CIVIC ASSOCIATION MEETING
**** WEDNESDAY, May 22, 2013 ****
May
2013 Vol. 26 No. 5
President’s Message
It is now over six months since Hurricane Sandy and Broad
Channel is definitely “Coming Back”. We now
have three new businesses in the neighborhood; The Pet Grooming store, and the
Home Improvement Group located up at the stores, on the Boulevard - 9th to
10th Roads and the Garden and Nursery
Center
Talking about the town coming back, it was great to see the huge turnout for the mall
planting and tree pit clean up day. Judy Zackiewicz has once again
done an outstanding job of leading this effort. She has taken this issue to a
whole new level over the last few years in obtaining some small grants to help
provide funding for materials and we are glad to see that the hurricane did not
stop her great work.
There is much rebuilding going on around town and many
are well on their way to having their home repairs completed. For
those with the major damage, such as completely destroyed homes, we are working
as hard as we can to have input on the funding opportunities that are coming
out of the Sandy appropriations bill. To that end we have singled out the
current funding formula for the CDBG –Community Development Block Grants –that
identifies SBA loans, whether accepted or declined, as funds that would be
applied against an applicant’s grant opportunities. Senator Schumer
responded to our emails and conversations on this by personally lobbying
Secretary Donovan (HUD Secretary) to ask that he change this unfair
requirement. We hope to see that change in either the first or second round of
funding (there will be three rounds of funding at 1.7 billion each). In the
meantime we recommend that anyone rebuilding or raising their home register for
this grant opportunity. The registration process will start in June online
here:http://on.nyc.gov/18z3uxP.
The Flood Insurance Reform Act (Biggert/Waters Act 2012) that we have been raising awareness on, due to the
outrageous plan to charge homeowners $10,000 a year in premiums, has become the
focus of legislative discussion on the Senate Floor. Senator Landrieu has
submitted an amendment to freeze flood insurance premium increases for five
years. This effort has seen strong support from both Senator Schumer and
Senator Gillibrand and it is great to see our efforts getting traction from
such high profile representatives. We need to make sure that we all keep this
issue alive in discussions with our elected officials and achieve the final
goal of a total legislative overhaul of the Biggert/Waters law and the return
of “grandfathering” properties as was allowed in the past.
The May Civic Meeting is being held on Wednesday May
22nd at 7:30 PM at
the American Legion Hall. This is a change in schedule, from the
normal practice of the fourth Thursday of the month, in order to
accommodate a presentation by DOT/DDC on the street raising project
for West 11th, 12th and 13th Roads.
This project is scheduled to go out for bid in June with construction to start
in late August and residents having been requesting an update from these
agencies on the latest details surrounding this project. This presentation
should provide that opportunity!
The environmental wetlands restoration project of
Rulers/Blackwall Islands, located directly west of our island off of West 12th Road,
is set to see planting begin in the end of May and this will not only be a
benefit to the ecology of this bay but also as a storm break for the west side
of this island. Those interested can stay abreast of this and other
environmental issues involving Jamaica Bay at the website— www.jamaicabayecowatchers.org.
Quote---
In order to succeed, people need a sense of self-worth, to struggle together
with resilience to meet the inevitable obstacles and inequities of life……Albert
Bandura
Respectfully
submitted,
Dan
Mundy Jr.
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