Home » News » Bronx Fire Victims Still Waiting for Money Raised by NYC – NBC New York

Bronx Fire Victims Still Waiting for Money Raised by NYC – NBC New York

The mayor’s office pledged to help after a Bronx building fire claimed the lives of 17 people and in the two months after the tragedy raised $4.4 million, but so far only a fraction of that money has been delivered. directly to residents.

The blaze uprooted the lives of countless families more than two months ago, many forced from their homes due to damage and safety concerns, others coping with the added pain of losing loved ones.

Since January 9, many of the building’s tenants have stayed in hotels paid for by the city and want to know when they can return home or to a new permanent residence. The city’s support, some say, has been too slow.

Vanessa Cunningham and Pauline Bryan, two of the Bronx’s tenants living in hotel rooms, say they feel abandoned.

“What happened to all these politicians?” Bryan asks. “Now they’re not here for us. That’s wrong.”

Donations raised by the Mayor’s Fund to help affected families since the fire totaled $4.4 million. That figure is a relief for many of the victims of the fire, but they have been left with the doubt of when they will see the financial support.

“We live in New York. Rent is expensive, everything is expensive here,” said Geremy Alfonso, a fire survivor.

The Mayor’s Office says $900,000 of the fund has been used so far, in part to pay for hotels and food for displaced tenants and funeral costs for victims.

A City Council spokesman says tenants are working with caseworkers to find out exactly what they need instead of giving cash.

“Looking ahead, our goal is to distribute funds in a holistic way that supports the needs of families long-term and doesn’t leave them running a system on their own,” a spokesperson said in a statement.

Sheikh Musa Drammeh is coordinating aid for the families of the 17 victims and others directly affected. He has praised the mayor’s office for being wise with money and is confident that all needs will be met.

“All services, whether short-term or long-term, are provided accordingly,” he said. “Families who were directly affected have expressed their satisfaction on numerous occasions.”

One message echoed by many of the survivors of the Bronx fire is that there is too much red tape and it is taking too long to feel whole again.

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