One year after Hurricane Ida made landfall in New Jersey, we brought together Ida survivors from across the state who are still struggling to rebuild and return home. We first gathered in Manville at the still-damaged home of our member Yaritza, and came together in fellowship and community, calling out the broken disaster recovery system that got us all here. Both the Mayor Onderko of Manville and Assemblywoman Jaffer’s Chief of Staff stood with us, as well as survivors and neighbors from across Manville.
The Manville event built up to another online event the following Wednesday. Joined by Representatives Tom Malinowski, Bonnie Watson-Coleman, and staffers from Representatives Frank Pallone and Josh Gottheimer’s offices, we shared our stories and identified the main solutions we need for both immediate and long-term recovery.
We told the Congresspeople that we need federal Ida funding to get to Ida survivors soon, cover all Ida need, and that flood insurance should not be a disqualifying factor. The DCA has stated that the $228 million allocated to New Jersey’s Ida recovery will only cover 60% of need. And that’s only once this funding reaches survivors, which may not happen until almost two years after the storm. Flood survivors need a recovery system that works with them – not against them.
Superstorm Sandy survivors also stood alongside Ida survivors to share their support – as put by Sandy survivor and longtime NJOP member Chuck Griffin, “We don’t have every answer but we know where to go to get your answers.” That’s the people power we’re building – Ida strong, and Sandy strong.
Press
- opens in a new windowIda, 1 Year Later – Families Still Fighting to Get Home in New Jersey 101.5
- opens in a new windowOne year after Ida, some Jersey flood victims remain homeless, frustrated in PIX 11
- opens in a new windowOne year later, Ida survivors continue to clean up and find peace after powerful storm in AccuWeather
- opens in a new windowNew Jersey residents continue rebuilding after Ida in AccuWeather
- opens in a new windowIda survivors still waiting for $228M pot of money a year after storm. Here’s why in NorthJersey
- opens in a new window‘Where’s our help?’ Manville residents frustrated over government’s slow Ida response in MyCentralJersey
- opens in a new window1 Year Later, Ida’s Devastation Still Grips New Jersey in the Patch
- opens in a new windowIda was a year ago. Why are these outraged NJ victims still waiting on relief? | Our view in NorthJersey