Hoboken Mayor Tries To Get Extended FEMA Coverage For Flooded Basement Apartments
HOBOKEN, N.J. (CBSNewYork) - There are many basement apartments in Hoboken, and quite a few of them were fouled by sewage and river water as a result of superstorm Sandy.
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Mayor Dawn Zimmer took city resident and New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning on a tour of one.
"I think he was surprised. I mean, he did say that he didn't realize it was this bad," Zimmer told WCBS 880 reporter Sean Adams.
The two have teamed up to raise awareness of the problem because thousands of people who live in those basement apartments could have a difficult road ahead of them.
"The FEMA flood insurance... it's limited coverage for basements and the reality is that we're an urban setting where there are thousands of basement apartments," Zimmer said. "We don't want people to be... literally pushed out of Hoboken and with the way the FEMA flood insurance works right now, that's the risk that we face."
They're working with FEMA to make an exception and help more people.
LINK: DisasterAssistance.gov
Meanwhile, city inspectors are going door-to-door. Some buildings still have no heat or electricity, but landlords who haven't pumped out could be fined $1,000 a day.
Debris piles still block sidewalks and volunteers are needed for a citywide cleanup on Sunday.
Donations are also being accepted at rebuildhoboken.org.
Plus, do-it-yourself classes are being organized for mold remediation.
PATH service in and out of the city is still suspended, leading to crowding at buses and ferries.
