Far Rockaway Public Housing Residents Still Struggle With Heat, Hot Water
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Residents of the Ocean Bay public housing complex in Far Rockaway have been struggling with heat and hot water problems ever since Superstorm Sandy hit nearly three weeks ago.
As WCBS 880's Sophia Hall reported, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and volunteers from the Action Center food pantry have toured the apartment complex, at 57-10 Beach Channel Dr. in Queens, and Kennedy has delivered medical supplies.
WCBS 880's Sophia Hall reports
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As dozens of residents stood outside waiting for donations of food, sneakers and clothing, they said they have been struggling to keep warm at night because their heat and hot water sometimes goes off for hours at a time.
"It's on and off," one man said. "It's like when I sleep at night, you've got to, you know cover up; use, like, four or five blankets."
Hot water has also been a nightmare, one woman said.
"In the mornings, like 'round about 5 o'clock, there's no water, and maybe about 6 or 7, the water comes on," she said. "Last night, the water went off about 7 o'clock. We didn't have no water until this morning."
The Rockaway Peninsula was among the hardest hit areas during Superstorm Sandy. Sand from the beach was sent crashing into the streets, basements flooded, and widespread looting was reported.
In the Rockaway Peninsula neighborhood of Breezy Point, 111 homes were destroyed by a fire propelled by the storm winds.
The A Line in the Rockaways remained out of commission as of Saturday. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority said as of last weekend, there was no signal system on the Rockaway section of the A Line, the rails were twisted in some areas, and the supporting road bed was completely washed away. But repairs were underway.
