Cuomo Putting $750 Million In Storm Funds In Community’s Hands

The state of New York has three-quarters of a billion dollars in federal Superstorm Sandy recovery dollars, and Govorner Andrew Cuomo wants to put that money in the hands of local communities. NY State Of Politics is reporting that Cuomo wants local communities to decide how to spend the money, not state or federal officials.

Cuomo’s program, named the New York Rising Community Reconstruction Program, is funded with $250 million from a FEMA hazard mitigation grant program and $500 million from the federally approved Sandy aid package. Cuomo emphasized that he wants to take a different path when it comes to the dispersal of the funds.

“What we’re trying to do today is a totally different approach. What does the community think is the best approach to rebuild? And what are the best ideas and what is the best vision and let’s fund the community’s vision rather than ask the community to fit in the template that’s established from up above,” Cuomo said.

Cuomo’s idea would spur local communities to focus on projects specific to their needs, with an eye towards considering the impacts of future mega storms.

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan agreed with Cuomo’s approach.

“Rebuilding simply doesn’t work when it’s imposed from the top down,” Donovan said.

Questions still remain over which governing bodies in the local communities would have the final say in approving projects and at what cost.