FEMA goes 75-25 with the City on home repairs

From NY1:

Homeowners like Arlene Phipps also thought FEMA would pay for all of the work done through the program.

"I have been told across the board by Rapid Repair that FEMA is taking care of this and that this is of no cost to us," Phipps said.

But FEMA said the city could be stuck with a quarter of the tab.

"We'll pay our share," said FEMA representative Michael Byrne. "Right now that cost share is 75-25 -- 75 percent FEMA, 25 percent the city."

It's unclear how much these repairs could end up costing the city.

City Hall said it is not keeping track of the program's costs.

The program farms out repair work in homes without heat or hot water to six large city contractors in order to get people like Phipps back home instead of in shelters or trailers.

"We are a large contractor so we are the guys that can get it done quick," said Rapid Repair contractor Tony Petito. "We got a lot of experienced guys and this is what they do for a living."

Homeowners get the repairs for free.