Q&A
Retrofit assistance program for flood mitigation in New York City
1:10:48
·
3 min
Council Member Williams inquires about the HCR resilient retrofit program and its potential to assist homeowners in New York City with flood mitigation. Commissioner Aggarwala discusses the current status of the program and ongoing discussions with HCR.
- The program is currently acquiring a new partner to deliver services
- There are limitations in funding and previous focus on Long Island
- Discussions are ongoing to include more New York City residents and address chronic flooding issues
- DEP is awaiting updates from HCR on the program's implementation
Nantasha Williams
1:10:48
Okay.
1:10:48
Just one more question, and thank you so much, Chair, for your graciousness.
1:10:52
On the bill, the retrofit assistant program, I know Senator Sanders can be in a meeting, but between the AP and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation in May 2024 to discuss flooding assistance and retrofit programs available to its constituents.
1:11:09
HCR resilient retrofit program was discussed in all parties believe there was an effective program to assist homeowners with retrofitting their homes to mitigate flood damage.
1:11:19
If intro 1067 passes, is it the assessment of your agency that homeowners can receive assistance with retrofitting their homes due to Broward are flooding through this program and has DP and other sister agencies looked into the effectiveness of this program to provide funding to constituents in need?
1:11:37
And lastly, what dialogue has office had with HCR to make sure the program can serve our constituents here in New York City.
James F. Gennaro
1:11:46
And before the before the commissioner replies to the questions, I'd like to indicate that I'm happy to give the counsel her a little latitude.
1:11:55
She's over her time, but it's a very compelling question.
1:11:58
And I'll have the commissioner speak to the questions just posed, and then we'll kind of move on in in in in the hearing.
1:12:06
We're happy to give you a latitude, Nann.
1:12:09
Commissioner.
Rohit T Aggarwala
1:12:11
Thank you.
1:12:12
Yes.
1:12:12
We did have that meeting as you described.
1:12:14
Of course, you participated as well.
1:12:17
And So to date, we've had a number of conversations with HCR about their program.
1:12:24
Right now, my understanding is that they are acquiring or contracting with a new partner to deliver it.
1:12:37
It's a reason that they asked us to hold off on actively making residents aware of the program, being because they were not in a position to disperse more funding.
1:12:49
I think the reality is right now that state the pot of money is relatively limited.
1:12:55
So it is not clear whether, you know, if if we got a lot of New York City residents.
1:13:01
Traditionally, that program was marketed only to to people on Long Island even though in theory it's a statewide program.
1:13:09
That was the conversation we started having with them about how they needed to to focus more on New York City.
1:13:17
They also frankly had been avoiding or excluding those homes that had the most chronic flooding.
1:13:29
Which seems counterintuitive, and to be honest, I couldn't quite understand it myself.
1:13:33
They were basically saying that it's only houses that have occasional flooding that should be eligible, and we've been in discussion with them.
1:13:40
I don't have anything definitive to report.
1:13:43
And as far as I know that I will check with staff and we can follow-up at our next scheduled conversation that HCR still doesn't have their new implementing partner lined up yet.
