Christie Administration Faulted for Lack of Transparency with Sandy Recovery

by Scott Gurian, NJSpotlight.com

Simone Dannecker grew increasingly emotional as she described her predicament to state lawmakers. Sandy had caused thousands of dollars in damage to her home, and in the course of paying for repairs, she and her husband had fallen behind on their mortgage. After living in Union Beach for 43 years -- her entire life -- she was now battling her bank to avoid foreclosure.

“Do I fight to keep the home I’ve lived in and raised my kids in for the last 18 years, or do I let them have it and walk away?” she wondered aloud. Her voice started to quiver.

Dannecker said she worked part time as a bank teller, but that filling out applications for grants and government aid had virtually become like another part-time job these past few months.

“We’re so caught up in the bureaucracy of red tape, and you get so many different advisors when you get on a phone call. Never once have I spoke to the same person,” she complained. “And you get pushed along and pushed along. And you don’t understand what it’s doing to homeowners mentally, physically, and emotionally.”

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