Bishop: LI flood victims to be compensated

More than a year after flooding destroyed their homes, the families on Riverhead's Horton Avenue are expected to be compensated for their loss, Rep. Tim Bishop said Friday.

Bishop (D-Southampton) said his office was told by the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Friday that it is all but certain to award a hazard mitigation grant requested for the residents by Riverhead and the county.

Bishop cautioned that the award, which could be in the millions and pay 13 property owners for their homes, still needs the approval of FEMA's director, which could come as soon as Monday.

But he added, "It's hard to believe [FEMA] would back off" after his office was notified of the grant's likelihood.

Bishop spokesman Oliver Longwell said FEMA did not tell Bishop's office how much would be awarded. FEMA spokesman Don Caetano would neither confirm nor deny the award.

Bishop said that once the homes are demolished, the area would be preserved as open space.

Suffolk County learned about the potential award on a tip from state officials, County Executive Steve Levy said, and issued a news release. In the release Friday, Levy said the county expects the full $3.6 million requested to be awarded. The county expects that amount, emergency management commissioner Joseph Williams said, because it had not heard in advance from FEMA that any portion had been rejected, which the federal agency normally would do.

Levy spokesman Mark Smith said the application had included $2.3 million for paying homeowners the full market value of their homes before the flood.

The grant would end a waiting game for the Horton Avenue residents, after FEMA in April denied a request for $3.8 million in direct disaster relief aid. Bishop said the new grant would come under a separate hazard mitigation fund.

Linda Hobson, 45, who has been living in subsidized housing since her Horton Avenue home was destroyed, said, "We've been waiting for this a long time." She said the street's residents have been renting or staying with friends, unable to afford new homes. "We are elated to be able to move forward," she said.