Undetected Damage: Hurricane Sandy Aftermath

Superstorm Sandy Could Have Caused Undetected Damage to Your Home

Residents whose own properties might not have been severely affected by Hurricane Sandy would do well to inspect their homes or businesses thoroughly, nonetheless; there might be signs of damage that could lead to problems later on.

Check Roof Shingles

Even if there appears to be no severe damage to your roof, shingles could have been damaged or blown away, which will lead to leaks later on. Look at your top floor ceilings as well as your attic ceilings for signs of spotting and water damage that could indicate a leak in your roof. Climb up to the top of your roof and check if any of your shingles are cracked, broken or missing. If you have a two-story home and do not feel comfortable climbing a ladder that high, ask a neighbor if you can look at your roof from their second-story window. Avoid walking on your own roof under any circumstances; you risk not only injuring yourself, but cracking delicate tiles. Even some professional inspectors refuse to walk on roof surfaces. It is also a good idea, while you are checking your roof, to also check that the gutter system around your home is sound and that the gutters haven’t detached or bent.
It is also a good idea, while you are checking your roof, to also check that the gutter system around your home is sound and that the gutters haven’t detached or bent.

Check Trees for Signs of Uprooting

Make sure all of the trees near your home are standing as straight as they were before the storm. If you notice a tree leaning slightly, have a certified arborist inspect it to assess its stability. Many types of trees will grow towards light, but all pine trees grow straight; if you see a conifer leaning, it might have to be uprooted.

Visually Inspect Your Meter Box

Make sure that your meter box hasn’t been damaged, or that neither the weatherhead (the pipe that extends from the top of the meter box), nor the riser (the pipe that connects to the meter from below) have been bent or compromised in any way. If you do notice damage, have an electrician come out and inspect it further.

Inspect Your Basement for Signs of Mildew

Even if your basement didn’t flood outright, the appearance of mildew several days later might indicate that there was a leak that was undetected. You can tell that mildew has accumulated by the smell. If you detect signs of mildewing in your basement or anywhere in your home, have an emergency fire and flood cleanup service come out to inspect for leaks, perform a structure drying procedure, clean your home of mold and mildew and, if necessary, waterproof your basement and crawlspaces.

Should your home or business need any repairs, make sure to check that any repair service you hire is licensed by the state, as well as bonded and insured. You can check your state licensing board’s online directory of service providers for a properly certified repair service.

Superstorm Sandy Leaves NY Homeless Devastated

Superstorm Sandy Devastates NY City's Homeless Population

The homeless population of New York City was more than what the public facilities could handle before Hurricane Sandy; today the resources have been stretched farther than anyone could have imagined.

Before the storm, New York had more than 47,000 chronic homeless being - sheltered—more than any other US city. Advocates for the homeless have waged battles with the city to open up affordable housing opportunities in the thousands of “warehoused” properties in the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. “Warehousing” is a legal practice wherein property owners allow their residential buildings to sit, unoccupied, until property values rise and the rents go up. It is estimated that the more than 3500 vacant buildings in New York could house upwards of 70,000 people, while the nearly 2500 vacant lots could be developed into housing for more than 100,000.

Temporary Resident Struggle to Find Shelter

The rise of newly homeless after Hurricane Sandy caused a frenzy of activity in order to create enough shelter space for everyone whose homes were no longer habitable. Schools and college campuses were turned into hastily constructed evacuation centers in order to provide safe havens, but had to be dismantled in order to resume classes, so many of the evacuees were distributed to armories, where dormitories had been temporarily installed. Others were shuttled to Samaritan Village shelters, which were designed to house substance abusers. Many facilities had no provisions for children and babies. Others had to sequester the mentally unstable chronically homeless from the rest of the population. Now, most of the residents of these temporary shelters have been relocated to local hotels, but because many no longer have jobs or sources of income, it is unclear where the temporary residents will go after the hotel rooms are no longer being paid for.

Distinction between homeless population and terminal homeless

The Commissioner for the Department of Homeless Services declared that there is a distinction made between the homeless population that resulted from Hurricane Sandy and the terminal homeless. The shelter standards that were in place to address the homeless population before Hurricane Sandy do not apply to centers for the “temporarily” homeless. However, now that the hurricane victims have been moved and the scope of the problem has been assessed, it is not clear how the city plans to proceed. The hotel accommodations were handled under the provisions of a city contract with the American Red Cross, but food vouchers were not a part of those provisions. Many people who are being housed in hotel rooms that would cost $300 per night do not have the money for food.

As city officials continue to evaluate the plight of the city’s displaced, solutions will hopefully begin to slowly emerge. It was already announced by the Department of Homeless Services Commissioner that food vouchers will soon be added to the Red Cross shelter contract, which will helpfully assist the many people who still have nowhere to go.