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Saturday Marks 4 Years Since Superstorm Sandy

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Saturday marks four years since Superstorm Sandy made landfall in the Tri-State Area.

The Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel was shut down for weeks as crews emptied more than 60 million gallons of water that flooded the tubes.

In Queens, more than 100 homes in Breezy Point caught fire during the storm.

Seaside Heights pier is slowly recovering from record flooding and erosion.

Dozens of businesses have received grants to bounce back.

PHOTOS: Sandy's Aftermath From Above

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio visited Staten Island on Saturday, expressing regret that the "Build It Back" program will not meet its deadline, 1010 WINS' Roger Stern reported.

He said there are still 4,000 families waiting on the city to repair their homes, and only 75 percent of them will be completed by the end of the year.

"We're happy for that success, but we're not satisfied that other folks are still waiting, and that must be resolved immediately," de Blasio said. 

The mayor said part of the delay was due to homeowners who didn't want to leave their homes during the holidays.

PHOTOS: Aftermath Of Sandy: User-Submitted Photos

In Lindenhurst, Bob Mallon has been living in a trailer for more than a year, and that's after he spent time living with friends and family for three years, WCBS 880's Sophia Hall reported. He said he is fighting with the government to get his house repaired, but so far, he's had no luck.

"It's beyond upsetting. New York Rising has nothing but an arsenal of attorneys looking for excuses not to give money out to people," he said. 

Across the street, Eve Hough said she should have just walked away.

"When you think of all the problems you had, it's just not worth it. Forty years I lived in that house, and it's just not the same," she said.

Tears filled her eyes as she said she hates October 29, because that's when she lost all of her belongings, including her family photos, which can never be replaced.

 

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