Coney Island Houses gets $108M in federal Sandy-repair funds

An elevated boiler building; three new boilers; five standby generators; new electrical and heating equipment; replaced walls, doors, floors, lighting fixtures and roofing; new compactors and lifts; two replacement play areas; flood barriers on the lower levels; repaired fencing and even closed-circuit security cameras are among the improvements to be installed and implemented inside the five buildings that make up the Coney Island Houses, using $108 million in federal Sandy relief funds.

The news comes two-and-a-half years since Superstorm Sandy flooded the Brooklyn coast, including Coney Island, and about six months since local residents testified at a City Council hearing about their ongoing struggles, particularly during winter months.

“This funding is a significant down payment that will greatly improve the quality of life for thousands of residents around the city,” said local Councilmember Mark Treyger, who helped convene the March hearing and pressure for action.

The funds are also seen as a model for what can and needs to be done in other public housing projects affected by Sandy’s floodwaters, such as Carey Gardens and Red Hook East and West, as well as those in the Rockaways.

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