Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City and Local Initiatives Support Corporation of New York City Announce 501 Houses Fixed Through Privately Funded Sandy Home Repair Program

October 7, 2015

Neighborhood Revitalization NYC Home Repair Program Supported by More Than $19 Million from the Mayor’s Fund, American Red Cross, JPMorgan Chase Foundation and Robin Hood Foundation

Program Ensured Nearly 1,500 Low-Income New Yorkers Were Able to Stay in Safe, Habitable Homes Post-Sandy

NEW YORK—First Lady Chirlane McCray, Chair of the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation of New York City (LISC NYC) today announced the completion of the Neighborhood Revitalization NYC (NRNYC) Home Repair Program, which was launched two years ago to assist low-income, vulnerable families who did not qualify for federal aid in obtaining necessary home repairs after Hurricane Sandy. Thanks to $19,885,553 in private donations from the Mayor’s Fund, American Red Cross, JPMorgan Chase Foundation and Robin Hood Foundation, the program repaired 501 severely-damaged homes in four boroughs, serving a total of 1,494 residents.

The completion of the NRNYC Home Repair Program complements the dramatic recent progress by the Build it Back program as a result of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s overhaul last year. Build it Back, managed by the Mayor’s Office of Housing Recovery Operations, is funded through federal dollars. Due to federal funding guidelines, some families did not qualify for Build it Back – making the work of the NRNYC Home Repair Program all the more vital.

“Every family needs a home – a place of love and safety and strength. Sadly, when Hurricane Sandy ravaged the homes of thousands, many couldn’t afford to make their homes whole again,” said First Lady of New York City and Mayor’s Fund Chair Chirlane McCray. “I’m proud to say that more than 500 families have their refuge back because of this program. We are so thankful for our partners, LISC NYC, the American Red Cross, Robin Hood Foundation and JP Morgan Chase Foundation – as well as for the tens of thousands of people who donated millions in Sandy’s wake. Their generosity has allowed hundreds of families to rebuild and recover.”

Nearly three years ago, Sandy struck New York City, impacting families across the five boroughs and marking the worst natural disaster in the city’s history. Sandy’s toll on New York City included 44 lives and $19 billion in damages and lost economic activity.

In September 2013, the Mayor’s Fund partnered with LISC NYC to launch NRNYC Home Repair Program to ensure that the most vulnerable New Yorkers received the repairs they needed in the aftermath of Sandy. Homeowners were referred to the program through the American Red Cross, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York, community organizations, advocacy groups, and elected officials who represented Sandy-affected areas. Homeowners were typically directed to the NRNYC Home Repair Program for assistance because they had been deemed ineligible to receive federal funds to repair their homes for a variety of reasons, ranging from not maintaining flood insurance to not being a U.S. citizen.

Applicants eligible for the NRNYC Home Repair Program reported a total household income that was below 90 percent of the Area Median Income. In addition, eligible homes served as the applicant’s primary residence, and living spaces or building systems remained damaged at the time of inspection by LISC NYC.

In just the past two years, the NRNYC Home Repair Program repaired 501 homes, allowing 1,494 people to live in a safe, habitable house. All four outer boroughs were served, including 209 homes in Brooklyn, 175 homes in Queens, 115 homes in Staten Island, and 2 homes in the Bronx.

Two hundred ninety-nine of the completed homes were occupied by an elderly resident; 235 included a household member identified as disabled and/or special needs; and 135 had a child or infant living in the home. The average self-reported household income for completed homes was about $34,000, and the average construction cost was about $30,000 per home. Repairs included work on electric, heat, hot water, sewer and drainage systems, as well as construction repairs to roofing, windows, siding, insulation and drywall. Repairs also included replacement of fixtures and critical appliances, minor structural repairs, and finishes.

Since most of the program participants were elderly or disabled, LISC NYC also connected homeowners to case managers with extensive experience in assisting people through crisis, to provide support throughout the construction process. Case managers served as the homeowner’s main points of contact and answered any questions that arose during the course of repair. This ensured that issues could be rapidly resolved before they delayed construction, or that homeowners could be referred to other Sandy services.

The NRNYC Home Repair Program represents just one of the initiatives supported by the Mayor’s Fund to provide relief to New Yorkers impacted by Sandy. The Mayor’s Fund has received over $60 million in contributions to the recovery effort from 21,000 individuals, using its unique ability to build public-private partnerships with organizations, such as LISC NYC, to administer aid effectively to impacted communities. The Mayor’s Fund both received and addressed specific needs in real-time, and continues to fund ongoing projects focused on home recovery and rebuilding.

“When Superstorm Sandy hit, New York City responded with speed and ingenuity. Robin Hood has been honored to partner with LISC, the Mayor's Fund and the American Red Cross to speed up the rebuilding and healing process,” said David Saltzman, executive director of the Robin Hood Foundation. “Only through such dedicated organizations and leadership were we able to remediate mold in more than 2,000 homes and, with the additional support of JPMorgan Chase, rebuild more 500 homes in the city's hardest hit communities.”

“New York City is the home of our headquarters and home to thousands of our employees and millions of our customers—many of which were impacted by Hurricane Sandy,” said David Walsh, the Division Manager for Community Development Banking at JPMorgan Chase. “JPMorgan Chase applauds the incredible work accomplished through the formation of Neighborhood Revitalization New York City, and we’re proud of the firm’s support of these efforts.”

“The American Red Cross is proud of the assistance provided to so many as a result of the joint efforts and partnership of LISC, the Robin Hood Foundation, JP Morgan Chase and the Mayor’s Fund,” said Josh Lockwood, CEO, American Red Cross Greater New York Region. “People who have lost their homes and loved ones in storms as devastating as Sandy have recovery related needs that stretch out for years and the Red Cross is there, continuing to work in partnership with the organizations that address these survivors’ fundamental needs for assistance and support as they rebuild their lives and neighborhoods.”

“While there is still work ahead in the Sandy recovery, the tremendous accomplishment of the NRNYC Home Repair Program – ensuring 501 individuals and families affected by the storm are now living in safe homes – shows just how far we’ve come,” said Gabrielle Fialkoff, Senior Advisor to the Mayor and Director of the Office of Strategic Partnerships. “Working with our partners in the business and philanthropic communities, as well as with community-based organizations operating on the ground, we will continue to make sure our most vulnerable New Yorkers are not left behind in the relief effort, and will push to build a city that is more resilient than ever before.”

“In the wake of Sandy’s destruction, the Mayor’s Fund was proud to immediately come to the aid of impacted New Yorkers, helping develop this program and deploying millions of dollars donated by tens of thousands of individuals worldwide,” said Darren Bloch, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City. “The success of the NRNYC Home Repair Program highlights our distinct ability to link private organizations and individuals together to channel resources to where they are most needed. It’s thanks to that utility and the help of generous supporters, like the American Red Cross, Robin Hood Foundation and JP Morgan Chase Foundation, that these collaborations across our city succeed.”

“LISC NYC is proud to have worked with our funders and partners to help bring much-needed repairs and stability to New York City families,” said Sam Marks, LISC NYC’s Executive Director. “For decades our mission has been to revitalize communities, and in the aftermath of a disaster like Hurricane Sandy, we knew there was an urgent need to pull together the resources, the partners, and the technical expertise to get this work done.  We are so grateful to our philanthropic partners who made it possible to provide home repair to these 501 homeowners, who otherwise would not have been served by other programs."

“Shortly after Hurricane Sandy we at LISC knew that the people and neighborhoods devastated by the storm would need fast relief,” said Denise Scott, Executive Director for National Programs for LISC. “Working with trusted partners, LISC NYC came up with an innovative model to make sure that the people and places received the support they needed repairing homes and stabilizing their lives. We are proud of this work and delighted to have been part of the recovery.”

“We have been proud to partner with the Mayor’s Fund and LISC to leverage private dollars in support of the housing recovery mission,” said Amy Peterson, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Housing Recovery Operations. “The City’s recovery effort has been multi-faceted and it is through partnerships like these that we can supplement the assistance that Build it Back provides.”

“Congratulations to LISC’s Neighborhood Revitalization NYC Home Repair Program on the completion of construction on 501 hurricane-damaged homes,” said Queens Borough President Melinda Katz. “The NRNYC Home Repair Program helped over a thousand Sandy survivors who, ineligible for federal aid, otherwise would have had nowhere else to turn. Thanks to the Mayor’s Fund and LISC NYC, as well as the generosity of the partners in this tremendous effort, hundreds of families are back in their homes and more neighborhoods have been made whole.”

State Senator James Sanders Jr. said, “My district was heavily impacted by Hurricane Sandy, leaving many homes destroyed or uninhabitable due to mold and other flooding conditions. This was devastating for affected residents, particularly low-income seniors and families with children, who did not qualify for federal aid. The Neighborhood Revitalization NYC Home Repair Program has been critically important in assisting these individuals make repairs and become whole again. I applaud the Mayor’s Fund, American Red Cross, JPMorgan Chase Foundation and Robin Hood Foundation for their generosity in funding this program.”

“Sandy brought unimaginable devastation and hardship to our families on the Rockaway Peninsula,” said Assembly Member Phil Goldfeder. “Sadly, many families were further burdened by the red tape and bureaucracy of the federal programs intended to help our community recover. For these families, the assistance provided by organizations like LISC and its public and private partners was a lifeline that helped make them whole again.”

“Too many low-income New Yorkers were severely affected by Sandy and left helpless without the possibility for Federal aid,” said Council Member Donovan Richards. “That is why it was so important that the city and other nonprofits stepped in to protect and support those families by ensuring they have stable, healthy homes. Thankfully, we have organizations like the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City to fill in the cracks that too many unfortunate residents fell through after the storm. I'd like to thank the First Lady Chirlane McCray, the Mayor’s Fund, American Red Cross, JP Morgan Chase Foundation and the Robin Hood Foundation for coming together to help repair these homes.”

“All New York City residents, regardless of their ability to qualify for federal disaster aid programs, deserve safe and humane housing. It is our responsibility as elected officials to ensure that all victims of Superstorm Sandy have the ability to return to their homes. This program is a fantastic example of how the private sector and government can collaborate to fill unmet needs in Superstorm Sandy recovery and I applaud the First Lady and all those responsible for making this news possible,” said Council Member Mark Treyger, Chair of Council Committee on Recovery and Resiliency.

About the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City
The Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, chaired by First Lady Chirlane McCray, is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization committed to promoting partnerships between the City and the private sector in support of high-impact public programs. The Mayor’s Fund is focused on serving as a vehicle for the generous business and philanthropic communities to contribute to City programs and enhance the lives of New Yorkers in areas ranging from mental health, to youth workforce development to immigration and citizenship. To learn more about the Mayor’s Fund, visit nyc.gov/fund.

About Local Initiatives Support Corporation of New York City
LISC New York City is dedicated to helping low-income New York City neighborhoods become healthy communities of choice – good places to live, do business, work and raise families. Over the last 30 years, LISC NYC has invested approximately $2.3 billion in more than 75 New York City community development corporations (CDCs) and other local groups.  With our support, these organizations have developed over 36,000 affordable homes and more than 1.6 million square-feet of retail and commercial space. For more information, visit www.lisc.org

About the Robin Hood Foundation
The Robin Hood Foundation is New York's largest poverty-fighting organization, and since 1988 has focused on finding, funding, and creating programs and schools that generate meaningful and measurable results for families in New York's poorest neighborhoods. Since its founding, Robin Hood has raised more than $2 billion in dollars, goods and services to provide hundreds of the most effective soup kitchens, homeless shelters, schools, job-training programs and other vital services that give New York’s neediest citizens the tools they need to build better lives.  In 2012, Superstorm Sandy devastated the tri-state area, resulting in the loss of life and damaging hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses.  Even before the rain subsided, Robin Hood went into action, organizing a Relief Fund to meet the challenges that lay ahead.   The Robin Hood Sandy Relief Fund granted $75 million to hundreds of organizations in New York, New Jersey, Long Island, and Connecticut.  Robin Hood's board of directors pays all administrative, fundraising and evaluation costs, so 100% of donations goes directly to organizations helping New Yorkers in need.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit www.redcross.org/GNY and follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @RedCrossNY

About JPMorgan Chase & Co.
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) is a leading global financial services firm with assets of $2.4 trillion and operations worldwide. The Firm is a leader in investment banking, financial services for consumers and small businesses, commercial banking, financial transaction processing, and asset management. A component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, JPMorgan Chase & Co. serves millions of consumers in the United States and many of the world's most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients under its J.P. Morgan and Chase brands. Information about JPMorgan Chase & Co. is available at www.jpmorganchase.com.