}
In Sandy’s Wake
Once the winds stopped howling, the rains stopped pounding and the waves stopped crashing, the city paused for just a moment to absorb the destruction wrought by Hurricane Sandy. The cleanup and comeback quickly began, even as questions as large and frightening as the next monster storm loomed: What will it take to repair, rebuild and reinforce a city determined to never again lose one light, one subway tunnel or one citizen to a weather disaster? The NYCity News Service, in an ongoing series of stories, examines New York’s return from Sandy, what we’ve learned in the storm’s wake and what it is needed to protect the city from the natural forces that staggered and humbled a world metropolis.
Preventing Crime, Post-Sandy
Some critics say stiffer financial penalties won't do much to stop looters during emergencies.
A Tree House Grows in Brooklyn
Roderick Romero turned trees felled by Hurricane Sandy into art for the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
New Trees Take Root, Post-Sandy
Saplings planted through the city's MillionTreesNYC program are slowly helping make up for those lost in the storm.
-As seen in City Atlas
Collecting Stories of Sandy
Sandy Storyline and other groups are crowdsourcing storm-related, photos, videos and other content.
Breach Creates an Opinion Divide
Scientists say Sandy had nothing to with recent flooding along Long Island’s South Shore. Politicians don't agree, and want an inlet filled.
Park Springs Back From Sandy
Workers hauled nearly four million pounds of debris from Prospect Park, which lost 500 trees in the storm.
-As seen in Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Sandy Loans Lag in Some Areas
Data shows the federal Small Business Administration has funded less than 30 percent of storm-related loans for people in some of the hardest hit areas...
-As seen in Bensonhurst Bean
A Light on Long Island
A century-old bar in storm-ravaged Long Beach, L.I., became the de facto community center for a neighborhood in need.
Riding a Solar Wave, Post-Sandy
Surfers are among the environmental advocates helping introduce solar power to the Rockaways as the area rebuilds.
-As seen in City Atlas
Sandy Vics Wary of Aid Promises
Some business owners, citing protracted emergency loan dealings with the federal Small Business Administration, are skeptical that relief funds will make it them anytime soon.
-As seen in Sheepshead Bites
Sandy-Slammed Factory Recovers
IceStone, a countertop manufacturer in the old Brooklyn Navy Yard, is finally getting back to business. But it hasn't been smooth sailing.
-As seen in The Local
Fighting a Bureaucratic Tide
Ye Qing, whose Chinese food takeout restaurant in the Rockaways was destroyed by Sandy, is battling red tape as she fights to restart her business.
Natural Approach to Storm Prep
In the wake of Sandy, some architects and planners are drawing inspiration from the intricate ways plants and animals have adapted to the changing environment.
-As seen in The New York Times
Toxic Flood Fears in the Bronx
Sandy largely spared the borough. But environmentalists believe future storms could flood some neighborhoods with contaminated waters.
-As seen in Mott Haven Herald
The State of Flood Insurance
Check out our interactive graphic showing disparities in what some states paid and received in flood insurance.
Anchored by Hope to Breezy Point
Barbara Joyce, a longtime resident of the beachfront community, is determined to rebuild and stay in the Queens neighborhood she still calls home.
Staying Put on Staten Island
Frank Barcia rode out the worst of Sandy, while trapped in his attic. Now he's the only resident left on his block.
Day Laborers Aid Rebuilding
Immigrant workers are volunteering on weekends to help Staten Islanders rebound from Sandy.
Navy Yard Weathers the Storm
Some business at the Brooklyn Navy Yard are still recovering from Sandy while others suffered little damage.
-As seen in The Local
Coney Island Bands Together
Sandy's storm clouds have yielded a silver lining in the hard-hit neighborhood: a closer community that includes dedicated volunteers.
Islamic Group Aids Relief Effort
The Islamic Circle of North America Relief USA is working to help victims of Sandy – and help some see Muslims through a different lens.
-As seen in Voices of NY
Big Roll for Bikes in Sandy Relief
Cyclists are pedaling supplies to Sandy victims – and want two-wheelers incorporated into disaster-response planning.
Communities Unite Against Sandy
The Jewish and Pakistani communities in Brighton Beach have banded in the hurricane's wake.
-As seen in Voices of NY
Pumped for End of Gas Rationing
Some gas station owners and customers said post-Sandy fuel rationing caused more problems than it solved.
-As seen in The Local
Mission Takes on New Urgency
The New York City Rescue Mission, which lost power during Sandy, quickly bounced back to help serve the hungry and homeless in Lower Manhattan.
-As seen in Our Town Downtown
Food Trucks Deliver Relief
Food trucks are bringing free meals to Red Hook residents still reeling from Hurricane Sandy.
-As seen on Brooklyn Independent Television
A Flood of Ideas, Post-Sandy
Flood prevention is a topic of conversation everywhere, from universities to the Fellowship Baptist Church in Coney Island.
Holiday Help In Brooklyn
Volunteers handed out holiday meal staples as Red Hook residents, still staggered by Sandy, prepared to celebrate Thanksgiving.
A New Wave of Gowanus Fears
The Gowanus Canal overflowed during Sandy, raising concerns that the polluted waterway sent toxins flowing into surrounding neighborhoods.
-As seen on Brooklyn Independent Television
Bringing Relief to Coney Island
Volunteers brought much-needed goods to the storm-battered masses at a disaster relief center at Our Lady of Solace.
A License to Fill
The city's post-Sandy gas rationing program – based on odd and even license plates – fueled debate as cars lined for blocks.
Sandy: Clean-up Time
The hours after the storm were less a time for talk than action as New Yorkers began cleaning up and rebuilding.
Sandy: Back in Business
Some shopkeepers weathered the storm, while others quickly reopened after the worst of Sandy – with or without power.
