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                   NYC Officials Rush to House Sandy Victims

   by Margaret Besheer

   Life is slowly starting to return to normal in storm-affected New York
   and New Jersey, as schools reopen and mass-transit options increase.
   But for those in the northeastern United States most hard-hit by
   superstorm Sandy, concerns about housing are becoming central as a
   winter storm approaches.

   "The magnitude of the problem is, we think that we could have something
   between 30,000 and 40,000 people that we are going to have to find
   housing for," he said New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. "We are
   working on it. We will continue to get this done."

   Meteorologists are warning of an approaching weather front that could
   bring heavy rain, strong winds and cold temperatures to the region
   Wednesday, especially bad news for residents on Staten Island's
   southern shore, where many families are homeless after Sandy devastated
   the borrough.

   In the Queens section of Breezy Point, more than 100 families lost
   their homes to a rapidly spreading fire during last Monday's storm.

   "There are 131 homes here that have been leveled by the fire, as well
   as an untold number that are totally destroyed by the flood, and
   everyone has some significant damage," said Congressman Bob Turner,
   whose home burned in the fire. "So we have a big rebuilding program
   here and we are going to get to it."
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   Meanwhile, news was mixed for commuters heading back to their first
   full week of post-Sandy work. A additional subway lines return to
   service, the continuing regional fuel shortage has dumped more riders
   on an already overburdened system that typically transports about
   8.5-million people each day, resulting in longer wait times and
   overcrowded trains and buses.

   Power has returned to 80 percent of New York, and in New Jersey the
   numbers of households with electricity is also growing. In lower
   Manhattan, where the lights started to come back on late last week,
   residents like Scott Tonnell said things are starting to get back to
   normal.

   "It's great, lower Manhattan is really coming back to life," he said.
   "There are a lot of people out and lots of activity going on and
   tourist buses going by. It is really nice to see New York City coming
   back to its normal state after we have been through so much. It has
   been a trying time for everybody I know."

   The next big challenge will be Tuesday, when the U.S. presidential
   election is held. Election officials in New York and New Jersey are
   working feverishly to make sure all eligible voters have a place to
   cast their ballot.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/storm-ny-housing-bloomberg-new-storm/
   1539635.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/storm-ny-housing-bloomberg-new-storm/1539635.html