Hurricane Sandy ripped through Canarsie, Brooklyn TOO

East 108th Street in Canarsie,Brooklyn a community that was affected by Hurricane Sandy

After realizing the complete ABSENCE regarding persons of color in the local news coverage of Hurricane Sandy I decided to walk through my community of Canarsie on Saturday. However, I will say that Canarsie has a number of different races and cultures but African-Americans do make up a large percentage of the residents.

Furthermore, I started with Canarsie since my friends who live in this neighborhood were saying things like “It’s disgusting out here,” and were posting pictures of flooded basements and downed trees on Facebook in the days following Hurricane Sandy.

I wanted to know if those conditions still remained nearly a week after Hurricane Sandy destroyed most things that came into her path. Ironically, Canarsie was not designated as an Evacuation Zone A community according to a map that can be viewed here published by the NYC Office of Emergency Management. Also I wanted to figure out why major news outlets with the exception of one blog post by the Wall Street Journal, which can be read here, were not mentioning what Hurricane Sandy did to Canarsie.

I spoke to more than ten homeowners and residents who lived in the area of Flatlands 7-10 from East 108th Street East 105th Street. In each of the following blog posts, I captured four different accounts from people who explained how Hurricane Sandy impacted their lives.

1) http://writing-rightingnow.blogspot.com/2012/11/no-warning.html

2) http://writing-rightingnow.blogspot.com/2012/11/going-through-water.html

3) http://writing-rightingnow.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-headache-with-insurance.html

4) http://writing-rightingnow.blogspot.com/2012/11/lack-of-support-from-elected-officials.html

In short these are the major concerns from Canarsie resident affected by Hurricane Sandy:

1. Monetary Assistance: A. Many of these homeowners are in the peculiar situation of having an insurance policy that covers only Hurricane damage but does not cover flood damage. Furthermore, their Hurricane deductible which was commonly five percent results in each of these homeowners paying at least $15,000 of their own money before their insurance company will release any additional funding. B. FEMA has been accepting claims from homeowners in the neighborhood. However, FEMA only covers a portion of the value of “necessity” items. According to homeowners “necessity” items includes lighting, appliances (stove, refrigerators), boilers, furnaces. That excludes computers, washing machines/ dryers, bed sets, and other furniture. Furthermore, FEMA should be more visible and set up a mobile office in Canarsie. According to one homeowner, they did so in the other Brooklyn community of Coney Island and in Staten Island.

2. When will their homes be safe to live in? Most of the basements in this neighborhood were flooded with sewage and other toxins. These homes need to be disinfected ASAP. Plus the sewage system for many homes have been destroyed and water caused mold to form on the basement walls that could over time spread to the walls on the higher floors.

3. A new and stronger seawall needs to be built along the side of the inlet from Jamaica Bay thats closest to the homes in order to prevent major flooding again.

4. Should Canarsie be designated as Evacuation Zone A? Since Canarsie is in Evacuation Zone B, these residents received no warning to vacate their homes and they took no precautions like buying a generator or moving valuables to a higher ground.

5. The local politicians are not being as vocal as New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.

6. The media is not highlighting the destruction of Canarsie.

No Warning

1/4 Hurricane Sandy experiences from Canarsie, Brooklyn

(A flooded parking lot to the left is a part of Seaview Estates condominium which was badly damaged by Hurricane Sandy)

Steve who is not African-American and who decided not to give his last name has lived in the Seaview Estates condominium for eight years. His unit is on the first level and it directly faces the inlet from Jamaica Bay that stretches into Canarsie. This is how he remembers the night of October 29th.

“I stayed because Hurricane Irene didn’t do anything major over here and that was supposed to be worst. But by the time the first tide came at eight in the morinig, I knew this was going to be different. The water had already reached the top of the pillars [that dots the bay wall along the back of Seaside Estates.]

When the water started to come onto the balcony, I started sweeping it away but it just kept coming. Around 8 o’clock that night, the second tide came and that was the one that did us in. Next thing I know there’s water coming through my front door. That’s when I tried to leave.

When I got to the front of the building water was everywhere. It was about waist deep by then. My neighbors were yelling ‘Go back inside, you can’t make it.”

Everything receded by 10 PM. The thing is this area could have been saved. If someone had warned us we could’ve bought sand bags and been prepared. We were forgotten. I’m humble because it could’ve been worst. I just lost stuff that’s replaceable.”

According to Steve’s neighbors the underground garage of Seaside Estates flooded within forty five minutes of the second tide and ruined about 200 cars. Five days later the garage is still partially filled with water. Due to the shortage of gas, the hired contractors say its difficult for them to take away large quantities of water at one time.

Going Through the Water

3/4 Hurricane Sandy experiences from Canarsie, Brooklyn

From Monday, October 29, 2012, Brenda Hydlebura (pictured right in front of a sink hole Hurricane Sandy created in front of her home) who lives with her 15-year-old daughter Amber (pictured furthest right) remembers this about the storm:

“About 7 p.m. we lost power and by 8 o’clock, I looked outside and saw my neighbors moving their cars because the water had begun to come on the street. The water came in so easy. It’s like it just crept up. The water was up to my shoulders by 8:30 p.m. ince I’m short person. It was terrifying [Hydlebura is about 5 feet tall.] So I called my neighbor and she said she was evacuating. I asked her if my daughter and I could come along because we didn’t know if the water was gonna get higher. She said ‘Yes. Come outside now.’

Then we went outside looking for our neighbor. It took a while before she found us, about 20 minutes because water was everywhere. Thankfully she had a Land Rover so we were able to get out of here easier,” said Hydlebura. Amber added “It was scary walking through that water. I was thinking I was gonna drown.

I’m glad we made it through. I just had to keep encouraging my mom to keep going because she has asthma and I didn’t want anything to happen to her.”

Upon returning to her home, Hydlebura found a three foot deep sinkhole on her lawn. The water flooded her basement damaging a $3,000 washer and dryer machine that she just bought and her wedding dress that was in a preservation bag. She has no flood coverage but has taken pictures to send to her insurance company and filed a FEMA claim.

There is still no electricity in Hydlebura home and she and has been staying with a high school buddy. For now she just wants her house to be disinfected and sanitized since sewage and dirt came into her basement.

She said for any future Hurricanes “I just want them to tell us when to leave so we can all be safe.”

The Headache with Insurance

3/4 Hurricane Sandy experiences from Canarsie, Brooklyn

An approximately six foot gate and short slope is the only thing that separates the homes next to the inlet of Jamaica Bay. Maria Garettt (pictured left in front of her broken central A/C unit that is now out of service) and her husband own the home closest to the water on their block.

She said “I’m going to advocate for a better barrier along our property line. This [pointing to the iron fence that got pushed down to the ground by the water] is not strong enough. Also, we need to get people organized because the insurance companies are trying to stiff everyone on the block. We all have insurance but no one gets flood coverage in Canarsie.

The fence next to Maria Garret's home

The water ruined everyone’s garage and the insurance company is still saying ‘we have to see if you can get compensated.’ I don’t want to hear that. If I had saved all the money I have faithfully paid them for the past 17 years. I wouldn’t be worried right now because I could have paid for all of this. I’m getting nothing in return. This is gonna be a fight.”

Maria filed a FEMA claim but until then she estimates about $75,000 in higher utility bills and damaged goods. Maria is using several space heaters to warm her home. Plus a central Air Condition unit that was outside of his property, furnace, a washer and dryer, freezer and refrigerator was ruined.

Lack of support from elected officials and no media coverage

4/4 Hurricane Sandy experiences from Canarsie, Brooklyn

Married couple Gloria (pictured to the right in her backyard amongst soiled furniture and belongings) and Donald Alexander has lived on East 105th Street in Canarsie for 20 years. She runs a day care and desperately wants her home and neighborhood to get cleaned up. She feels that process would be expedited if more elected officials started talking about Canarsie.

“We vote for these politicians year after year and when election time comes they’re antagonizing you everyday but now we need their help and they’re nowhere to be found. It makes me angry. Governor Cuomo and Mayor Bloomberg are not saying anything about Canarsie.  I can only say something good about [Councilman Charles] Baron. He’s seems like he is the only one talking to the media and letting them know what happened to us. 

No one else is saying anything about Canarsie. If half of Canarsie was still White, there would be more news coverage. Maybe it’s our fault we don’t complain to anyone, we just talk about it amongst ourselves.”

“Also because they [local media and politicians] don’t see houses burned down, were not getting a lot of attention. But we are hurting too. We’re not homeless but we need some assistance over here, “ added Donald

“I need help now. I run a day care and the kids can’t come into a house looking like this. So now I don’t have any income coming in,” continued Ms. Alexander whose damages are close to $10,000 including a furnace for $1,500 that was recently purchased. 

Blogger's Note: State Senator John Sampson and State Senator Eric Adams did issue a Media Advisory on October 31, 2012, which can be read here.

Also, State Senator John Sampson will holding a meeting with FEMA on Monday November 5, 2012 at the Holy Family Church School auditorium on 9719 Flatlands Avenue (cor. E 98th Street)

Black Professionals React to 2012 VP Debate

(Blogger MzCEO and Actress Lynn Whitfield)

On the eve of the second Presidential Debate for 2012, I had to take the time to mention the Vice-President Debate viewing party I attended last Thursday at Katra Lounge in New York City.

The event was hosted by The Root, Young Professionals United for Change, New York Association of Black Journalists [NYABJ], and the Tara McDowell Group. CNN commentator Roland Martin, political correspondent Keli Goff and actress Lynn Whitfield were also in attendance.

As expected the 2012 Vice President Debate moderated by Martha Raddatz covered the usual topics like the economy, the War in Afghanistan and abortion. Later in this post, you’ll read some of the crowd’s reaction.

For me the best part throughout the debate was the boyish smirk that appeared on Vice President Joe Biden’s face as Congressman Paul Ryan responded to a question. Eventually Vice President Biden began laughing and blurting out words like “malarkey” or “that’s some stuff” when Congressman Ryan’s was talking.

In my opinion the most telling part of the debate was Congressman Ryan’s lack of understanding for why 22,000 American troops were taken out of Afghanistan last month. He believes that that decision exposed the remaining troops to more harm. However, Vice President Biden responded by saying that American troops trained the Afghans so that they could protect their own country.

If a candidate for Vice President of the United States of America does not understand the necessity of the continuous withdrawal of our troops in Afghanistan after 10 years and more than 2,000 dead soldiers, he does not deserve to be in office. Besides restoring the American economy by creating new jobs in emerging industries, the safety of America and our troops is the next top priority.

Another important issue to me as a Christian woman is abortion. I was disappointed that Raddatz waited until the last fifteen minutes of the debate to ask each candidate about religion and abortion. I agreed with Vice President Biden’s stance on abortion.

He said “With regard to abortion, I accept my church's position on abortion... Life begins at conception. That's the church's judgment. I accept it in my personal life. But I refuse to impose it on equally devout Christians and Muslims and Jews and — I just refuse to impose that on others, unlike my friend here, the congressman.”

Truth be told, Amanda C. of Harlem who declined to give me her full name or take a picture since she works for a news organization in NYC hit the nail on the head when she told me that this very sensitive issue goes beyond moral values.

“We’re 51 percent of the population. We’re adults. We’re perfectly capable of making our decisions… Men make healthcare decisions with their doctors all the time without government interference. I think women should be granted the same thing. I think they know and their doctors know what’s best for them... For me, conservatives are always touting personal liberty. Freedom. Freedom. Freedom. What’s more invasive than you telling me what I can do with my vagina. That’s not OK.”

Here are some responses from young Black professionals that watched the debate in Katra when I asked: What was the most important topic that was discussed tonight during the debates?

Brian Benjamin/Founder of Young Professionals United for Change:

“Joe Biden was very clear that we’re going to get out in 2014. There’s a lot of money tied to this. When Republicans say they’re going to cut taxes for the wealthy by five trillion. And they’re going to increase the defense budget by 2 trillion dollars. How are we going to pay for that?

In order to pay for that we’re going to have to decimate Medicare and social security.. So we’re really going to have to make some serious decisions that are going to impact our seniors just to pay for this tax cut and keep fighting these wars overseas. So we could pound our chest and feel tough. We need to do the right thing for our country and get out of Afghanistan.”

Tamara, a Grad student living in Brooklyn:

I was really fascinated by the question about religion and abortion. I guess I saw where Paul Ryan is coming from but I agree with Joe Biden… it’s a personal decision. In terms of Paul Ryan’s response, how do you determine rape? Sometimes the Judicial System can be biased. So again you’re putting that decision into someone else’s hands. I’m not for that.

Brian Taylor/ Owner of Harlem Doggy Day Spa:

“Joe Biden talked a lot about middle class. I could still say I’m a poor person but I’m not middle class. The types of taxes I pay for myself and my business are really too high. It rarely comes back to my pocket. I need to sit down and really figure out if I’m gonna spend less with President Obama or Mitt Romney.

At the end of the day. I want to pay less [taxes} and I want to keep the one employee that I have. Joe Biden is looking to cut taxes across the board. You know Ryan is looking to cut taxes for three percent of [small business owners]. My business makes less than $250,000 a year. So I don’t fall into that three percent.”