C R Y D E R P O I N T JULY/AUGUST 6 SANDY: NINE MONTHS LATER Co-op owners still fighting for FEMA $ BY MELISSA CHAN TERRACE UPDATE For anyone who did not see the Terrace Status memo that was previously distributed, below is a reprint. Please also note: Due to the severe heat wave in July, work on the terraces was stopped for approximately one week. Contractors were unable to pour concrete because of the extraordinarily high temperatures. We are hopeful that they will be able to make up the lost time in the coming weeks. Railings As previously announced, glass will not be used in the remaining railings to reduce cost and ensure safety on the terraces directly facing the water.The Board has also had considerable discussions about the color of the railings and whether to change it for the balance of the project or continue with the black railings that are on the front terraces. We looked into the feasibility of changing the color of the front railings to a more preferred color, but replacement is too expensive and painting is costly and would void the warranty. Therefore, the Board voted to keep the rest of the railings black in order to maintain continuity throughout the complex. The railings have been ordered and are expected to be delivered shortly. Brick Terace Walls The Board also discussed whether to remove paint from terrace walls that are painted, leave them as-is or paint over in a brick color. In keeping with the concept of continuity, it was decided that painted walls needed to be changed to achieve a uniform look. Brick colored paints were sampled but it was decided that none were acceptable, so the Board voted to have the white 6 cryder point courier | JULY/AUGUST2013 | WWW.QUEENSCOURIER.COM paint removed from all brick walls, and all will be returned to natural brick. Amended House Rules will include a stipulation that the painting of terrace walls will no longer be permitted. Screens & Glass Enclosures Also as previously announced, screen enclosures will be permitted. A design has been recommended by our engineer and approved by the Board, and all contractors will be required to follow this design. We are currently identifying qualified contractors to provide to residents. With regard to the use of glass, New York City building code has very strict requirements regarding this issue which all residents will be required to adhere to. Detailed information regarding requirements for both screen and glass enclosures will follow in a separate memo. GREAT BOARD Congratulations to the Board and to the shareholders of Cryder Point for recognizing the quality and accomplishments of our fellow residents. We applaud the very hard work done on our behalf. The good will, respect and competence demonstrated at the last meeting was a first in my memory. Good Luck Loy Lassman 21 Bldg. Newly proposed legislation aims to make co-op and condo associations eligible for federal storm recovery grants. “A storm does not discriminate where it hits, and FEMA should not be discriminating what type of homeowners it helps,” said Congressmember Steve Israel, who penned the bill. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced in March it would allow co-ops and condos to receive funding from Community Development Block Grant disaster recovery assistance to help with repairs. But leaders and local co-op presidents said the fix was just temporary. Co-op and condo owners currently cannot receive Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants for Sandy-inflicted damages because they are categorized as “business associations.” The title makes them eligible for federal loans, but not grants. The Stafford Act, which governs how FEMA responds to major disasters, does not include the word “co-op” in the law, Israel said. But there is no statute that bans co-op owners from being eligible for grants, a privilege given to homeowners. “It seems clear that FEMA’s policy is the result of not understanding the role of co-ops and condos in our community,” Israel said. “I am introducing this legislation to allow co-op and condo associations to apply for federal grants from FEMA so we can right this wrong and ensure that these homeowners are eligible to receive the vital assistance they deserve.” Some Queens co-ops suffered $1 million in damages, including Cryder Point Co-ops, a waterfront community which has to repair its pier. Glen Oaks Village sustained more than $250,000 in infrastructural damage, according to the co-op’s president Bob Friedrich. “To deny co-ops the ability to obtain FEMA grant money simply because of the type of housing choices their residents have made is shameful and should not have taken this legislation to correct it,” Friedrich said. The cost for repairs have fallen “squarely upon the shoulders of middle class owners,” said Warren Schreiber, co-president of Presidents Coop & Condo Council. New Yorkers are eligible to receive about $3.5 billion of the total $5.4 billion allocated by HUD earlier this year. However, leaders said co-op and condo owners will have to battle it out with other retail developments, towns, villages and cities for the competitive grants used to repair common areas in the building like lobbies, boilers and elevators. The proposed law, slated to be introduced in Congress soon, would better define housing coops and condos in the Stafford Act. It would also call for the rulemaking process to determine a new cap on FEMA’s Individual and Households Program. “Let me remind FEMA that the mothers, fathers and children of Glen Oaks Village are no different than the mothers, fathers and children who live in private homes,” Friedrich said.
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