The residents of Hollis, Queens in New York are still grappling with the aftermath of the destructive storm, Ida. The hurricane brought devastating flooding and extensive damage to the area, leaving many homes destroyed and people displaced. The community is facing challenges in the recovery process as they deal with power outages, waterlogged houses, and limited access to basic necessities. As they work to rebuild their lives, residents are relying on the support of local organizations and government assistance to provide relief and begin the long process of recovery. However, the road to full restoration remains challenging and uncertain..
HOLLIS, Queens — Natives of Hollis, Queens watch the forecast much differently than most New Yorkers.
That’s because flooding remains a much bigger problem for residents there compared to the rest of the city.
Two years after the neighborhood was ravished by Hurricane Ida, locals say they still get nervous at the first sign of rain.
“We know that climate change is real,” said City Council Member for the 27th District Nantasha Williams. “We know that we have an aging infrastructure system in New York City.”
Homeowners say it’s become their daily reality.
The devastation for residents remains a fresh memory. Lives were lost, basements flooded – and residents say promised financial help simply wasn’t enough.
“I remember the empty promises,” said Queens resident Aracelia Cook to Eyewitness News.
See more from our Weathering Tomorrow series
Fellow resident Al Kanu shared similar sentiments, stating, “The elected officials who came here on that day – because it was election season, and they haven’t been here since.”
Many in the neighborhood are reluctant to make repairs due to the fear of facing it all over again.
The truth is – it could.
An Eyewitness News analysis of data from the First Street Foundation and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) found a staggering number of homes in the New York City area not just at high risk of another flood, but also with no flood insurance.
Our data analysis identified nearly 21 million homes and businesses with an 80% or higher risk of flooding by 2053.
And FEMA shows 16 million showed no flood insurance last year – a potentially disastrous gap.
Within the New York metro area, under 300,000 homes and businesses have at least an 80% chance of flooding by 2053.
And 69% show no evidence of flood insurance.
But as residents show the remains of their basement apartments to Eyewitness News reporter Tom Negovan, they share a telling reminder: that’s just money.
“The primary focus is creating safe apartments so we don’t have to lose any more lives,” said Safe Housing Advocate Sadia Rahman.”
ALSO READ | Most Americans with homes at risk for flooding don’t have insurance
Residents in Hollis, Queens are still haunted by the devastation caused by Hurricane Ida two years ago. The neighborhood, which is more prone to flooding than the rest of New York City, continues to live in fear every time it rains. The aging infrastructure and the reality of climate change have made homeowners hesitant to make repairs, as they fear facing the same outcome again. An analysis conducted by Eyewitness News found that millions of homes in the New York City area are at high risk of flooding by 2053, yet many of them have no flood insurance. The priority for residents is to create safe apartments and prevent further loss of lives.
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