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FEMA Continues Sending Reimbursement Bills To Sandy Victims, Claiming Overpayment

AMITYVILLE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- First it was fighting to get funding, now it's a fight to keep it.

Nearly three years after Superstorm Sandy, hundreds of homeowners are still fighting with FEMA, which now claims some homeowners were overpaid and it wants the money back.

Tom Cohill, of Amityville, is one of those who received a bill from FEMA.

"It just wasn't fair," he told WCBS 880's Ginny Kosola.

FEMA wanted $27,000 back from Cohill, saying he didn't deserve the money because he also received insurance money to rebuild.

"The FEMA guy and my insurance guy were here at the same time," he said.

Cohill fought the reimbursement request, but FEMA still wants $7,000 back.

On top of FEMA and insurance, Cohill said he had to pay tens of thousands out of pocket to rebuild his home.

Senators in New York and New Jersey want FEMA to stop trying to reclaim funds, except where there is obvious fraud, but that hasn't happened yet, Kosola reported.

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