NYC Government Slams Sandy Victims With “Failure to Maintain Property” Citations

JG Vibes

Last week we reported that residents of Seaside Heights, New Jersey, were told that they had to demolish their homes or face heavy fines, after hurricane Sandy left their whole town a total disaster.

Now in New York City residents who are still trying to figure out how to piece together their lives are getting hit with “failure to maintain property” citations by the cities government.  Even worse these citations are relating to jobs that the government had promised to take care of themselves.

According to CBS News:

“Residents in one Queens neighborhood are crying foul after they were written up for failing to clean up the city’s own mess. It is yet another new complication in life after Superstorm Sandy.

Rosanne and Joe Cavaliere are still trying to clean up from the hurricane.  They have branches through their roof, busted front windows, and, to add insult to injury, they recently received a citation notice from the city.

“It makes me angry, but it’s also ridiculous!” Rosanne Cavaliere told CBS 2’s Jessica Schneider.  They got it on Nov. 9, cited with “failure to maintain” their property.  But as they pointed out to CBS 2’s Schneider on Tuesday night, it’s a city tree that they were waiting for the city to remove.”

“It was over two weeks before someone came and removed it from the house, and we were patient enough with that, but then to just be slapped with a violation,” Joe Cavaliere said.

The city is defending the citation by saying that it is only a formality.  The article goes on to say that:

“The Department of Buildings said the citation is a mere formality. It’s a way to keep track of all downed trees.  But for people in this neighborhood…it’s a permanent mark on their property that they want removed from the records.”

“They’re not only upset, but they’re insulted. And they’re nervous! They don’t know what’s going to happen as a result of having this violation,” said Elaine Young of the local neighborhood association.

The Department of Buildings released the following statement:

“We have been working closely with property owners as they prepare to rebuild, and part of our process is documenting the damage that has occurred. These violations do not carry any monetary penalties, and if any homeowner has a question, please call 311.”

The Department of Buildings said that they have no intention of cancelling the citations, but the Cavalieres said they’ll continue to fight to get them removed.

Many on the east coast are still without power, lighting or housing and it seems that in many ways the natural good will of peaceful human beings is outshining the inefficient programs that are put forward by corrupt governments, especially in this case.

Earlier this week in New York Mayor Bloomberg ordered a raid on a disaster shelter set up by Occupy Sandy.  It seems that in many cases throughout this disaster the government is doing everything they can to keep these people down instead of allowing them to help one another.

These citations are just the latest incident where the government has been making this situation worse for people, as opposed to the mainstream media reports saying that we would all be dead without FEMA.