Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 

At the direction of President Barack Obama, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) continues to lead the federal government's effort to provide assistance and support to states affected by Superstorm Sandy, ensuring the federal family and its public and private partners continue to provide all available resources to support state, local, and tribal communities in affected areas. For more information on federal disaster assistance relating to Superstorm Sandy please click here. 

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) 

The U.S. Small Business Services Administration (SBA) is offering federal Economic Injury Disaster Loans for up to $2 million for small businesses of any size that experienced physical damage and/or economic distress resulting from Superstorm Sandy. For more information on how to apply, click here. Please note, businesses should register with FEMA prior to applying for the SBA loan (see above). Businesses can get help completing applications and creating plans to rebuild at a local SBA Small Business Development Center, find the center nearest you here. 

NY State Department of Financial Services 

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the Department of Financial Services disaster have established a hotline to help New Yorkers with insurance issues from Superstorm Sandy. The hotline is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-800-339-1759 to answer insurance-related storm questions and help consumers file complaints. 

NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) and NYC Economic Development Corporation (EDC) 

Emergency Loans: the NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) has partnered with Goldman Sachs and the NYC Economic Development Corporation (EDC) to provide Emergency Loans up to $25,000 for New York City businesses affected by Superstorm Sandy. There is 0% interest for the first 6 months, followed by 1% interest for the next 24 months. Click here for the  Superstorm Sandy Small Business Relief Fund Loan Application. 

NYC Matching Grant Program: NYC Business Solutions and the NY Business Development Corporation are administering the NYC Matching Grant Program provided by the City of New York, The Mayor’s Fund and New York City Partnership Foundation. The Program is designed for certain independently owned and operated businesses who have been approved for a NYC Emergency Loan. For more information, click here. 

SBS and the EDC also are providing free temporary office space for businesses affected by Superstorm Sandy. Businesses can access desk space, power, phone and internet at many spaces located throughout the five boroughs. Please check here for locations.

For additional information regarding free services such as administrative help, clean up and moving support, IT and communications assistance and free supplies listed through the EDC, please check here. 

NYC Industrial Development Agency (IDA) 

The NYC Industrial Development Agency (IDA) will provide emergency assistance to small businesses through the Hurricane Emergency Sales Tax Exemption Program (“HESTEP”). This assistance is limited to 250 businesses. This program will provide sales tax exemptions of up to $100,000 for each affected company on purchases of building, construction and renovation materials, machinery and equipment and other items of personal property and related services needed to rebuild after the storm.  

Eligible businesses must obtain the HESTEP sales tax letter prior to making eligible capital expenditures.  For more information, visit the EDC website. 

NYC Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) 

The NYC Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) issues licenses to more than 78,000 businesses in 55 industries. DCA is offering business owners the opportunity to email staff to get answers to questions or to reschedule an appointment / hearing date (unit specific emails can be found here). Similarly, any businesses who may have lost their DCA issued permits may receive replacements at no-cost. In order to receive a free license replacement, please inform the DCA staff that your permit was lost in Superstorm Sandy. 

NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) 

The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene DOHMH is responsible for, among other things, ensuring food service establishments are operated in a clean, safe, and healthy environment. DOHMH has provided guidelines for restaurants and other food service establishments impacted by Superstorm Sandy. These guidelines should be carefully followed when restoring your facility for operations. 

Note food service establishments should have power restored before resuming operations. Some clean-up, particularly removing and discarding spoiled food, destroyed equipment and water damaged furnishings may begin immediately. For more information, please access the following links:

• Restaurant Re-Opening Guidelines Following Superstorm Sandy

• Superstorm Sandy Emergency Guidelines for Operating a Food Service Establishment without Electrical Service

 NY State Liquor Authority (SLA) 

The NY State Liquor Authority (SLA) is working with liquor license applicants / holders to cope with the effects of Superstorm Sandy. SLA is offering various types of assistance including, but is not limited to:

• Providing a 60 day grace period for any license set to expire in November.
• Free replacement of licenses lost or damaged due to the storm.
• Extending the deadline for New Year’s Eve “all night permits” from November 16 to December 1.
• Providing an additional 60 days for business owners to satisfy the requirements of their conditional approvals.
• Deferring civil penalties due between October 26 – November 30 for an additional 30 days from the original due date.

For Businesses 

For information on the responsibility of a business to pay its employees, please read this Fact Sheet from the U.S. Department of Labor. For additional information, contact the NY State Department of Labor at (888) 4-NYSDOL. 

The NY State Department of Labor has created a Shared Work program for businesses to avoid layoffs by allowing employees to continue to work while collecting partial employment benefits. This program is particularly helpful for businesses that are still marginally in operation and can help offset the cost of paying for full-time employees. Learn more about the program here or by calling (518) 457-2635 or by visiting a One-Stop Career Center. 

For Employees and Former Employees 

Employees and former employees who lost work or income due to Superstorm Sandy may be eligible for Unemployment Insurance (UI) or Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA). They can obtain additional information from the NYS Department of Labor here. 

Employees who have lost their jobs as a direct result of Sandy also can be encouraged to apply for temporary positions:

• Cleaning up communities affected by Superstorm Sandy funded by federal Disaster National Emergency Grant funds. To apply, employees can contact the NYS Department of Labor by phone at: 1-888-4-NYSDOL (1-888-469-7365), fill out and submit the online registration form (en Español) or visit a local Disaster Recovery Center or One-Stop Career Center.
• Helping recovery efforts by working with FEMA. Governor Cuomo is partnering with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to hire over 300 workers to assist in recovery efforts in disaster-stricken communities. These full-time, temporary positions are wide-ranging, from Community Relations Specialists providing outreach to the disaster-stricken communities, to administrative assistants. Individuals interested in applying for a job with FEMA should visit Governor Cuomo’s Jobs Express website.

New York City Rapid Repairs 

NYC Rapid Repairs is a program to make your home safe for return. The City is working with contractors to assess damage to your home from Superstorm Sandy and make the necessary repairs to your home. NYC Rapid Repairs is a program for property owners in the five boroughs. If you rent your home and there are unsafe conditions, call 311. 

To be eligible for this program, your home must be deemed structurally safe by the NYC Department of Buildings as denoted by a Yellow or Green placard on your door, or no placard at all. You can still sign up for NYC Rapid Repairs if there is a Red placard on your door, but additional repairs will be necessary before your home is deemed structurally safe. If you have any questions about what you need to do to transition your home from a Red to a Yellow or Green placard, call 311. For more information please click here. 

NYC Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) - Home Improvement Contractors 

In an effort to get unlicensed contractors or contractors who normally work outside of New York City licensed and working on repairs for homes damaged by Superstorm Sandy, Consumer Affairs will be expediting fingerprinting and licensing procedures so approved applicants will receive their license in only two days. For more information, click here.