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While Hurricane Sandy is over, the effects and repercussions of the storm are expected to be long-lasting. After the storm razed through Manhattan, Staten Island, Long Island, and other surrounding areas, the Department of Housing and Urban Development estimated that the storm may leave 40,000 NYS residents homeless and in need of immediate shelter.

Mayor Bloomberg called HUD’s figures the worst-case scenario, suggesting that only 20,000 residents will be displaced due to the storm. Regardless of the actual figure, an additional tens of thousands residents will be looking for stable housing across the region. FEMA director Craig Fugate hoped many displaced individuals and families would be placed in hotels, apartments, or FEMA trailers, but it appears that a viable long-term solution has not yet been found.

With all eyes on the Tri-State region, Mayor Bloomberg vowed that those affected by Hurricane Sandy will not be forgotten and given homes as soon as possible. “We are not going to let anybody go sleeping in the streets or go without blankets, but it’s a challenge, and we’re working on that as fast as we can.”

If only he had the same dedication and fortitude for the city’s 50,000 people who are already plagued by homelessness.

Stay tuned as we keep an eye on the housing developments for the region’s displaced.

Follow the Update blog on Twitter @housingworks.

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