Long Island homeowners can apply for part of $20 million to protect against floods
Long Island homeowners living in flood-prone areas can apply for funds from $20 million in state money to reduce the risk of flooding or make their homes more energy efficient.
The latest round of the state’s Resilient Retrofits Program will fund projects such as installing flood vents, sump pumps and backflow preventers. The money also could be used to add insulation, electrify heating systems or install energy-efficient appliances, according to an announcement from Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Of the $20 million, at least $3 million will be allocated for Long Islanders, with other funds going to regions around the state and some money available without regard to region.
"We are committed to building resilient communities and ensuring more New Yorkers are protected from extreme weather before it occurs," Hochul said in a statement.
Applications are available online at cdli.org/howwecanhelp/nys-resiliency-retrofits-program.
Households with incomes up to 120% of area median income can apply. On Long Island, that cap is $131,200 for single-person households, $149,950 for couples and $187,450 for four-person households, according to standards set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Rising sea levels are expected to pose a growing threat to Long Island’s coastal communities. Sea levels are expected to climb 13 to 25 inches in the next 25 years, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation. That will coincide with the average flood insurance premium on Long Island nearly doubling within the next five years compared with rates in 2022, according to an earlier Newsday analysis of FEMA data.
Homeowners can apply for up to $50,000. Half the award will be given as a grant with the remainder given as a loan with a 3% annual interest rate.
Morgan Berk, 42, received funding from the program last year to raise her house in Gilgo Beach by about 6 feet. Berk bought the two-bedroom cottage in early 2020 for $257,000 before the pandemic sparked a surge in demand that drove up home prices. As part of the sale, she assumed a land lease agreement with the Town of Babylon, which owns the land the house sits on.
"I was living in Brooklyn, working in New York City, but commuting to surf. I decided to flip that around," she said. "Best decision I ever made. Because I could still get to Brooklyn no problem, but [it's] definitely easier to surf and enjoy and relax a bit more out here when I'm not working."
Berk bought the home from owners who lived there for decades but hadn't stayed there year-round, so she knew she would have to renovate and was aware it had flooded during Superstorm Sandy.
"It definitely wasn't an 'if.' It was going to be a 'when' it flooded again," she said.
She knew she would have to repair the foundation, add more room for storage and replace the septic system. When she began working with a contractor to repair the septic system, she realized she would need to do more extensive renovations than she could afford.
She set out to find aid opportunities and found the Resilient Retrofits Program on Page 10 of her online search results.
"I would say, without fail, I wouldn't have done it if they didn't have that money available," she said.
The project involved raising the house, redoing the foundation and adding a bottom floor to create storage space. In all, it cost more than $90,000 and she was out of her house for about six months until June.
In addition to her reduced flood risk, Berk said the project reduced her annual flood insurance premium from about $2,500 to about $700 a year.
Community Development Long Island will run the program locally and accept applications. Only primary residences are eligible and they must be owner-occupied and no more than four-family homes.
The homes must be located in 100-year or 500-year flood plains and owners must have flood insurance and maintain it in perpetuity to qualify.
Given Long Island’s vulnerability to storms, the threat of climate change and the age of local homes, these funds can help homeowners secure their investment in their homes, Gwen O’Shea, president and CEO of Community Development Long Island, said.
"This is not meant to be the ‘be all and end all’ but many homeowners are like, ‘I have 40 grand but I need to raise my house and I know that’s going to cost me $90,000 or $100,000,' so having these funds available is a game changer," she said.
The nonprofit specifies on its website that some properties in "extreme risk areas, [regulatory] floodway and coastal erosion zones may not be eligible to participate and/or may require additional review." Those boundaries are defined by the Department of Environmental Conservation and include some coastal stretches of the South Shore.
The state created the Resilient Retrofits Program as a pilot in 2023 and more than 200 homeowners were approved. Sixty of those homes have completed the upgrades, according to the state.
Nearly 20 homeowners in the Shinnecock Indian Nation participated, with other funding going to residents in Buffalo, New York City and Syracuse.
The potential to lower flood insurance bills is a bonus for homeowners, O’Shea said.
"This has helped people to bring their property insurance down, which means additional resources for households that, given the cost of living on Long Island, could really benefit from a few hundred dollars more per month in their pocket," she said.
Long Island homeowners living in flood-prone areas can apply for funds from $20 million in state money to reduce the risk of flooding or make their homes more energy efficient.
The latest round of the state’s Resilient Retrofits Program will fund projects such as installing flood vents, sump pumps and backflow preventers. The money also could be used to add insulation, electrify heating systems or install energy-efficient appliances, according to an announcement from Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Of the $20 million, at least $3 million will be allocated for Long Islanders, with other funds going to regions around the state and some money available without regard to region.
"We are committed to building resilient communities and ensuring more New Yorkers are protected from extreme weather before it occurs," Hochul said in a statement.
WHAT NEWSDAY FOUND
- A New York State initiative is offering $20 million to homeowners to reduce flood risk or make their homes more energy efficient.
- One homeowner in Gilgo Beach said she received $50,000 — half awarded as a loan — from the program last year to raise her house.
- Long Islanders interested in applying must meet certain flood-risk and income criteria.
Applications are available online at cdli.org/howwecanhelp/nys-resiliency-retrofits-program.
Households with incomes up to 120% of area median income can apply. On Long Island, that cap is $131,200 for single-person households, $149,950 for couples and $187,450 for four-person households, according to standards set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Rising sea levels are expected to pose a growing threat to Long Island’s coastal communities. Sea levels are expected to climb 13 to 25 inches in the next 25 years, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation. That will coincide with the average flood insurance premium on Long Island nearly doubling within the next five years compared with rates in 2022, according to an earlier Newsday analysis of FEMA data.
Homeowners can apply for up to $50,000. Half the award will be given as a grant with the remainder given as a loan with a 3% annual interest rate.
Raised her home, saved on insurance
Morgan Berk, 42, received funding from the program last year to raise her house in Gilgo Beach by about 6 feet. Berk bought the two-bedroom cottage in early 2020 for $257,000 before the pandemic sparked a surge in demand that drove up home prices. As part of the sale, she assumed a land lease agreement with the Town of Babylon, which owns the land the house sits on.
"I was living in Brooklyn, working in New York City, but commuting to surf. I decided to flip that around," she said. "Best decision I ever made. Because I could still get to Brooklyn no problem, but [it's] definitely easier to surf and enjoy and relax a bit more out here when I'm not working."
Morgan Berk is shown underneath her elevated home on Cottage Walk in Gilgo Beach on Tuesday Credit: Newsday/John Paraskevas
Berk bought the home from owners who lived there for decades but hadn't stayed there year-round, so she knew she would have to renovate and was aware it had flooded during Superstorm Sandy.
"It definitely wasn't an 'if.' It was going to be a 'when' it flooded again," she said.
She knew she would have to repair the foundation, add more room for storage and replace the septic system. When she began working with a contractor to repair the septic system, she realized she would need to do more extensive renovations than she could afford.
She set out to find aid opportunities and found the Resilient Retrofits Program on Page 10 of her online search results.
"I would say, without fail, I wouldn't have done it if they didn't have that money available," she said.
The project involved raising the house, redoing the foundation and adding a bottom floor to create storage space. In all, it cost more than $90,000 and she was out of her house for about six months until June.
In addition to her reduced flood risk, Berk said the project reduced her annual flood insurance premium from about $2,500 to about $700 a year.
Eligibility on Long Island
Community Development Long Island will run the program locally and accept applications. Only primary residences are eligible and they must be owner-occupied and no more than four-family homes.
The homes must be located in 100-year or 500-year flood plains and owners must have flood insurance and maintain it in perpetuity to qualify.
Given Long Island’s vulnerability to storms, the threat of climate change and the age of local homes, these funds can help homeowners secure their investment in their homes, Gwen O’Shea, president and CEO of Community Development Long Island, said.
These funds can help homeowners secure their investment in their homes, says Gwen O'Shea, president & CEO of Community Development Long Island in Melville. Credit: Newsday/Drew Singh
"This is not meant to be the ‘be all and end all’ but many homeowners are like, ‘I have 40 grand but I need to raise my house and I know that’s going to cost me $90,000 or $100,000,' so having these funds available is a game changer," she said.
The nonprofit specifies on its website that some properties in "extreme risk areas, [regulatory] floodway and coastal erosion zones may not be eligible to participate and/or may require additional review." Those boundaries are defined by the Department of Environmental Conservation and include some coastal stretches of the South Shore.
The state created the Resilient Retrofits Program as a pilot in 2023 and more than 200 homeowners were approved. Sixty of those homes have completed the upgrades, according to the state.
Nearly 20 homeowners in the Shinnecock Indian Nation participated, with other funding going to residents in Buffalo, New York City and Syracuse.
The potential to lower flood insurance bills is a bonus for homeowners, O’Shea said.
"This has helped people to bring their property insurance down, which means additional resources for households that, given the cost of living on Long Island, could really benefit from a few hundred dollars more per month in their pocket," she said.
Jonathan LaMantia covers residential real estate and other business news on Long Island. He previously covered the business of health care for Crain's New York Business.
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Newsday Live Music Series: Long Island Idols Newsday Live presents a special evening of music and conversation with local singers who grabbed the national spotlight on shows like "The Voice," "America's Got Talent,""The X-Factor" and "American Idol." Newsday Senior Lifestyle Host Elisa DiStefano leads a discussion and audience Q&A as the singers discuss their TV experiences, careers and perform original songs.
