Amid slow recovery, Sen. Menendez aims to improve post-Sandy aid process

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 Homes destroyed in October by Superstorm Sandy are seen Thursday, April 25, 2013, at Ortley Beach, in Toms River, N.J. Six months after Sandy devastated the Jersey shore and New York City and pounded coastal areas of New England, the region is dealing with a slow and frustrating, yet often hopeful, recovery. (Mel Evans/AP Photo)

Homes destroyed in October by Superstorm Sandy are seen Thursday, April 25, 2013, at Ortley Beach, in Toms River, N.J. Six months after Sandy devastated the Jersey shore and New York City and pounded coastal areas of New England, the region is dealing with a slow and frustrating, yet often hopeful, recovery. (Mel Evans/AP Photo)

New Jerseyans affected by Superstorm Sandy have been speaking out about problems with the recovery that have left people homeless and even helpless throughout the state.

“We have thousands of homeowners who are still displaced or trying to rebuild their homes,” said WHYY’s Shore reporter Tracey Samuelson, who added that many residents are frustrated with the slow pace of rebuilding.

For some, the root cause of the dragging recovery is a lack of cooperation between federal and state agencies.

That’s why U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) is holding a hearing today on ways to strengthen communication among federal, state and local agencies. “Menendez has said that he doesn’t want this to be a blame game — the state blaming the feds and the feds blaming the state for the slow pace of recovery,” said Samuelson.

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But after 16 months of a lackluster recovery, what more can be done to speed up the process?

 

Click the audio player above to hear Samuelson’s full discussion with Morning Edition host Jennifer Lynn.

 

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