Cosmetic repairs on Calamus Avenue

The Department of Design and Construction is offering to fix sidewalk cracks on Calamus Avenue resulting from a 4-year long sewer installation project.

Meanwhile, people have damaged homes and foundations...

Perhaps Ms. Crowley or Comptroller Stringer can get the City to offer a bigger bone than this. (Sorry I am in a comical mood this morning.)

Is Calamus Avenue water safe to drink?

From the Queens Tribune:

Ben Geremia, a 60-year resident of the street, said that, in 2015, he saw that the city Department of Design and Construction’s contractor, CAC Industries Inc., had installed a red rubber hose as a temporary water supply for his home.

Geremia took a photo of the rubber hose, found the manufacturer and called to ask for its use. According to Geremia, the manufacturer does not recommend the hose for use of drinking water. He noted that a few days later, he spoke with CAC’s foreman and had the hose removed from his house.

Then, a clear hose was installed a few days later and Geremia once again consulted the hose’s manufacturer to discover that it was also used for non-potable water. Eventually, his home received the correct temporary hose.

Two years later, he was astonished to discover that CAC Inc. was uncovering red hoses buried in the ground and supplying water to his neighbors.

He points out that he was the only one who complained and [although he has no evidence], he is worried that his neighbors are not getting quality drinking water.

Catastrophe on Calamus

From the Queens Chronicle:

Stringer explained during the walk that the contract between the DDC and CAC Industries, the contractor doing the work, indemnifies the city from being directly sued by residents.
Instead, those impacted by the work are advised to go through their insurance company and that of CAC Industries.

Representatives for Stringer told the Chronicle on Monday that it is standard for the city to be indemnified from lawsuits while it works with an outside contractor who has its own insurance.
Juniper Park Civic Association President Bob Holden — who is running against Crowley in September’s Democratic primary — said in a Monday interview the city’s lack of accountability in situations like these “stinks to high heaven.”

“People have gone through years of hell,” Holden said. “They shouldn’t have to go through their insurance companies to get satisfaction here.

“Why does the city continue to hire these guys? Do they not have many good contractors or do good contractors not want to do business with the city?” he continued. “Are they putting less-qualified contractors into neighborhoods that are working class? Would this be allowed in Manhattan?

In a June letter sent to Calamus Avenue residents, Crowley advised filing a claim with DDC and Stringer’s office, as well as referring to one’s own homeowner’s insurance policy to see if there’s a time frame for filing claims.

...A little more than a week later...
From the Queens Chronicle:

Wu and Guillen were two of a number of residents along the block who tried to file claims with their homeowners insurance companies.

They’ve all been unsuccessful, however. Guillen said she was told that losses stemming from “earth movement” are not covered.

Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Glendale) and a spokesman for city Comptroller Scott Stringer said residents with damage to their property should report it to CAC as soon as possible.

“The company contracted with the city on this project is responsible for fixing any and all damages,” Crowley said in a statement. “All homeowners should document and report their damages to both the company and the city.”

CAC did not immediately respond to a request for comment by press time.

Does anyone here know what the hell they are doing or care that these people's homes were damaged by a city contractor?