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Cuomo To Sandy Victims Along Coastline: "Move On"
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Jan 24, 2013
Modified Jan 24, 2013
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By
Christopher Robbins
Published Jan 24, 2013
Modified Jan 24, 2013
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Using language couched in euphemisms, Governor Cuomo is urging residents whose homes sit along coastlines and were destroyed by Hurricane Sandy to sell their property and "move on." "At one point, you have to say maybe Mother Nature doesn't want you here," the governor told the editorial board of the Daily News. "Maybe she's trying to tell you something."
Cuomo said that the state would buy up the land for a price that's "on the generous side" to prevent paying for future homes that will be destroyed by the storms that will inevitably keep hitting New York City. "We give you a check and you move on. We take the property."
Damaged homes would be paid for with a portion of the $50 billion Sandy relief bill making its way through the Senate. Cuomo was unclear about how the state would recoup the lost tax revenue from the homes. Some rebuilding has already begun, and the governor was realistic about not being able to convince everyone. "You have to be sensitive. I’m not saying anybody should sell, but you should think about it."
Last month Mayor Bloomberg commissioned a report by the president of the EDC, two deputy mayors, and a former Goldman Sachs infrastructure expert to assess what needs to be done to dull the blow of future storms, but he notably added, "We're not going to abandon the waterfront."
Perhaps politicians should be focused on the current state of Sandy-damaged regions, where the cold snap is making life miserable and dangerous for those who remain without heat. According to the Times, Bloomberg's Rapid Repairs program has yet to complete work on 1,893 buildings in the region. A report on the city's effectiveness in its response to Sandy is due next month.
[UPDATE] Mayor Bloomberg published an editorial in the Huffington Post today that is basically an abbreviated version of his speech to business leaders last month that we covered. Here is the relevant passage:
New York City has 520 miles of shoreline, and it is some of the most beautiful, dynamic shoreline in the world, with the most beautiful views. That's why people have chosen to live at the coastline for centuries. The question I have gotten most often since the storm is not about the damage Sandy caused, but about whether people can rebuild their homes in coastal communities such as the Breezy Point and Midland Beach sections of Staten Island. Let me be clear: We are not going to abandon the waterfront. But we cannot just rebuild what was there and hope for the best. We have to build smarter and stronger and more sustainable.
Tagged
governor cuomo
hurricane sandy
mayor bloomberg
rockaways
sandy
staten island
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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