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Friday, October 24, 2014

Two Years Later: A Community Update Councilman Eric Ulrich


Official Point of View

Two Years Later: A Community Update
By City Councilman Eric Ulrich
Two years after Hurricane Sandy, it’s important to look back at how far we’ve come and identify the challenges ahead as we move forward and continue to rebuild.
Nearly two-thirds of my district was devastated by the storm. By the grace of God, a majority of my constituents have made a remarkable recovery. Many homes and businesses have been renovated - a true testament to Rockaway’s resiliency.
From Breezy Point to Belle Harbor and Rockaway Beach to Broad Channel, the people I am proud to represent have experienced physical, financial, and emotional pain beyond compare. And notwithstanding all of this progress that has been made over the past two years, there is still much more work to do.
Despite government programs and recovery initiatives, many residents still face the threat of the dreaded ‘unknown.’ When will the new boardwalk be completed and how much will it cost? Will Mayor de Blasio see the light and extend ferry service past Oct. 31? How much longer do folks have to wait for Build it Back to fix their home or send reimbursement checks?
For many, these questions loomed large over the decision to stay or pack up and leave. Thankfully, many are still here and this is perhaps the greatest sign of triumph over the storm.
A new phase of the recovery effort is well underway and residents are finally starting to see some progress. Build it Back seems to be making headway, albeit slowly, after a disastrous start. The reconstruction of the boardwalk is underway, and over budgeted apparently. And thanks to rallies and demonstrations staged by local community leaders, the mayor is directly aware of how important ferry service is to the peninsula, hopefully he will acquiesce.
On Monday, Oct. 27 at 7:30 p.m. at Beach Channel High School in Rockaway Park, I will be co-hosting a Sandy Town Hall Meeting along with Councilman Donovan Richards and Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder. Commissioners from various agencies and representatives of the Mayor’s Office will provide a comprehensive update for the community and detail plans for long-term recovery. I encourage all residents to attend and participate in this meeting so that we may show the strong sense of community that brought us together and help put Rockaway back on track.

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