Brooklynites still reeling from the severe flooding brought by Hurricane Ida can now head to Medgar Evers College in Crown Heights, where Gov. Kathy Hochul helped establish a “disaster recovery center” that will provide aid and information to devastated residents.
The CUNY institution will allow Brooklynites affected by Ida — which unleashed widespread flooding of the city that killed 13 New Yorkers and caused millions in property damages — to apply for “individual assistance” from FEMA, wherein the federal government will provide direct financial support, or aid by other means, to those affected by extreme weather.
Affected locals can obtain temporary housing or rental assistance, funding for repairs to homes or other property, assistance in moving, health care, child care, funeral expenses, and “hazard mitigation assistance” to make homes more resilient for future storms — which are becoming more frequent every year as the effects of climate change begin to be realized.
“New Yorkers who were impacted by last week’s devastating floods and storm damage can now receive in-person, one-on-one assistance with professionals equipped to assist in the recovery process,” Hochul said in a statement. “I thank our partners in the federal government for working quickly to establish these necessary facilities as we continue to get New Yorkers the help they need.”
The disaster recovery center at Medgar Evers will be open every day from 8 am to 7 pm, and will be staffed with state agency workers.
Medgar Evers’ large space and central location in Brooklyn mean it’s often called upon to serve as a hub for services in the event of emergencies and disasters. Since February the school has served as a COVID-19 vaccine site; at the height of the vaccination program, the site was providing thousands of jabs per day.
Disaster recovery centers are also opening in the Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, and Yonkers and Mamaroneck in Westchester County.
Were you affected by Hurricane Ida? Email your story to Ben Brachfeld at bbrachfeld@schnepsmedia.com.
