
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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