Zimmer to Testify on Sandy Damage in Washington DC

Mayor Dawn Zimmer will testify at a Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship hearing in Washington D.C., she said on Wednesday.

At the hearing — which she will be attending together with Chief of Staff Daniel Bryan — Zimmer will address the issue many Hobokenites have with flood insurance.

Those who live in a basement apartment are having trouble getting enough money from FEMA to pay for all the damage due to the flooding, Zimmer said on Wednesday.

Residents may get enough to pay for a new boiler, a new watertank and the electricity panel, Zimmer said, but aren't eligible for much else. When applying for FEMA assistance or a Small Business Association loan, however, flood insurance is mandatory, Zimmer said. This puts many Hobokenites in a difficult position.

Many people are "future victims," Zimmer said. "It's just very unfair."

Zimmer said that the city has identified roughly 1,700 basement apartments that were flooded during Sandy.

Downtown businesses are also still suffering from the aftermath of Sandy and the closure of Hoboken's PATH station, Zimmer said.

"Businesses are down 60 percent," she said.

Zimmer said she hopes her testimony on Thursday will bring additional funding to Hoboken's residents and business owners.