Federal disaster aid in response to September flooding is heading to Brooklyn

Will support recovery efforts, reconstruction; could reach $12.5M

January 31, 2024 Raanan Geberer

A man works to clear a drain in flood waters, Friday, Sept. 29, 2023, in Brooklyn. AP Photo/Jake Offenhartz

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President Joe Biden on Wednesday approved Gov. Kathy Hochul’s request for a major disaster declaration to provide federal assistance to Brooklyn as well as Nassau and Westchester counties — all of which were severely impacted by heavy rain and flooding on Sept. 29, 2023.

More than eight inches of rain fell in parts of Brooklyn on that day. Floods were reported from Gowanus to Williamsburg, from Park Slope to East New York. Prospect Park Lake overflowed, inundating the surrounding neighborhoods and flooding basements.

In Park Slope, “water cascaded like Niagara Falls down the steps of the subway station at Grand Army Plaza during the morning rush hour,” reported the Eagle’s Mary Frost at the time.

The MTA reported partial or full shutdowns of at least 14 subway lines, and at least 150 school buildings were flooded. In at least one Brooklyn school, I.S. 78 Roy H. Mann, water got into the boiler system, Schools Chancellor David Banks said at the time.

Some basements were drenched with more than a foot of water, Frost reported, and people were warned not to drive or take buses. Several people were trapped in a basement in Bed-Stuy, but were rescued by emergency services personnel, according to Patch.

The money released along with Wednesday’s disaster declaration will go, in the words of Governor Hochul’s statement, “to support recovery and reconstruction efforts … including assistance for debris removal, emergency protective measures, and repairs to public buildings and infrastructure.”

Hochul already announced, in December, that the U.S. Small Business Administration is offering low-interest loans to small businesses and individuals in Brooklyn and Nassau County who were impacted by heavy rains and flooding during that late September storm.

At that time, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso said, “As homes and businesses across Brooklyn continue to struggle because of damage caused by September’s catastrophic flooding, I’m grateful that Governor Hochul is working alongside the Small Business Administration to ensure federal aid reaches our neighbors who now face steep costs for necessary repairs.”

Referring to Wednesday’s more recent declaration of disaster funding, Governor Hochul said in a statement, “I’m committed to securing every possible dollar of federal aid to help the people of New York. The major storm in September caused significant damage, and we’ll continue our efforts to help communities recover and rebuild.”

New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray added, “Communities throughout the lower Hudson Valley, New York City and Long Island were devastated by historic rainfall and flooding at the end of September… These communities will now have access to the federal funding they need to support a strong recovery.”

Asked about the numerical amount of the upcoming disaster aid, the Governor’s Office sent an email to the Eagle saying, in part, “Money from FEMA isn’t reserved by county per se. In order to apply for the FEMA funds, New York State needed to hit the minimum statewide damage threshold, which is $37.1 million. As part of that $37.1 million, Kings County will be eligible for FEMA reimbursements of up to $12.5 million. “

The heavy rainfall and flooding of Sept. 29 has been described as the “tail end” of Tropical Storm Ophelia, which first made landfall in North Carolina, then made its way north. Several days earlier, on Sept. 23, a baseball game at Yankee Stadium and thoroughbred racing at Aqueduct Racetrack had to be postponed due to the storm. Amtrak’s Northeast Regional train routes, which connect Washington, D.C., New York City and Boston, likewise had to be cut back.