More Financial Recovery Assistance Available For Sandy Victims

Federal, state and local officials are banding together to offer home and business owners still recovering from Hurricane Sandy, the chance to apply for assistance. “Sandy Help Teams” are being deployed in Piermont and Stony Point today and Tuesday.

Governor Andrew Cuomo is sending trained personnel to assist Sandy victims with Federal Housing and Business Recovery Aid applications. They will be stationed at Piermont Village Hall at 478 Piermont and the Rho Building at 5 Clubhouse Drive in Stony Point Avenue from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days. Trained staff from Rockland County government will also be on hand to help residents and business owners with navigating the process.

Those affected by the storm also have the option of going online to apply at http://nysandyhelp.ny.gov/. Addtionally, business owners can get information on recovery assistance by visiting to the two state Small Business Development Center Disaster Recovery locations in the county. The Suffern location at Rockland Community College is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and can be reached at 845-356-6065. The Haverstraw facility at 37 West Broad Street, 2nd floor can be contacted at 845-356-6065 and is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-Westchester/Rockland) will join Stony Point Supervisor Geoff Finn and Haverstraw Supervisor Howard Phillips at the mobile Sandy Help Center in Stony Point on Monday at 1 p.m.

In advance of the Stony Point kick off, Lowey said, “As many Rockland County homeowners and businesses recover and rebuild from Superstorm Sandy, it is good news that these Sandy Help Team representatives will be available to help local residents apply for badly-needed storm aid. Federal support in the wake of Sandy has been critical in helping residents of the Lower Hudson Valley get back on their feet, and I am pleased that Rockland residents will have access to these important resources.”

County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef noted the teams are deploying in the two hardest hit areas of Rockland.

“Their presence will certainly complement the outstanding efforts of our county agencies, in particular the Office of Fire and Emergency Services and Community Development Office, in continuing to map out strategies to help our business and homeowners recover and rebuild from Superstorm Sandy,” he said.