Dear Friends,
Happy Hanukkah! To all who join me in celebrating, may we continue to find light and appreciate the miracles around us.
With confirmed cases of the omicron variant in New York, we must remain vigilant in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Continue to wear a mask, wash your hands and please get vaccinated to protect yourself and your loved ones. If you’ve been waiting for the return of winter sports, be sure to look out for the New York State ‘Ski For Free’ Vaccine Incentive.
Over the next couple of weeks, I will be holding Hot Chocolate in the Parks events across the district to celebrate the holiday season. The first one will be held in Yonkers at Tibbetts Brook Park on Monday, Dec. 6 at 4 p.m. We will have treats from Delite Bakery. I hope to see you there!
The deadlines for FEMA disaster assistance and the Small Business Administration’s Physical Disaster Loan applications have been extended to Jan. 4, 2022. If you plan on filing for either FEMA or SBA assistance, I encourage you to do so as soon as possible.
As always, if there is anything my office can do to assist you, please email me at smayer@nysenate.gov or call (914) 934-5250.
Warm regards,
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Shelley B. Mayer
State Senator
37th District
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Hot Chocolate in the Parks |
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Legislative Update: Flood Destroyed Homes |
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In the wake of Hurricane Ida, I heard from residents whose homes have repeatedly been destroyed by flooding and have little hope that mitigation efforts will provide significant relief. In response, I introduced legislation (S7530) in the Senate, carried by Assemblymember Englebright in the Assembly (A4245), that will expand opportunities for residents to have their flood-destroyed homes purchased or bought out through funding from the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF).
Currently, this fund can be used for climate change adaptation and mitigation projects, including flood mitigation and coastal resiliency, but not for residential buyouts. This legislation will allow for buyouts as another component of climate change mitigation and adaptation. In the face of repeated and increasing devastation of extreme weather events and the risk of coastal and inland flooding, we need to ensure that we have as many tools as possible to respond, mitigate climate change and provide residents relief.
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125th Anniversary of NYS PTA |
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On Nov. 21, I attended the 125th Annual NYS PTA Convention. It was a pleasure to meet with so many dedicated parents and students who traveled from points across the State to convene on current education topics, discuss priorities for the future and to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the NYS PTA.
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BronxNet: Today's Verdict |
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Email Me Photos of Your Holiday Decorations |
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Every year I look forward to the beautiful outdoor holiday decorations that many of you put up at your homes!
Please email elavin@nysenate.gov to have your holiday display featured in an upcoming newsletter and on social media. I would love to see and share the holiday cheer.
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We are seeking interns for our district office to provide assistance to me and my staff. Our district office is located in Port Chester. Interns can work remotely or in-person with social distancing and masks.
Work Includes: research, attending meetings, drafting correspondence, data entry, and more.
While internships are unpaid, we will work with your school to provide school credit. If you are interested or have questions, please send your resume and cover letter to Rachel Estroff at estroff@nysenate.gov or call 914-934-5250
ext. 7.
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FEMA & SBA Deadlines Extended |
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If you plan on filing for FEMA disaster assistance or an SBA loan, don’t miss the Jan. 4 deadline to apply. I continue to meet with municipal leaders, property owners, renters, and small business owners experiencing Ida-related damage to identify paths for rebuilding and increasing resiliency. I know there are persistent frustrations with the short- and long-term rebuilding ahead.
FEMA Application Deadline:
Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022, is the deadline for applying for FEMA disaster assistance.
Visit DisasterAssistance.gov, use the FEMA mobile app, or call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Phone lines are open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.
You can also visit a Disaster Recovery Center.
FEMA Appeal:
If you receive a letter from FEMA indicating that you are ineligible for assistance or that your application is incomplete, you are entitled and encouraged to appeal the decision within 60 days.
You must fax or mail your appeal postmarked within 60 days of the date of FEMA’s decision letter. In addition to the information FEMA provides, National Disaster Legal Aid provides a useful set of resources, especially relating to appeals: www.disasterlegalaid.org/femaappeals/
SBA Application Deadlines:
Low-interest disaster loans from the SBA are available to businesses and residents in Westchester. SBA provides loans for physical and economic damage caused by a declared disaster, including home and personal property, business, and economic injury loans. As of Dec. 3, we have been advised that the SBA’s Physical Loan application deadline is Jan. 4, 2022, while the Economic Injury (EIDL) Loan application deadline is June 6, 2022. Find more information at disasterloanassistance.sba.gov.
Note that after applying for disaster assistance from FEMA, you may be referred to the SBA to apply for a loan. If you are referred to SBA, FEMA recommends that you complete and submit the loan application. If your application is approved, you are not obligated to accept the SBA disaster loan but failure to submit the application may disqualify you from other FEMA assistance, such as disaster-related car repairs, essential household items and other expenses.
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222 Grace Church Street, Suite 300
Port Chester, NY 10573
Phone: (914) 934-5250
Email: SMayer@nysenate.gov
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