It's been almost three months since flooding ravaged parts of the Hudson Valley. The torrential flooding washed out train tracks, dislodged boulders, poured into homes, and resulted in at least one death.
The "1,000-year" storm destroyed the front and back of Jan Travella's Highland Falls home. Ever since the historic flooding on July 9, homeowners like Travella have been hoping and waiting
"That was our bedroom that there, and this is where we hung out," Travella tells News 4.
The family has come a long way since the last time News 4 saw them, filling a dumpster in front of their home. Water had rushed in and ruined furniture and valuables. They had to part with 40 years of memories.
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Repairs costs are already in the thousands, and Travella says there's still tens of thousands to go, with no help so far from the state or FEMA.
"Where's the help when you need it," Travella asks.
FEMA has denied individual assistance after the agency says it determined that the damage was not severe enough based on a number of factors, including state resource availability, property loses, impact on infrastructure and casualties.
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The agency says the state can appeal within 30 days.
That answer doesn't sit well with Travella, who is still picking up the pieces months later.
"They're not gonna help us out, that's said," Travella says.
Nearly nine inches of rain was dumped on Highland Falls the second weekend of July. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced $3 million in emergency funding for people in Orange County and $3 million to those in other counties also impacted.
"The $3 million helped 57 homes, but that's out of 900 plus homeowners who filed that they need the help," Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus says.
The village's mayor says the funding denial is a gut punch, especially knowing FEMA did grant the municipality between $30 and $40 million for infrastructure damage.
"The storm didn't skip over their homes to get to my water plant, they have as much damage as I have and they're taxpayers," Mayor Joe D'Onofrio said.
A spokesman for the governor's office says they are disappointed with FEMA's decision and are reviewing next steps.
