Watch CBS News

Bloomberg: Most NYC Public Housing Residents To Have Power Restored By Saturday

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Mayor Michael Bloomberg said most of New York City's public housing residents should have electricity by Friday night or Saturday.

Speaking Friday on his weekly WOR Radio show, he said their heat should be back early next week.

1010 WINS' Stan Brooks reports

Podcast

"About half the people who haven't had electricity and heat are in public housing," he said.

But the mayor said some of the hardest hit were those living in single and two-families homes. He said about 20,000 to 30,000 of those residents are still without power because of water damage to their electrical systems.

"Their problem primarily is that heat and electricity is done by stuff in the basement and the electric panel, once it gets saltwater on it, you cannot turn on electricity to that house until you replace the panel."

Bloomberg estimated that 1,000 houses in New York City were destroyed during the superstorm and up to 80,000 suffered water damage.

(TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.