New York announces $3 million in emergency flood relief for Orange County homeowners
HIGHLAND FALLS, N.Y. -- A storm cell brought heavy rain to parts of Orange County on Tuesday, not long after Gov. Kathy Hochul visited to offer financial assistance for the historic flooding on July 9.
CBS New York spoke with one of the many homeowners who could desperately use the help.
With a basement bereft of walls and an "Unsafe to occupy" warning on the door, it will be some time before Amy and Scott Estey welcome friends to their Highland Falls home.
"We're just holding out hope that we get some kind of assistance because this is way more than we ever thought it would be," Amy Estey said.
CBS New York saw the scene on July 9 as flood water filled their basement and their yard, causing the foundation to crack and the home to shift. It's now held up by supports.
The Esteys need support because their insurance doesn't cover flooding.
"You gotta have faith that something is going to come through, because, otherwise, you fall apart," Amy Estey said.
NEW: $3 million in state emergency funding is being made available to help Orange County homeowners in the wake of last week's flooding.
— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) July 18, 2023
Together with our partners, we're going to keep doing everything we can to get New Yorkers across the state the help they need to recover.
The governor says with the Federal Emergency Management Agency unlikely to offer much help to individual homeowners, New York state will establish a $3 million fund to help pay for cleanup and repairs.
Homeowners must meet certain income guidelines to qualify.
"This will be a lifeline, providing critical emergency repair grants to homeowners that meet the income threshold, and if there's money remaining, we'll be raising those thresholds," Hochul said.
"This is a critical thing that we're talking about right now that can give them actually help and some type of pathway forward," Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus said.
READ MORE: Despite the heat, there are signs of progress in flood-ravaged Orange County
Neuhaus said 20 homes have been red tagged across Orange, while another 1,000 have been assessed with significant damage.
There's damage you can see and damage that is hidden underground. Many wells that provide water have been contaminated with e-coli bacteria, making it unsafe to drink.
Homeowners need help on many fronts.
To qualify for state aid, homeowners cannot exceed 80% of the Orange County median income.