Bulkhead funding deadline nears

Waterfront residents who have a damaged bulkhead could be eligible for funds to replace it through New York Rising, but only if they apply by the end of the year.

Residents with an active New York Rising case number may apply for bulkhead replacement assistance. John Weiburg, of Seaford, a certified inspector with GreenLink Home Inspections, said he is trying to get the word out about the program. “It’s not well known, that’s the problem,” he said. “It is money that’s out there.”

Weiburg said he has been working with dozens of residents in Hurricane Sandy-affected communities from Massapequa to Freeport, particularly in the Seaford Harbor neighborhood that has hundreds of homes sitting along canals. Residents he has worked with have received anywhere from $25,000 to $100,000 for a bulkhead replacement.

“Everybody is on a case-by-case basis,” he said. Weiburg urges residents who believe they would be eligible for funds to contact their New York Rising representative by Dec. 31, which is the deadline to apply, and have a checklist filed by a professional engineer. After that, he said, and inspector from New York Rising would come out to look at the bulkhead and determine if it is eligible for funding.

For more information, visit stormrecovery.ny.gov.