Long Island Gets Big Bucks From FEMA After Sandy
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Long Island seems to be getting the lion's share of assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency following superstorm Sandy.
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The latest figures show that FEMA has doled out about $500 million in housing assistance grants in New York State and more than 40 percent - $208 million - has gone to Long Islanders.
That's more than all of the money sent to New Jersey thus far.
FEMA's Michael Byrne acknowledged that Long Island has unique needs.
"Traditional ways that we do it, bringing in temporary housing units, there's no place to put them. Giving rental assistance to find apartments, the vacancy rate is under five percent," Byrne told 1010 WINS reporter Mona Rivera.
"Lives are at stake. The welfare of the people whose homes were damaged is in jeopardy," he said.
LINK: DisasterAssistance.gov
FEMA reported that about 30,000 Long Island homeowners and renters have so far been approved for grants. Most of them are in Nassau County.
You have to register and apply with FEMA by December 29. You could be eligible for upwards of $30,000 per household.
