process mentioned. “I wish I could say this was just a dream,” Stevens said. Published at 5:57 PM EDT on Oct 27, 2016 | Updated at 6:44 AM EDT on Oct 28, 2016 Read more: http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Superstorm-Sandy-Refund-Victims-New-Jersey--398948101.html#ixzz4PdlPS7la Follow us: @nbcphiladelphia on Twitter | NBCPhiladelphia on Facebook Many Victims Of Sandy Still Homeless, Almost 4 Years Later - By David Madden, CBS Philly
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (CBS) – Next weekend marks the 4th anniversary of Superstorm Sandy striking the New Jersey shoreline with its aftermath still being felt today. Those who have fought to make ravaged homeowners whole begin an effort to determine just how far the state has come in recovery and what still needs to be done. It’s thought that half of the 8,000 families who sought help from the government are still in rebuilding mode. And yes, there has been progress. How much is up for debate. Enter the New Jersey Organizing Project which begins what it terms the “Sandy Truth Project” with a volunteer canvass that starts in Atlantic City. “It’s been four years,” NJOP spokeswoman Amanda Devecka-Rinear told KYW Newsradio. “It’s time for us to go back and connect with Sandy survivors in communities, find out what are the struggles and what do we need to continue fight for so that families can afford to get home and can afford to stay once they get there.” People at Rutgers and Stockton University are working to develop the survey and to train those volunteers on how to conduct it. Among those helping out is Krista Sterber of Belmar. She was kept out of her home for three years before government assistance finally came through. “It’s so important that even though I’m home now that I continue to help fight just because my problems may be solved,” Sterber said. “There’s thousands that are still struggling in this state and we have to help.” The group is also collecting information on line and on the phone, with hopes to get at least 500 responses before the end of the year. Victims who wish to participate can go here or call 609-312-3899. Many Victims Of Sandy Still Homeless, Almost 4 Years Later - David Madden, CBS Philly
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (CBS) – Next weekend marks the 4th anniversary of Superstorm Sandy striking the New Jersey shoreline with its aftermath still being felt today. Those who have fought to make ravaged homeowners whole begin an effort to determine just how far the state has come in recovery and what still needs to be done. It’s thought that half of the 8,000 families who sought help from the government are still in rebuilding mode. And yes, there has been progress. How much is up for debate. Enter the New Jersey Organizing Project which begins what it terms the “Sandy Truth Project” with a volunteer canvass that starts in Atlantic City. “It’s been four years,” NJOP spokeswoman Amanda Devecka-Rinear told KYW Newsradio. “It’s time for us to go back and connect with Sandy survivors in communities, find out what are the struggles and what do we need to continue fight for so that families can afford to get home and can afford to stay once they get there.” People at Rutgers and Stockton University are working to develop the survey and to train those volunteers on how to conduct it. Among those helping out is Krista Sterber of Belmar. She was kept out of her home for three years before government assistance finally came through. “It’s so important that even though I’m home now that I continue to help fight just because my problems may be solved,” Sterber said. “There’s thousands that are still struggling in this state and we have to help.” The group is also collecting information on line and on the phone, with hopes to get at least 500 responses before the end of the year. Victims who wish to participate can go here or call 609-312-3899. |
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January 2020
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