Build It Back Program Deadline Looms for Multifamily Buildings Affected by Hurricane Sandy

One building that enrolled in the program is 2650 Ocean Parkway, a 190-unit co-op in Gravesend, Brooklyn, located one and a half miles from the ocean. A seawater surge flooded the first floor trashing the lobby interior, parking garage, and electrical, plumbing, and boiler systems.

"The lobby is situated below ground level," explains property manager Theresa Fillisetti of FirstService Residential. "The surge of water came up Ocean Parkway and once the water reached the lobby it had nowhere else to go. It rose six feet high. It took a while for the water to dissipate and by the time that happened there was significant damage."

The bill was estimated at around $1 million. An added headache: the building was not covered by flood insurance. "We did hope that some government money would be available to us to restore the building to its normal condition but until the Build It Back program was officially initiated all our requests were in vain," says Zor Shekhtman, the building's board president.

The flood occurred in a flash but accessing reconstruction funds was a longer process. Once the building lodged its application with the city it had to request income verification from each shareholder — the grant money eligibility was contingent upon receipt of this information, explains Fillisetti.

A damage assessment team inspected the building, contractors made their own inspections, subcontractors filed their own quotes, bids were submitted, reviewed, and then finally selected by the board and the city's Department of Housing, Preservation, and Development (HPD), which runs the program. The building eventually received close to $1 million, in a no-payback, interest-free loan.

Considering the many levels of bureaucracy that needed to be navigated, Fillisetti reports that the city was hands-on and efficient. "HPD has been pretty helpful with the paperwork because this has been a new experience for everybody," she says. "HPD holds the funds, a contractor submits paperwork to the board, the board approves, and then paperwork is sent to HPD [which] cuts the check. All monies are accounted for through documentation so we all know what the monies were spent on."

Fillisetti says meetings took place every two weeks with representatives of the general contractors, HPD, the building's board of directors, and the managing agent.

"HPD is very hands on," she reports. "They have had their representative here all the time. We had an emergency situation while a contractor was working in the electrical room and HPD reps were there within the hour. They have been very responsive with this project."

Buildings that have registered with the Build It Back program can contact their assigned project manager for information on their application or questions related to outstanding documentation. For questions, call the Build it Back multifamily recovery line at 212-863-6600.