Sandy refugees remain at Andrew hotel

Dan Glaun

Months after Hurricane Sandy devastated much of Long Island, some storm victims – their homes in the process of repair, or irreparably damaged – are still living in Federal Emergency Management Agency-sponsored accommodations at Great Neck’s Andrew Hotel.

The number of rooms occupied by storm refugees at the luxury boutique hotel has dwindled from a post-flood height of 27 to eight now. But the Andrew, which is located at 75 N. Station Plaza in the Village of Great Neck Plaza, is still hosting some affected Long Islanders awaiting news of whether FEMA will again extend its funding of their stays.

“Unfortunately, for some people, there were not a lot of hotels participating,” said the Andrew’s director of sales Corinne Doria. “People came from all over.”

Residents of Long Beach, Island Park, Freeport, Great Neck and Queens stayed at the Andrew after the storm, with FEMA picking up the tab after damage from Sandy rendered their homes unlivable.

“Thankfully, the Andrew never lost power,” said Doria. “As local residents lost power they started looking for places to stay.”

Doria credit FEMA with responding effectively to the crisis, but noted that the displaced live with great uncertaint.

FEMA has repeatedly issued two-week extensions for the people still at the Andrew, but only informs them a day or two in advance. The next deadline was Sunday, and at the time of Doria’s interview with the Great Neck News storm victims were still in the dark about where they would be living the next week.

One displaced storm victim, who asked not to be identified for privacy reasons, said she had been bounced from hotel to hotel as facilities first accepted storm refugees and then withdrew from the program. Eventually, she and her family ended up at the Andrew, which she praised as “fabulous.”

“One of the things that they did was they help people recover from the initial shock and trauma, beyond just providing  a room,” she said. The storm victim described displaced guests gathering in the Andrew’s breakfast room, trading stories, storm recovery tips and emotional support.

FEMA’s short notice to guests uncertain about whether they would receive an extension did cause stress, she said.

“Most of the people were like a deer with headlights,” said the storm victim.

And when FEMA cut off extensions to guests in the Andrew, the storm victim said, Doria worked to find alternative lodging, calling nearby hotels to see if they could accommodate them.

“I had been at other places and it was just, you know, good luck,” said the storm victim.

The Andrew hosted a reception for its remaining guests on Jan. 3, featuring food donated by local restaurants. Guests had played a down-to-the-wire waiting game until FEMA announced a four week extension to the program right before the holidays.

“It was a very warm and lovely party,” said the storm victim.

The Andrew did not cut its rates to save FEMA money. Doria said in the first weeks’ rates were higher than normal due to increased demand. But she said that when displaced guests had to pay out of pocket, or when their sheltering programs were not extended, the hotel offered discounts on some rooms.

Now, months after the flood waters subsided, the future of the people still relying on the Andrew for shelter is up in the air, according to Doria.

“Some of them, their homes are still not livable,” she said.

And some of the displaced persons who did not have their FEMA funding extended were left without permanent housing options.

“They either went back to unlivable homes or they went to live with family and friends,” Doria said.

But for those still in the Andrew, the experience has left their relationship closer than that of a hotelier and guests.

“They’ve become our family. And I believe they feel the same way,” Doria said.

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