Queens Residents Plan To Implore President Biden To Help With Long-Term Change To Prevent Future Severe Storm Destruction

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — President Joe Biden is scheduled to set foot in Queens at around 4 p.m. on Tuesday.

He is expected to tour East Elmhurst, where barricades are set up for his arrival, CBS2’s Christina Fan reported.

Businesses and homes along Astoria Boulevard were pummeled by the remnants of Hurricane Ida. Neighbors saw floodwaters submerge their cars and basements, destroying all of their possessions.

READ MORE: President Biden Heads To Tri-State To Tour Storm Damage, 1st Stop Manville, N.J.

The president isn’t the first dignitary to visit the community since the storm. Gov. Kathy Hochul tweeted pictures out during her visiting over the weekend.

Visited Inwood this afternoon with @RepEspaillat, @RJackson_NYC, @CnDelarosa, @MarkLevineNYC and saw the effects of Ida's devastation first-hand.

Heavy rains caused part of a parking garage to collapse here.

We will make sure our neighbors get the help they need. pic.twitter.com/ns5IobaHvj

— Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) September 4, 2021

Neighbors were pushing hard for aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency then, something the president approved on Monday.

Now that immediate assistance has been granted, families and local leaders say they want to speak with Biden about long-term change.

“We are asking President Biden during his visit today to hopefully see the urgency of a green new deal in order for workers to update our infrastructure so that our sewage system can actually keep up with increasing populations and actually be able to service and work the way it should be,” state Sen. Jessica Ramos said.

PHOTOS: Hurricane Ida Remnants Batter Tri-State With Historic Rain, Tornado Reports

Families say improving the infrastructure is critical in Queens, where many people can only afford to live in low-lying basement apartments. In fact, the majority of the 13 people who lost their lives during Ida were living in basement units.

It’s unclear exactly which streets the president will be visiting, but families say wherever he goes, he’ll likely hear the same message and calls for help from neighbors.

CBS2’s Christina Fan contributed to this report.

from CBS New York https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2021/09/07/president-joe-biden-new-york-city-visit-hurricane-ida-damage-flooding/
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