FEMA Disaster Recovery Center to close on 4/30

Disaster Recovery Center closing 4/30

In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, Coney Island was one of the first neighborhoods to receive a Disaster Recovery Center—a mobile operation to provide impacted businesses and residents assistance. For many months, the DRC was co-located with the City’s Restoration Center, providing access to numerous City agency services. Today, the Coney Island DRC is the last remaining in the entire borough, with others having closed many weeks ago. On Tuesday, April 30th, the DRC located in Coney Island (at MCU Park) will be closing.

FEMA and SBA services will still be available through on-site representatives, the FEMA helpline (800-621-3362), and online at DisasterAssistance.gov. Additionally, many neighborhood service providers—both government and non-government—have reopened (including Astella Development Corporation which has returned to their offices at 1618 Mermaid Avenue), and the #ConeyRecovers headquarters trailer at 1701 Surf Avenue remains open (M-F, 9-5) to assist impacted residents, businesses, and not-for-profits.

NYC Home Repair Consortium

Are you a homeowner that needs assistance in rebuilding your home after Sandy? While the City anticipates receiving funding approval shortly for the use of Community Development Block Grant Funding to assist New Yorkers in their recovery, in the meantime you may want to consider the NYC Home Repair Consortium. For more information and to be considered as a candidate for assistance, click here.

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Grimaldi’s Pizza—returning and now hiring!

It’s been nearly six months since Sandy, and one of the newest businesses in town—the famous Grimaldi’s Pizza—is readying to reopen. And they are hiring pizza chefs, waiters, kitchen helpers, and bartenders. Click here for more info.

Photo from Tricia Vita at AmusingtheZillion.com

Businesses: Get a REFUND on your City filing fees — DEADLINE APPROACHING

ATTENTION SOUTHERN BROOKLYN BUSINESSES:

Have you done work that required a permit, and paid fees to the City, to repair damage from Hurricane Sandy? To help New York City businesses impacted by the storm, a new local law waives and refunds various City fees required for rebuilding, recovery and operation of businesses.

How long will fee refunds and waivers be provided?
Refunds are available until May 31, 2013. For new applications, a business must apply for a fee waiver by October 31, 2013 and may have fees waived until December 31, 2013.

Click here for more info.

Local business recovery: a work-in-progress

The New York Times is out with an update on the continued recovery efforts in Coney Island and other neighborhoods of Southern Brooklyn, with quotes from some local businesses and leaders. The work to restore the commercial corridors of the neighborhood continues.

FEMA Update: Transitional Sheltering Assistance

FEMA has approved a 28-day extension to the Transitional Sheltering Assistance program in New York, which allows eligible survivors from Hurricane Sandy who cannot return to their homes to stay in participating hotels or motels. The new checkout date for those in the Transitional Sheltering Assistance program in New York is May 29. FEMA will call applicants eligible for the extension to notify them of the new checkout date. http://www.fema.gov/news-release/2013/04/24/fema-extends-transitional-sheltering-assistance-program-new-york

(Spanish Translation)
FEMA, ha aprobado una extensión de 28 días para el programa de Asistencia de Alojamiento de Transición (TSA), que permite a los sobrevivientes elegibles del huracán Sandy que no pueden volver a sus hogares permanecer en hoteles participantes. La fecha de finalización del TSA, que previamente se había extendido al 1 de mayo, se ha vuelto a extender hasta el 29 de mayo.http://www.fema.gov/es/news-release/2013/04/24/fema-extiendo-el-programa-de-asistencia-de-alojamiento-de-transicion-en-new

Nominate a Dad for the Third Annual NYC DADS Matter Awards by April 26th!

This June, in an effort to spread the message that fathers matter, the New York City Fatherhood Initiative will present the Third Annual NYC DADS Matter Awards. These awards will recognize ten fathers from across the City who have overcome challenges to become positive and consistent forces in the lives of their children.

Please share with your networks and consider submitting nominations of dads you believe meet the criteria described in the nomination form and send to [email protected] by Friday, April, 26, 2013. This should be a fantastic event and acknowledges the important role that dads play in the lives of their children and communities.

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Info on City’s Mold Remediation Program

Info on the City’s mold remediation program can be found from the Local Initiatives Support Corporation’s (LISC) website.

For more info or to sign up, call 311.