8 The Courier sun • AUGUST 7, 2014 for breaking news visit www.couriersun.com THOUSANDS TURN OUT FOR SANDY SUMMIT BY SALVATORE LICATA slicata@queenscourier.com/@sal_licata1 An energized crowd of about 1,000 people gathered for a Faith in New York summit at the Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral in Jamaica to learn about the progress and priorities of Hurricane Sandy rebuilding. “This is a time for us to remember what was promised,” said the Rev. Floyd Flake, pastor of the Greater Allen A.M.E. and a former Queens congressman. “Our people should not still be suffering the way they are, 21 months after the storm.” Much of the July 29 meeting focused on families in Far Rockaway where suffering from Sandy is still the most prevalent issue, according to residents. Many people are still suffering from leaking roofs, mold, no heat and no jobs as a result of the storm. Amy Peterson, director of the Housing Recovery Office under Mayor Bill de Blasio, and other city officials listened to these concerned residents and assured them that things are changing. “We are committed to working with all of you,” she said. “We are going to eliminate the red tape from Build it Back and everyone who has applied for it will get the support they need.” Peterson said that since the de Blasio administration came to office, rebuilding is on the rise. But she said Amy Peterson addresses Sandy survivors on the progress of rebuilding. the fight is nowhere near over. Her office promised 500 checks to Sandy-affected homeowners by Labor Day. As of this week, 457 checks have gone out. She said that once Labor Day comes and they hit their goal, a new one will be made. This was welcome news to Sandy survivors like Aracelis and Erik Cabrera who are still displaced from the storm. “We applied for Build it Back but are still waiting to find out if we will receive the funds we desperately need,” Aracelis said as she wiped tears from her eyes. THE QUEENS COURIER/ Photo by Salvatore Licata Historic Ridgewood Onderdonk House finally getting roof replacement 1-800-382-HOME(4663) for Housing www.sonyma.org “We are glad that Mayor de Blasio is focused on fixing Build it Back so that families like ours can rebuild our lives and our home.” Peterson said that within the next 60 days she would host a large job fair that will prioritize those people who were affected by the storm. When advocates for rebuilding asked Peterson whether they can have a meeting with de Blasio himself about the recovery effort she chuckled but gave a reassuring answer. “Well, I don’t know his de Blasio’s schedule,” she said. “But yes, we will try to work it out.” THE COURIER/Photo by Liam La Guerre Scaffolding surrounds the historic Onderdonk house as it is undergoing a roof replacement. BY LIAM LA GUERE lguerre@queenscourier.com @liamlaguerre It’s finally time to raise the roof off this old house. Work to replace the roof of the landmarked Vander Ende-Onderdonk house, the city’s oldest Dutch Colonial residence, has finally commenced after work was delayed a year. The Ridgewood site, which has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a city landmark, serves as a museum in the neighborhood and hosts public and private events during the year, including weddings. It is also the home of the Greater Ridgewood Historical Society. However, wear and tear on the more than 30-year-old roof, caused leaks during rain and after melting of large snow accumulations. “If you were to go up to the second floor and look up you would see a lot of daylight,” said Steve Monte, a board member of the Greater Ridgewood Historical Society. “And it would only get worse.” The Onderdonk house, named for former owners Paulus Vander Ende and Adrian Onderdonk, served as the boundary line between the towns of Newtown and Bushwick in 1769, settling a Brooklyn-Queens dispute. In 2009, the society hosted a fundraiser to collect money for the roof replacement. And in the 2012, capital budget former Councilwoman Diana Reyna allocated $500,000 to the Greater Ridgewood Historical Society for the project. The project is budgeted for $670,000, according to Community Board 5. While the roof is being replaced, the museum is still open to the public on Saturdays and it will continue to host events. The roof replacement is scheduled to be completed by late September.
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