Published September 17, 2013
By Joseph Vena

New Jersey residents who were affected by Hurricane Sandy shared their stories and frustration with the slow pace of recovery at a joint hearing Monday night in the Council Chambers in Jersey City City Hall, where members of the Senate Environment and Energy Committee and the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee weighed in on the issue.

State Sens. Bob Smith, Jennifer Beck and Sandra Cunningham, and Assembly members Grace Spencer, Holly Schepisi, Reed Gusciora, Charles Mainor and Ruben Ramos heard testimony from several area homeowners and renters who lost homes or are dealing with damages due to the superstorm, as well as housing developers and advocates for progress expansion.

The meeting was the second of its kind, as the committee held a similar hearing on Sandy relief earlier in the summer in Atlantic City.

Mary Chetulis, who with husband Anthony lost their Union Beach home to the storm, told the committee that they have been dealing with numerous setbacks in having it rebuilt for almost a year, including their insurance company, which after Sandy hit allowed her $72,000 to have her house demolished due to it being unsound to live in.

Just months later she was informed she would need a structural engineer for the job before she could get the money. However, the house had already been torn down.

The company laid blame on Chetulis for going through with the demolition, sparking a disagreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency while she remained homeless.

Following several appeals, Chetulis was eventually granted $120,000 to rebuild, only slightly over half of her destroyed three-bedroom home's worth. Due to continuing disputes with their mortgage company, however, the couple had  to dip into their retirement money.

Testimony from others who suffered personally from the storm's damage was equally heartrending.

Angel Mejia of Newark spoke of having to leave his home due to flooding, only to be forced to continue to pay the mortgage on a house he is unable to use.

Members of the committee discussed potential solutions to the backup of relief, most notably Cunningham, who stressed the importance of improved communications during future emergencies, especially for seniors.

"On a daily basis we're hearing heartbreaking stories of people who are living in mold infested homes, have been denied assistance, or have lost their home entirely," said Arnold Cohen, Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey senior policy coordinator,  prior to testifying.

"These legislative hearings offer those devastated by the storm an opportunity to voice their frustrations in a public forum they otherwise would not have had. We hope these hearings will result in some much needed changes to the rebuilding process and get our residents back into their homes," he added.