Officials say about 20,000 New York homes are still in critical need of repair seven months after Hurricane Sandy.
Mayor Bloomberg announced a new effort Monday to help homeowners, renters and landlords.
Those eligible for the so-called NYC Build It Back program can turn to an individual recovery specialist for repairing, rebuilding — or even getting reimbursed for work already done.
The program is funded with $648 million in federal disaster recovery funds passed by Congress.
New York City residents may register for the help by calling 311. And they’ll be contacted by a specialist to review their options, beginning next month.
The mayor says NYC Build It Back differs from other post-Sandy relief by providing a trained person who deals directly with each resident.