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NYC Comptroller Denies All 4,700 Hurricane Ida Flooding Claims: Report

All 4,703 New Yorkers were denied, with a letter saying the city was not liable for “extraordinary and excessive rainfalls.”

The comptroller of New York City quashed the financial claims of all 4,703 citizens who filed against the city after Hurricane Ida, according to a new report by The City. In a denial letter obtained by the outlet, Comptroller Brad Lander, who is the chief auditor and financial officer for New York City, said a precedent set by a 1907 case determined that municipal governments were “not liable for damage from ‘extraordinary and excessive rainfalls.’” A woman denied her negligence claim told The City that she thought the city was “absolutely” still at fault, given that it handles infrastructure—including the sewers that were quickly overwhelmed by the torrential floods on Sept. 1, 2021. “I could challenge it and say, ‘Well, if you had your sewer fixed, it wouldn’t be a problem,’” Heidi Pashkow said. Those who were denied their claims—largely residents of Queens neighborhoods that were disproportionately affected by the storm—have until November to file a lawsuit against the city.