Volunteer Candice Osborne is able to quickly respond to the needs of Superstorm Sandy victims with the help of social media.

cnn.com- by Katie Walmsley - November 30, 2012

(CNN) -- It has been in operation only since October 30, but the Facebook page for "Giving back to those affected by Sandy" has a longer timeline than most Facebook members.

The page, started by the group "BK girls give back," began as a way to help people stranded in areas with no cell service or way to communicate after the superstorm. Soon, it took on a life of its own. Shelters in need of supplies, residents in need of a ride, organizations needing volunteers and even people who lost and found pets all posted on the timeline.

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DISASTER: Staten Island homes like this one in Oakwood would be eligible for buyouts.  Reuters

nypost.com - Gerry Shields - February 5, 2013

ALBANY — They want to flee Mother Nature’s wrath on Staten Island — but not in Long Beach.

Residents in the Oakwood Beach and Fox Beach sections of Staten Island overwhelmingly want a buyout Gov. Cuomo is proposing for victims of superstorm Sandy, the island’s state senators said yesterday.

But residents of hard-hit Long Beach want to stay put, according to their assemblyman, Harvey Weisenberg.

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(CLICK HERE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION)

submitted by Peter B. Gudaitis

Release date: February 21, 2013
Release Number: NR-176

NEW YORK – The Federal Emergency Management Agency, at the request of the State of New York, has approved a 14-day extension to the Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program, which allows eligible survivors from Hurricane Sandy who cannot return to their homes to stay in participating hotels or motels.

The new checkout date for those in the TSA program is March 10, 2013. FEMA continues working with survivors in coordination with state, local and voluntary agency partners to assist applicants through outreach and comprehensive casework to identify and transition them to more suitable temporary or long-term housing. Applicants eligible for the extension are being notified of the new checkout date. 

The temporary Transitional Sheltering Assistance program allows eligible Hurricane Sandy survivors whose houses have been severely damaged or destroyed to stay in a hotel or motel for a limited time and have the cost of the room and taxes paid directly to the hotel by FEMA.

submitted by Henry Rodriguez

claimsjournal.com - February 19, 2013

The 15 insurers participating in the National Flood Insurance Program that are handling at least 1,000 claims related to Sandy, the progress they have made in closing claims, and the money they have paid out to date:

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submitted by Henry Rodriguez

propertyinsurancecoveragelaw.com - by Chip Merlin - February 20, 2013

Flood insurance claims under the National Flood Program are unique. As implied in yesterday's post, Appraisal in Flood Claims, those closely involved with controversies regarding appraisals under the National Flood Program should not only read cases construing the flood policy, they should also read briefs filed by the attorneys for National Flood to anticipate future arguments and issues. This is very important to properly representing Hurricane Sandy insurance claimants.

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Andy Wandilak, owner of Two Boots Pizza

CNN - by Jessi Hempel - November 23, 2013

Thanks to social networks, grassroots relief efforts scaled quickly and efficiently in Sandy's aftermath, giving them a bigger presence in many places than even the established aid agencies.

On the day Hurricane Sandy decimated entire neighborhoods of New York, Andy Wandilak offered to feed and shelter the family of a musician who plays at his restaurant. The guy's descriptions of the storm's aftermath were tragic. So Andy started cooking. He used Facebook and Twitter to ask the restaurant's patrons for support.

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submitted by Albert Gomez

urbangreencouncil.org - February 2013

The greatest obstacle to a responsible approach to climate change mitigation is a sense that the problem is insoluble. Urban Green Council’s latest research report, 90 By 50, demonstrates that the emission reductions required are in fact possible using technologies that are known and in almost all cases currently available, and that the cost is manageable from a citywide perspective.

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Document - 90 by 50 - NYC Can Reduce Its Carbon Footprint 90% By 2050
http://issuu.com/urbangreen/docs/90by50?mode=window

Study: 90 by 50 - NYC Can Reduce Its Carbon Footprint 90% By 2050 (56 page .PDF file)
http://www.urbangreencouncil.org/servlet/servlet.FileDownload?file=015U0000000nD3r

submitted by Albert Gomez

This Feb. 5, 2013, photo,shows a home in the middle of Barnegat Bay, that was washed into the Bay from Mantoloking N.J. during Superstorm Sandy. States hit hard by Sandy are gearing up to remove tons of debris from waterways, including houses, vehicles, sunken boats, furniture, pieces of piers, decks and bulkheads _ all of which must be removed before the summer swimming and boating season. (AP Photo/Wayne Parry)

Hidden damage from Sandy lurks underwater as areas dependent on tourism brace for cleanup

Associated Press - by Wayne Parry - February 17, 2013

MANTOLOKING, N.J. (AP) -- On the surface, things look calm and placid. Just beneath the waterline, however, it's a different story.

Cars and sunken boats. Patio furniture. Pieces of docks. Entire houses. A grandfather clock, deposited in a marsh a mile from solid land. Hot tubs. Tons of sand. All displaced by Superstorm Sandy.

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Hurricane Sandy - NOAA Water Level and Meteorological Data Report (62 page .PDF report)

tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov - January 24, 2013

Overview

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) maintains a network of oceanographic and meteorological stations along the United States coastlines and Great Lakes to monitor water levels, winds (speed, direction and gusts), barometric pressure, and air/water temperature. This report documents the elevated water levels, high winds and reduced barometric pressures recorded at stations along the East Coast of the U.S. from Florida to Maine during Hurricane Sandy.

Download the list in PDF

With the drop in temperatures, the City is providing warming centers located within Senior Centers in the five boroughs for a place to get out of the cold during the day. Please see times and locations in the .PDF list.

submitted by Dennis Saleeby

Bloomberg Blasted As New Yorkers Say No Way, Demand $1,000 Rebate

CBS News - February 11, 2013

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — A property tax revolt is brewing in areas of New York City hard hit by Hurricane Sandy. Residents are crying foul over the city’s decision to raise the assessed value — and the taxes — on homes damaged by the storm.

Imagine the nerve … the chutzpah … Your home sustains more than $100,000 in damages from the hurricane and the resale value immediately plummets, only to have the city say it’s actually worth more and you have to pay higher taxes, CBS 2′s Marcia Kramer reported Monday.

“I think they have a different reality and the reality is Mayor Bloomberg making money for the city.

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ready.gov

An In-depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness

Are You Ready? An In-depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness (IS-22) is FEMA’s most comprehensive source on individual, family and community preparedness.  The guide has been revised, updated and enhanced in August 2004 to provide the public with the most current and up-to-date disaster preparedness information available.

02/04/2013 09:40 AM EST 

NEW YORK – The Federal Emergency Management Agency understands that some survivors may need additional temporary rental assistance to help them achieve their permanent housing goals.Most eligible applicants initially received four months of rental assistance and may be eligible for additional help, if their damaged residence is still not livable.Applicants with an ongoing need for temporary rental assistance who have signed a valid lease agreement should:

View Press Release
Applicants should contact FEMA’s Helpline, 800-621-3362 

Peter B. Gudaitis, M.Div.

President, National Disaster Interfaiths Network (NDIN)
Chief Response Officer, New York Disaster Interfaith Services (NYDIS)