NYC unveils plans for $1.8B chunk of Sandy aid
Grants for homeowners to fix their properties, spending to install generators at public housing complexes and competitions to create new storm-resilience technology are among the city’s plans for some of its federal Superstorm Sandy aid money, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced Wednesday.
The city also envisions nearly $200 million in grants and loans for storm-struck businesses and a $40 million contest for utilities to harden power, fuel and phone networks against storms, he said as officials began detailing how they intend to use the city’s share of the more than $50 billion, multi-state Sandy recovery package Congress approved last month.
The plans aired Wednesday concern just a first slice: nearly $1.8 billion for the city in what are known as community development block grants, which generally have to be used for affordable housing, job-creation and social services. City officials expect to get more money — they’re not yet sure exactly how much — for purposes ranging from rebuilding roads to reimbursing city workers’ overtime.
But the first chunk “is real money, and it’s really going to make a big difference in our city,” Bloomberg said.