Keeping an Eye on Hurricane Sandy Recovery Money Weekly News Round-up: March 27 - April 3

In This Issue This week's news Regional Events Advocacy Reports Federal, State & Local Resources   Have you heard?   Good Jobs New York launched a new Eye on Hurricane Sandy Money database to help boost transparency about how much and which government agencies have allocated Hurricane Sandy funds in New York City.    Check it out - and tell us what you think!   Transparency Tip from the Electronic Frontier Foundation How to Track Government Projects Like a Defense Contractor Like our weekly round-up? Please forward to a friend. This Week's News Disaster Relief New York City Mayor de Blasio announced new staff appointments and planned structural changes to the Build it Back program including reallocating CDBG funds and increasing staff at the city's Housing Recovery Office. New York Observer and The Wall Street Journal    ALSO: The mayor's new rebuilding leadership team will be headed by Bill Goldstein, senior advisor to the mayor for Recovery, Resiliency and Infrastructure; Amy Peterson, Director of Housing Recovery Office; and Daniel Zarilli, Director of the Office of Recovery and Resiliency. Inhabitat      At a New York City Council hearing on rebuilding, newly appointed Housing Recovery Office director Amy Peterson testified that the city does not currently have enough funds to pay for rebuilding for all the residents currently enrolled in the Build it Back program, but she expects a third round of federal funds to be made available to New York City. City & State        ALSO: Ms. Peterson also said that changes will be made to the Build it Back program to allow more families to rebuild, but it will require an additional $1 billion from the federal government.New York Daily News     A report by the Department of Homeland Security praises Occupy Sandy for its effective relief efforts and quick response to Sandy; Occupy activists are wary of affirmation from a government entity the movement has been critical of. Truth-Out.org   Rebuilding Infrastructure and Resiliency Gov. Cuomo  ALSO: The MTA plans to close subway tunnels along the A/C and F lines to repair damage from Sandy's surge water.   Alan Rubin, an expert in post-disaster financing for rebuilding, says New York City should issue Build America Bonds or other innovative financing to fund outstanding capital needs due to the city's aging infrastructure. The Bond Buyer  The newly appointed general counsel at the Department of City Planning will seek ways to to effectively plan for protecting the city from future storms and promises to make permitting easier for homeowners to rebuild Sandy-damaged homes. Staten Island Advance      One of the ten finalists in the Rebuild by Design competition, to be reviewed and voted on this week, considers how to protect and enhance the Hunts Point market in the Bronx from storm surge. The New York Times  ALSO: Another proposal, the 'Blue Dunes,' would build a chain of islands along the East Coast to function as a storm surge barrier. The Daily Journal      Possible solutions to financing a more equitable city park system, must also budget for natural disasters. The New Yorker    Temporary trailers, installed in Lower Manhattan after 9/11 but also used in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, are being removed from West Street. Downtown Express    A state-of-the-art flood barrier system was installed at 55 Water Street. AZoBuild.com    The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change published a report warning that the effects of climate change will worsen in coming decades. The New York Times    Artists from California have begun painting murals along a commercial strip in the Rockaways, Queens, as part of a neighborhood beautification project. DNAinfo   Housing Mayor de Blasio promised to fix every house destroyed by Sandy by reallocating $100 million in federal funds through an amendment of the city's Action Plan. Middle class homeowners who would not have qualified for funds under Bloomberg's rebuilding plan, would qualify under the new terms. Capital New York and TIME    Checks totaling $100,000 for home repairs through the Build it Back program began trickling out this week; six Build it Back construction projects have begun. DNAinfo and New York Daily News    ALSO: Though rebuilding is beginning for some registrants in the Build it Back program, the City's rebuilding is far slower than in other cities hit by disasters. WNYC     Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams is encouraging NYCHA to consider using federal funds to invest in a geothermal heating system, a more sustainable alternative to traditional boilers. NY1    Events List your upcoming event here! Email elizabeth@goodjobsfirst.org    Upcoming deadlines Friday, April 11: Final deadline for applicants to the NY Rising program. Online Applications can be found at http://stormrecovery.ny.gov      Monday, April 28: Proof of Loss must be RECEIVED by your flood insurer. Refer to this Touro Law Center Disaster Relief Clinic flyer on Flood Insurance claims for more details.   Wednesday, May 7: Responses due for the Request for Proposals for the Enterprise Community Partners Capacity Building Grants Program. The RFP application materials are posted online. Organizations may apply for up to $150,000 across a maximum of three grant program areas. Awards will be announced beginning July 7, 2014.      Regional Events Ongoing, citywide: New York Free Disaster Assistance Legal Clinics.     TONIGHT: Thursday, April 3, 5:00 - 8:00 pm: Rebuild by Design Public Presentations (New York) unveiling of the final work. 250 Vesey St, 29th Floor, New York, NY 10281.   Through Sunday, April 6: Rising Waters: Photographs of Sandy at the Museum of the City of New York. 1220 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10029.   Thursday, April 10 and Thursday, May 15, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm: Superstorm Sandy Free Legal Clinic from the Volunteer Lawyers for Justice. Recovery Information Center, Moonachie Presbyterian Church, 221 Moonachie road, Moonachie, NJ 07074.     Friday, April 25, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm: The Regional Plan Association's 24th Annual Assembly, discussing "A Vision for 2040" and showcasing winners of HUD's Rebuild by Design competition. Waldorf-Astoria, 301 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10022.   Tuesday, April 29, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. - Multifamily Resiliency Measures. Part of the Enterprise Community Partners 2014 Resiliency Speakers Series of panel presentations exploring long-term recovery challenges and opportunities for the multifamily affordable housing infrastructure in New York City and the surrounding region in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.    Friday, May 23, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. - Flood Resilient Code. Part of the Enterprise Community Partners 2014 Resiliency Speakers Series of panel presentations exploring long-term recovery challenges and opportunities for the multifamily affordable housing infrastructure in New York City and the surrounding region in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.      Brooklyn Monday, April 7, 6:30 pm at Canarsie Coalition Disaster Recovery Resources evening meeting. Canarsie residents can check status on Build it Back applications, get information on National Flood Insurance Policy changes, meet with disaster case managers. Canarsie's elected officials will be present to address the concerns. Beraca Baptist Church, 9602 Flatlands Avenue. Info:CanarsieRecoveryCoalition@gmail.com.     Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 10:00-3:00: Jubilee Legal Clinic, Coney Island Gospel Assembly, 2828 Neptune Avenue. Visit website for additional hours and information including income requirements. Advocacy Reports New York City Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters: The 2014 Rebuild Environment: NYC Voluntary Rebuild Capacity Assessment report; a comprehensive assessment of the NYC voluntary sector's rebuild capacity in response to Superstorm Sandy.  Center for an Urban Future: Caution Ahead: Overdue Investments for New York's Aging Infrastructure   Alliance for a Just Rebuilding: Weathering the Storm: Rebuilding a More Resilient New York City Housing Authority Post-Sandy. Future-Proofing Cities: A report from the U.K. Department for International Development and University College London looking at the risks and opportunities for inclusive urban growth in developing countries. 129 cities, 5 urban types and over 100 practical solutions.statistics and analysis.   Field Guide Set & Trainings For Engaging Faith Communities from the National Disaster Interfaiths Network The International Economic Development Council released Case Studies in Small Business Finance Following a Disaster, a report of six case studies of effective long-term economic recovery efforts of disaster-affected communities. Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development, Inc.: Real Affordability: An Evaluation of the Bloomberg Housing Program and Recommendations to Strengthen Affordable Housing Policy Alliance for a Just Rebuilding: How Sandy Rebuilding Can Reduce Inequality in New York City Rutgers University: Overlooking Oversight: A Lack of Oversight in the Garden State is Placing New Jersey Residents and Assets at Risk.  Ceres report: Cool Response: The SEC & Corporate Climate Change Reporting: SEC Climate Guidance & S&P 500 Reporting - 2010 to 2013. Brooklyn Communities Speak: An Action Guide for Local Decision-Makers Post Sandy. This report from the Brooklyn Community Fund and coalition partners analyzes conditions in six coastal Brooklyn neighborhoods post-Sandy, with recommendations for government agencies on how to address persistent recovery challenges while building resiliency in partnership with local communities.    White Paper prepared by Queens Legal Services: Homes Underwater: Forebearance Alternatives for Sandy-Affected Homeowners    Superstorm Research Lab: A Tale of Two Sandys. This whitepaper, based on interviews with a broad range of Sandy-impacted individuals and aid organizations in New York City, sheds light on the inequalities entwined with Sandy's aftermath and recommendations for addressing inequality. New York City VOAD Volunteer and Construction Committee Resource Guide: This list includes voluntary organizations providing rebuild services in New York City. New report from the Municipal Art Society: All hands on deck: Mobilizing New Yorkers for a Livable and Resilient New York      New Jersey's Fair Share Housing Center documents its concerns that African Americans and Latinos are being rejected from Sandy relief at higher rates than Caucasians. Fair Share Housing Center Blog    Parsons Brinckerhoff produces The Sandy Disaster Awareness Report, a summary of key developments and funding priorities in the region affected by Hurricane Sandy. Day Labor, Worker Centers & Disaster Relief Work in the Aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. This report discusses the challenges that workers faced during the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy and the role that worker centers played to protect the health and safety of workers in New York and New Jersey.   Hurricane Sandy Fall 2013 Update: FEMA Assistance Analysis. Enterprise Community Partners examines the level of need and the response efforts in New York and New Jersey following Hurricane Sandy. This brief includes data related to FEMA inspections of those who registered for assistance and the amount that had been awarded to those with assessed damage. Hurricane Sandy: Housing Needs One Year Later. Enterprise Community Partners provides a summary of early findings from a survey of storm victims to measure the ongoing impact of Hurricane Sandy, one year after the storm.   For more advocacy resources, visit Good Jobs New York's Keeping an Eye on Hurricane Sandy Recovery Money    Federal, State & Local Resources The Program Management Office of the Hurricane Sandy Task Force released its monthly report [pdf] on how 19 federal agencies have so far spent funding from the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013. A report from the Centers for Disase Control and Prevention provides an assessment of state and local health emergency preparedness, including an evalution of the response to Hurricane Sandy. Online briefings from World Care Centers on disaster volunteer training for communities.   Information on New York City's Community Emergency Response Teams [pdf], along with an application for their 10-week training program.     The Brooklyn Recovery Fund has compiled this guide to navigating the public comment process for city and state CDBG action plans.  Crowdscouring ideas for FEMA - Help FEMA plan for disasters. Join and submit your ideas to their crowd-sourced feedback community and vote on others' ideas.      New York Rising Year End Report. Includes accounting of mass transit investment, reform of Long Island Power Authority, and projected storm recovery and rebuilding costs.    The US Army Corps of Engineers released its Hurricane Sandy Coastal Projects Evaluation Study A helpful visual guide to the agencies and key decision-makers distributing federal disaster relief funds.      New York Rising Community Reconstruction Program Community Mapping project has posted interactive online maps for six New York Rising communities in New York City. The public is encouraged to provide feedback on their community's plan.  Final Community Reconstruction Plans are due by March 31, 2014.     FEMA has released its preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs); see also FEMA's guide of Frequently Asked Questions on the new maps.    The New York City Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs Hurricane Sandy Immigrant Outreach Initiative Report on efforts to address the needs of immigrant New Yorkers impacted by Hurricane Sandy.      The Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City (a private 501-c3) released an update of how the funds it raised for Sandy aid has been allocated.   The Manhattan Chamber of Commerce released a Disaster Preparedness Checklist for small businesses.   Next City, a weekly urban affairs publication, is launching a new the Resilient Cities series, which will focus on preparation and resiliency planning for disasters in urban areas around the world.    FEMA's Hurricane Sandy: One Year Later provides updates on recovery efforts, a timeline and other resources.    Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force report, Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Strategy: Stronger Communities, A Resilient Region    ALSO: Good Jobs New York provides a critique of the federal Task Force recommendations in a three-part blog series.     Hurricane Sandy: An Assessment of Impacted Commercial Corridors and Recommendations for Revitalization [pdf]. This report by the New York City Department of Small Business Services and the New York City Economic Development Corporation provides an assessment of commercial corridors in Brooklyn, Staten Island, Manhattan, and Queens.