Service on the Rockaways line of the A train will finally resume at the end of this month, MTA officials announced Thursday.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that after Sandy hit, the MTA had to rebuild 1,500 feet of washed-out tracks, replace signals and wires, and rehabilitate two stations that had been flooded during the storm.

“The MTA did a remarkable job of restoring service following the storm and, at the end of this month, the A line in the Rockaways will be up and running,” he said.

Workers also installed a steel wall along two miles of Jamaica Bay to protect against future washouts, Cuomo said.

The MTA also announced they will solicit engineers and project managers to join a new division to plan for protecting stations against future floods.

The toll of the hurricane on the MTA was about $4.8 billion in damage, officials said.

The post Rockaways A train line will resume May 30 appeared first on Metro.us.

When Hurricane Sandy hit Jackie Rogers’ home in Far Rockaway, the last thing she was worried about was a mold infestation. Situated on the island between Jamaica Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, she packed up and left her home of six years as the storm rolled in.

“I heeded Mayor Bloomberg’s words,” Rogers, who is in her 40s, told Metro. “I just got out.”

Now, six months after the storm hit, she’s still dealing with a mold infestation she never fathomed, one that’s gone from bad to worse even as she’s tried to battle it.

She’s not alone. A new joint report by six community organizations indicates that about 60 percent of homes, perhaps tens of thousands, suffering significant water damage during Sandy now are beleaguered with mold spores. On Tuesday, the report’s authors led community leaders on a walking tour of houses damaged by mold, through Staten Island and Far Rockaway, including a look at Roger’s house.

She seemed optimistic that including her house would help bring attention to the issue in her neighborhood.

She said she and her brothers returned to her 1,532-square-foot coastal blue and white home in early November, to gut the soaked drywall, rip out the sodden beige carpet and trash the sopping furniture. And though she and her family acted quickly on the road to rebuilding the bungalow, the mold still set in. Even after she hired someone to take care of the problem in December, she said that by February, “There were more mold spores than when I started.”

In January, after significant media attention was brought to the issue, a mold remediation program began. Yet, though the federal government has begun stepping in to help pay for remediation, funding reportedly does not extend to mold contamination on exterior walls, including under siding.

“Even though my walls were gutted inside, the insurance says they can’t pay for the thick mold on the outside of my home,” Rogers said.

The New York Times reported in March that although mold may contribute to respiratory problems, there is no conclusive evidence that it is toxic. Yet politicians and community organizers have consistently pointed to the residual respiratory problems following the 9/11 World Trade Center collapse, using that as an example of long-term Sandy-mold potential.

The organizations responsible for the new report, The Alliance for a Greater New York, Community Voices Heard, Faith in New York, Make the Road NY, New York Communities for Change, and Voices of Community Activists and Leaders NY, are recommending a broadened awareness campaign to bring attention to the issue. They also recommend allocating funds specifically for mold and punishing landlords who do not remedy the issue.

“It is absolutely inexcusable that this is still a problem six months after a major hurricane’s flood waters have receded,” said Deborah Axt, co-executive director of Make the Road New York. “We’re showing that the city’s efforts, however well-intentioned, have ultimately been unsuccessful in addressing the Sandy mold crisis.”

The post Six months after Sandy, residents struggle with stubborn mold appeared first on Metro.us.

Six months after superstorm Sandy wrecked havoc on the city’s waterfronts, officials insist all beaches will be ready by Memorial Day, but some New Yorkers aren’t sure.

Firefighter Bradach Walsh, a regular surfer out at the Rockaways, said that July 4th “sounds way more realistic… if at all this summer.”

Walsh was speaking specifically of the concession area of the Rockaways, where all that remains of the boardwalk in many places are concrete pillars.

And according to Parks Enforcement Patrol union leader Joe Puleo, Staten Island beaches are a mess: a PEP officer recently ended up with a nail through his foot while on patrol at Midland Beach.

There is so much sharp detritus on the beach that their vehicles are frequently getting flat tires, a Midland Beach PEP officer reported.

The officer expressed doubts that the beaches could be ready in time.

“A lot of people are questioning it,” the officer said. “There’s a lot of construction going on, that’s for sure.”

The Parks Department insisted the beaches will be ready for swimmers on Saturday, May 25, but allowed that things won’t be back to normal right away, warning to expect “multiple service changes at each beach.”

“Some services that may have been in place before the storm are not going to be ready by beach opening because they were so heavily damaged,” Parks Department spokesperson Tara Kiernan said. “Some comfort stations had to be demolished and we’re looking at putting modulars in their place.”

After Hurricane Irene, there was a 93 percent increase in closing and advisory days for New York state beaches, according to reports from the Natural Resources Defense Council.

2011 saw 1,841 closing and advisory days, up from 956 in 2010.

The NRDC report said storm water runoff was the cause of contamination about 88 percent of the time in 2011.

Coney Island’s Luna Park, scheduled to open a week before Easter every year, was up and running this weekend, despite the amusement park needing its entire electrical system replaced.

Rockaway Beach Surf Club continues to fight for recovery

Concerned that donations and outreach have waned as time has passed, the Rockaway Beach Surf Club has partnered with Pop Up Yoga NYC on a monthlong series of non-profit yoga classes — all proceeds have gone to purchasing supplies and tools for beach re-building efforts.

The partnership wraps up with a party at Modca Cafe at 103 N. 3rd Street in Williamsburg on Wednesday. After a 7:30 p.m. yoga class, the afterparty will kick off around 8:30 p.m., and the winners of raffle prizes donated by local vendors will be announced at 9:30 p.m.

The post Will the beaches be ready for summer? appeared first on Metro.us.

One homeowner stated that his tax bill will increase by $200 since the city claims his property value has gone up by nearly $80,000.

But residents say they are shocked because it is obvious that property values have fallen, and many homes are still far from being repaired.

Councilman Michael Nelson of Brooklyn called the increases “heartless” and believes the city must address the situation.

Property owners in other areas who also saw extensive damage from the storm, including Coney Island, Staten Island and the Rockaways, told the Post that they have also received tax hikes.

Homeowners have until March 15 to appeal to the city Tax Commission.

The post Sandy victims face ‘heartless’ tax hikes appeared first on Metro.us.