Status: Closed — this petition is no longer accepting signatures.
Final supporters
October 27, 2020
Dear Speaker Johnson, Council Member Adams, and Council Member Constantinides,
We are writing to ask that you hold an oversight hearing to assess the New York City Comptroller’s response to victims of the November 30, 2019 sewage backup. We are South Ozone Park residents who have suffered thousands of dollars in damages as a result of this environmental disaster. The majority of us have not received just compensation for our losses. Almost one year after the sewage backup, many of us have not even received offers from the city. All of us have had to navigate a claims process that is baffling, opaque, and unnecessarily prolonged.
We are also Southeast Queens residents who fear that a failure in municipal infrastructure could damage our homes and our health. We believe that an oversight hearing will not only help our neighbors in South Ozone Park, but will also lead to reforms that will make the city’s claims process more just for all New Yorkers. Working-class communities of color should not bear the disproportionate burden of New York City’s aging and crumbling infrastructure.
We would like the oversight hearing to address a number of issues apparent in the November 30, 2019 sewage backup claims process, including:
- Conflicting directions on how to prepare claims
- Insufficient support in assembling complicated claims
- Unreasonable delay
- Lack of transparency in settlement calculation
- Inadequate, and even rude, communications as residents await offers and attempt to negotiate settlements
- A pattern of low offers
- Unnecessary pressure in acceptance process, namely the 30-day window for accepting offers
- Barriers to amending claims for property damage, new costs associated arising from unreasonable delay, as well as mold inspection and remediation
Thank you for your support. We look forward to attending and testifying at the oversight hearing.
Sincerely,
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36 Comments
I can't imagine residents in Manhattan having to deal with this level of neglect and unresponsive bureaucracy. SE Queens deserves better than this.
Are we really getting ready to allow our neighbors in SOP to have yet another miserable Thanksgiving and holiday season, through no fault of their own? At what point does the city simply admit that mistakes were made and right these wrongs? Were it your neighborhood, would you not want to be given the dignity and respect you deserve? Let's fix this situation now!
My husband developed a breathing problem.... a few months back. He still struggle with breathing.
Compensation is a must as it caused such a big metal and physical disaster and in tuff times like Covid 19 even more help is required to stand back on our feet back again with our small kids
I’ve been forced to accept a claim being told I have 30 days to accept or lose all offers. My claim was reviewed three times and increased a little each time without submitting additional Information. While it was Increased- it is definitely not sufficient and does not even cover half of my damage. How does the comptroller office review these claims? Where are they getting the numbers from? Who do we have to Submit a detailed claims form with receipts and estimates but they can’t justify how they come up with their numbers??
completely dissatisfied with the inaction from controllers office
It's pass time to keep the promises that the city made to the homeiwners.
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Status: Closed — this petition is no longer accepting signatures.
Final supporters
October 27, 2020
Dear Speaker Johnson, Council Member Adams, and Council Member Constantinides,
We are writing to ask that you hold an oversight hearing to assess the New York City Comptroller’s response to victims of the November 30, 2019 sewage backup. We are South Ozone Park residents who have suffered thousands of dollars in damages as a result of this environmental disaster. The majority of us have not received just compensation for our losses. Almost one year after the sewage backup, many of us have not even received offers from the city. All of us have had to navigate a claims process that is baffling, opaque, and unnecessarily prolonged.
We are also Southeast Queens residents who fear that a failure in municipal infrastructure could damage our homes and our health. We believe that an oversight hearing will not only help our neighbors in South Ozone Park, but will also lead to reforms that will make the city’s claims process more just for all New Yorkers. Working-class communities of color should not bear the disproportionate burden of New York City’s aging and crumbling infrastructure.
We would like the oversight hearing to address a number of issues apparent in the November 30, 2019 sewage backup claims process, including:
- Conflicting directions on how to prepare claims
- Insufficient support in assembling complicated claims
- Unreasonable delay
- Lack of transparency in settlement calculation
- Inadequate, and even rude, communications as residents await offers and attempt to negotiate settlements
- A pattern of low offers
- Unnecessary pressure in acceptance process, namely the 30-day window for accepting offers
- Barriers to amending claims for property damage, new costs associated arising from unreasonable delay, as well as mold inspection and remediation
Thank you for your support. We look forward to attending and testifying at the oversight hearing.
Sincerely,
36 Comments
No fault of mine but have a bill of 10 000 i Ihave to pay because the city don’t want to pay them he cleanup bill
I can't imagine residents in Manhattan having to deal with this level of neglect and unresponsive bureaucracy. SE Queens deserves better than this.
Are we really getting ready to allow our neighbors in SOP to have yet another miserable Thanksgiving and holiday season, through no fault of their own? At what point does the city simply admit that mistakes were made and right these wrongs? Were it your neighborhood, would you not want to be given the dignity and respect you deserve? Let's fix this situation now!
My husband developed a breathing problem.... a few months back. He still struggle with breathing.
Compensation is a must as it caused such a big metal and physical disaster and in tuff times like Covid 19 even more help is required to stand back on our feet back again with our small kids
I’ve been forced to accept a claim being told I have 30 days to accept or lose all offers. My claim was reviewed three times and increased a little each time without submitting additional Information. While it was Increased- it is definitely not sufficient and does not even cover half of my damage. How does the comptroller office review these claims? Where are they getting the numbers from? Who do we have to Submit a detailed claims form with receipts and estimates but they can’t justify how they come up with their numbers??
completely dissatisfied with the inaction from controllers office
It's pass time to keep the promises that the city made to the homeiwners.
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No fault of mine but have a bill of 10 000 i Ihave to pay because the city don’t want to pay them he cleanup bill