Broad Channel Civic Association Meeting 12/13/2012

 A quick synopsis of the Thursday, 12/13/2012, 

Broad Channel Civic Association meeting 

is provided below 

for your information.

ISSUE:   AVAILABILITY OF A FEMA “GRANT”  TO RAISE HOUSES

Source:  Jeff Woodward (FEMA)

There has been much conversation regarding the possibility of a $30,000 FEMA Grant being made available to Broad Channel residents to raise their houses.

The first thing you should be aware of is that the use of the term "Grant" to describe these funds is incorrect.

The funds in question may be made available to you via an Increased Cost of Compliance (ICC) provision that may be contained within your Flood Insurance policy.  

You should be aware that not all Flood Insurance policies have this ICC provision.

If you have a Flood Insurance policy that does contain an Increased Cost of Compliance (ICC) provision the process for applying for funds pursuant to this provision is as follows.

You will have to contract the services of an architect/engineer who will obtain an elevation certificate of your residence to document the extent of your property’s non-compliance with your area’s Flood Plain Elevation code requirements.

Additionally, the contracted architect/engineer will have to document that the damage sustained to your residence is equal to or greater than one half of the pre-flood value of your house.  The value of your house for this ICC provision is based solely on the value of the actual physical structure of your house and not your land or plot size.

The architect/engineer will then submit the above documentation to the Department of Buildings and request that that agency issue a “Declaration of Substantial Damage” certificate to you.

If you are issued a “Declaration of Substantial Damage” certificate for your property you would then submit it to your insurance company requesting funds to raise your house to bring it into compliance with existing Flood Plain Elevation codes pursuant to the ICC provision contained in your flood insurance policy.  

If your insurance company approves your request, the total dollar amount of ICC provision funding and the total dollar dollar amount of any and all previous funds released to you for structural damage cannot exceed the maximum dollar amount of coverage for structural damage as stipulated in your policy.  

NOTE:

If ICC provision funds are approved, they must be used to bring your residence into compliance with the Flood Plain elevation code.

On December 17^th new Flood Plain elevation codes will be introduced to the City Council based on a study undertaken after Tropical Storm Irene (August 2011).

It is strongly recommended that you take no action in this regard until the new Flood Plain elevation codes become effective.

ISSUE:  NYC RAPID REPAIR

Source: Catherine Mallen, Project Director (NYC Rapid Repair)

NYC Rapid Repair was put in place as a “temporary, shelter in place, program” to quickly provide “heat, hot water and electricity” for residents impacted by Hurricane Sandy.

For specific information on how this NYC Rapid Repair program works, click here.

Many residents attending the meeting voiced complaints regarding problems with this program, including but not limited to...missed appointments, shoddy work, incomplete work, workers refusing to enter a residence because of mold or missing floor boards, etc. 

Additionally, there was a general consensus that the NYC Rapid Repair program was slow in making any discernible impact in Broad Channel.

Councilman Eric Ulrich stated that NYC Rapid Repair program “…needs to move must faster.”

 NYC Rapid Repair Program Project Director Catherine Mullen admitted “we have dropped the ball” but that the program is trying to rectify problems and inefficiencies.

If you were not at the meeting and are experiencing problems with NYC Rapid Repair, email the Broad Channel Civic Association at ChannelCivic@aol.com and they will follow up.

ISSUE:  INSURANCE COMPANIES

Several complaints were made regarding a slow response on the part of insurance companies in responding to filed claims.

State Senator Joseph Addabbo stated that complaints of this nature should be referred to his office at (718) 738-1111.

ISSUE:  SCAM

Apparently several residents have received correspondence from the “Department of Environmental Remediation” complete with a DEP logo advising that they are facing fines of $25,000 if oil spill remediation is not conducted on their property.

There is no “Department of Environmental Remediation”.  This is a scam and the author of the letter is an oil spill remediation company looking for business.

ISSUE:  FOOD STAMPS

NYC HRA is making food stamps available to people who were victims of Hurricane Sandy.

For specific information regarding this one time, one month benefit, click here.

ISSUE:  BROAD CHANNEL HURRICANE SANDY RELIEF FUND

Source:  Margaret Wagner

On Saturday, December 15, 2012, the Broad Channel Hurricane Sandy Relief Fund and P.C. Richard and Son will sponsor a free raffle of 100 gift cards (each worth $100) solely for Broad Channel residents  at the BCAC Memorial Field.  You must bring proof of ID and a utility bill.

West Side residents may sign up for the raffle between 10 am and 11:30 am.

East Side residents may sign up between 1 pm and 2:30 pm.

Winners will be drawn at approximately 2:30 pm.