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Senator Skoufis & Local Officials Urge Governor to Request FEMA Reconsider Denial of Flood Funds

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Local Officials Press for Reconsideraton of FEMA's Nix of Individual Flood Compesation Dring July Federal Emergency Resulting From Floods after FEMA was quoted as saying, "They were not that bad".



September 29, 2023

The Honorable Kathy Hochul

Governor of New York State

NYS State Capitol Building

Albany, NY 12224


Dear Governor Hochul:

We write to urgently request that your office appeal the recent denial by FEMA of individual assistance (IA) for Orange County victims of the devastating July 2023 floods. It is our understanding that a 30-day window to file such an appeal

was opened as of your receipt of the denial on Tuesday, September 26.

Additionally, we request your immediate allocatio of an additional $3 million in direct financial assistance for these renters and homeowners, without restriction by income, to address the void left by FEMA’s recent denial.


Our offices have appreciated your administration’s swift attention to those battered by July’s storms, including your numerous visits to the area, steadfast support of our municipalities as they navigate FEMA’s public assistance processes, and previous allocation of $3M in income-restricted funding for select homeowners. However, with FEMA’s swift and, frankly, baffling decision to deny our impacted constituents the vital financial relief they desperately deserve, homeowners and renters without access to flood insurance and lacking personal savings to cover mounting property losses have once again been thrown into a current of uncertainty.


Many in the heart of this summer’s flood zone in eastern Orange County lost everything. We respectfully ask that you file an appeal with FEMA immediately and announce new direct assistance funding, ensuring New York State exhausts every tool available to continue to support these struggling Orange County neighbors.


Please do not hesitate to reach out should you wish to discuss further.

Sincerely,


James Skoufis

State Senator, 42nd District


Mervin R. Livsey

Supervisor, Town of Highlands


Josh Wojehowski

Supervisor, Town of Cornwall


Chris Eachus

Assemblyman, 99th District


James A. Gagliano

Mayor, Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson


Joe D'Onofrio

Mayor

Village of Highland Falls


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Orange County Courier Journal

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