De Blasio and Cuomo differ over hurricane aid, HUD

[hrmjustin]

Scott Waldman

ALBANY—Mayor Bill de Blasio said yesterday that a federal plan to divert a to-be-determined amount of storm-recovery aid to other areas of the country, a development that registered as a surprise with some members of Congress, would not affect New York City.

“We've carefully discussed this with HUD,” he said. “We've looked at what they've said formally. There has not been a change.”

When, in 2013, Congress finally passed a bill appropriating relief money for Hurricane Sandy, it only agreed to do so if some of the money was also dedicated to disasters between 2011 and 2013 elsewhere the country.

Shaun Donovan, the secretary of HUD, has since taken steps to fulfill what he believes is the law's mandate by proposing a national resiliency competition, whereby states that have suffered a disaster can apply for some of the remaining Hurricane Sandy relief funds, prompting some congressmembers and, initially, de Blasio, to cry foul.

http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/albany/2014/04/8544165/de-blasio-and-cuomo-differ-over-hurricane-aid-hud?top-featured-3

[hrmjustin]

1. De Blasio: ' Don't penalize storm survivors.'

By Richard Moody

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio guest spotted the second half of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's conference on local programs for Superstorm Sandy recovery, promoting legislation which would provide tax relief to New York City homeowners affected by the storm.

De Blasio said the legislation, which is still being drafted, would provide tax relief to homeowners in the city who have rebuilt their homes in the wake of Superstorm Sandy. The mayor explained, houses' assessed values will increase after owners spent personal money to rebuild their homes and therefore are expected to have higher property taxes this year.

http://www.legislativegazette.com/Articles-Top-Stories-c-2014-04-23-87680.113122-De-Blasio-Dont-penalize-storm-survivors.html