City Council Approves Task Force To Work With Houses Of Worship After Natural Disasters

The City Council has approved two pieces of legislation this month to better prepare residents in coastal neighborhoods for major storms and to formalize the role that houses of worship and charitable organizations play in the aftermath of emergencies.

The bills, proposed by Councilman Mark Treyger as part of his role as Chairman of the Council’s Committee on Recovery & Resiliency, were approved unanimously by City Council at its February 12 Stated Meeting, and are expected to be signed into law by Mayor Bill de Blasio.

The first piece of legislation creates a task force to review the role that houses of worship and charitable organizations played in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy and to examine ways for government to reimburse these groups for expenses incurred while helping residents recover.

“As we continue the recovery from Sandy, it is imperative that we do not forget about the many charitable organizations and houses of worship that opened their doors to residents in the hours, days, and weeks after the storm hit and played a vital role in the recovery,” said Treyger.

Most of the post-Sandy recovery funds and focus have concentrated on rebuilding homes and businesses. Yet many charitable organizations and houses of worship were in the affected areas and did not have access to recovery dollars, with many deemed ineligible to receive any form of federal funding. This task force would investigate any unmet needs of these organizations and make recommendations on steps the city can take to assist in their recovery.

This legislation would also formalize the role these groups play in the recovery from the next major storm or emergency so they can again immediately provide aid to local residents. Under this new law, the task force will submit a report to the City Council within eight months of its formation containing its findings and recommendations.

The second law requires that pamphlets and other materials distributed by the Office of Emergency Management are tailored to vulnerable communities and include specific details on local organizations, evacuation zones and other information that residents need during a storm or emergency.

Currently, OEM’s pamphlets and other emergency preparedness materials are citywide in nature, making it difficult to reach and understand evacuation zone maps. Under the new law, these new materials would be specific for each vulnerable community across the city and would be translated into the ten most commonly spoken languages in each targeted neighborhood to ensure this information reaches as many residents as possible.

“It is also critical that we learn from this experience and find ways to better connect residents with information and resources that are specific to their community. These two pieces of legislation will create a safer, more resilient New York City and help better prepare us for the next major storm,” said Treyger.