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PUBLISHING, SCIENCE, RESEARCH,
MEDIA, INNOVATION AND MUCH MORE,
THIS IS "METRO FOCUS."
>> TONIGHT, SCANDALS IN ALBANY
AND A SHAKE-UP IN THE NEW YORK
>> LOOK, I MADE SOME BIG
>> MOVING UP AS HURRICANE SEASON
>> A LITTLE BIT MORE AND THE
BROWNSVILLE.
>> WE HAVE HIGH RATES OF
HOMELESSNESS NOW IN NEW YORK
>> AND ART FROM AMONG THE RUINS.
>> THE MATERIALS WERE JUST
I GRABBED WHAT I'D LIKE AND USE.
>> FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM IS
MADE POSSIBLE BY JAMES & MERYL
BERNARD AND EILEEN SCHWARTZ, THE
NISSAN FOUNDATION AND THE FORD
FRONT LINES OF SOCIAL CHANGE
WORLDWIDE.
CORPORATE FUNDING FOR "METRO
AMERICA.
YOUR RETIREMENT COMPANY.
>> HELLO, I'M RAFAEL, WELCOME TO
"METRO FOCUS."
IN ALBANY, MORE WIRETAPS, MORE
INTO THE RACE FOR MAYOR IN SPITE
CHARGES HIT A STATE ASSEMBLY
MEMBER, TWO STATE SENATORS AND A
BEFORE SHE HAD BEEN SECRETLY
LEGISLATORS.
IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL THAT,
WAS FORCED TO RESIGN WHEN MORE
DETAILS EMERGED ABOUT YEAR-OLD
THAT WAS ALBANY.
RACE SPUN OFF IN A NEW DIRECTION
TWO YEARS AGO *** FIRST
TWEETED LEWD PHOTOS OF HIMSELF
IN HIS ANNOUNCEMENT, *** WITH
HIS WIFE BESIDE HIM TRIED TO PUT
LESSONS.
I'VE BEEN FIGHTING FOR THE
MIDDLE CLASS AND THOSE
I WILL FIGHT FOR YOU EVERY
>> AND JOINING ME TO DISCUSS ALL
CHIEF OF "CITY LIMITS" AND A
PARTNER IN OUR JOINT REPORTING
BALLOT."
WELCOME.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
ENTRY INTO THE MAYORAL SHAKING
IT UP?
SECOND PLACE AND TO, YOU KNOW,
QUINN FOR MOMENTUM AT THIS
POINT.
BALLOT PROJECT IS AN INTERESTING
DIFFERENCE AMONG NAKEDS IN TERMS
>> WHAT'S THAT LIKE?
>> STATEN ISLAND, OUR MOST
CONSERVATIVE BOROUGH, IS
ACTUALLY THE MOST WELCOMING TO
HIM.
WE FOUND VOTERS WHO DON'T WANT
WE ALSO FOUND SOME WHO ARE
HIS OLD DISTRICT, PEOPLE ARE
UNIFORMLY DOWN ON HIM.
THAT'S ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE, BUT
HIM FOR HIS TRANSGRESSIONS, IT'S
THAT THEY DON'T WANT HIM TO RUN.
IN BROWNSVILLE, BROOKLYN, HE'S
EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE WATCH THE
NEWS, READ THE PAPERS, THEY KNOW
ABOUT HIS PRESENCE IN THE RACE
OR, YOU KNOW, SOON-TO-BE
REPORTING, BUT HE JUST IS NOT ON
HE CAME WITHIN A FEW HUNDRED
REALLY SURPRISED PEOPLE BY DOING
IT WITHOUT MAJOR ENDORSEMENTS OR
AND HE WAS TOUTED AS A POTENTIAL
MAYOR IN 2009.
HIM FROM CONGRESS.
THE MAYORALTY, AT LEAST TO
ESTABLISH HIMSELF AS A SERIOUS
YOU KNOW, IF HE WERE TO SIT THIS
ONE OUT AND A DEMOCRAT WINS,
WE'RE TALKING EIGHT YEARS BEFORE
YOU HEAR FROM HIM AGAIN.
THEN MAYBE THAT PORTENDS A
REPORTING?
ARE PEOPLE BECOMING MORE
>> IT'S INTERESTING.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO
MAYORAL RACE ON.
IN BROWNSVILLE AND ONE WOMAN
ASKED ME WHAT HE WAS RUNNING
FOR.
ARE BEGINNING TO LEARN THE
CANDIDATES BECAUSE THEY'RE
CANDIDATES ARE STARTING TO
I SAW KERRY YON, LOU HANDING OUT
THAT'S BEGINNING TO OCCUR.
BECAUSE PEOPLE AREN'T REALLY
PAYING ATTENTION TO SPECIFIC
EDUCATION IS VERY BIG.
BEING PRICED OUT OF THEIR REACH.
ARE PROBABLY THE BIGGEST ONES WE
>> THEY'RE GETTING TO KNOW THE
>> IT'S INTERESTING.
THE MOST INTERESTING TRAJECTORY.
SHE WAS, IN FEBRUARY, JANUARY,
CLOSE TO BEING WHERE SHE COULD
TO AVOID A RUNOFF.
SHE WAS GOING TO WIN THE PRIMARY
ELECTION OF A REPUBLICAN
THAT'S PROBABLY BECAUSE OF
ATTACKING HER.
MAYBE AS PEOPLE GET TO KNOW HER,
THEY DON'T LIKE HER AS MUCH, BUT
PEOPLE GETTING TO KNOW SOMEONE
AND APPARENTLY LIKING THEM LESS.
>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SCANDALS
IN ALBANY.
AROUND THERE, IS ANY SERIOUS
WORK GETTING DONE?
YOU HAVE THE ASSEMBLY RECENTLY
PASS THE DREAM ACT WHICH WOULD
PROVIDE FINANCIAL AID TO STATE
PROGRAM A COUPLE WEEKS AGO FOR
DISTRACTION.
THE INTERESTING THING TO KEEP IN
MIND IS THAT ALBANY'S ALWAYS HAD
A DYSFUNCTION PROBLEM.
DIVIDED.
YOU HAVE A DEMOCRATIC-CONTROLLED
YOU HAVE A SENATE THAT WAS
SUPPOSED TO BE DEMOCRATIC, BUT
THEN SOME DEMOCRATS WHO WERE
CONSERVATIVE BROKE OFF, MORE
MODERATES, THEY BROKE OFF.
CONTROL.
TO GETTING A LOT DONE THAT
PREDATES THE SCANDAL, BUT IT
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>>> FOR MANY OF US, MEMORIAL DAY
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY GRADUATE
SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM STUDENT
WHY SOME RESIDENTS HIT HARD BY
QUICKLY TO KEEP THEIR COSTS DOWN
WHILE OTHERS ARE WAITING AND
HOPING THAT THE RISING COST OF
FLOOD INSURANCE WON'T COME THEIR
WAY.
>> WE'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING
THAT EVEN RESEMBLED THIS
AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL NEVER SEE IT
AGAIN.
>> Reporter: HURRICANE SANDY
NEW YORK STATE ALONE AND
HOMES.
NOW NEW YORKERS LIKE BRIAN AND
SONJA HANSEN WHO LIVE ON THE
MOVING UP.
RACING THE HOUSE, I AM NOT
COMING BACK TO THIS PLACE.
THROUGH THEIR HOUSE, THE HANSENS
FUTURE HARM'S WAY.
AND NEXT THING I KNOW, IT WAS UP
AND I FELT RELIEVED.
THE NEXT HURRICANE THAT COMES,
>> Reporter: THE PRICE TAG FOR
SOME OF THE HANSENS' NEIGHBORS
RAISED THEIR HOMES AFTER
HURRICANE IRENE IN 2011.
DAMAGE DURING SANDY THAN THE
ONES WHO DIDN'T.
>> IT'S A LOT OF WORK TO MAKE IT
>> Reporter: THE HANSENS BROUGHT
BRINGS A SMALL METICULOUS ARMY
>> IF YOU CAN THINK ABOUT YOUR
HOUSE SITTING WHERE YOUR HOUSE
SITS RIGHT NOW ON A FOUNDATION
AND ON THE GROUND, YOU'RE HOOKED
UP TO ELECTRIC, YOU'RE HOOKED UP
GETS DISCONNECTED.
HOLDING IT DOWN.
AND IT GOES UP IN THE AIR.
>> Reporter: AIR-POWERED JACKS
RAISE THE HOME SIX INCHES AT A
INSPECTS EVERY CREVICE TO MAKE
PART OF THE PROCESS.
AND IT'S A WHOLE NEW DESIGN.
DECKS.
YOU GET BACK INTO YOUR HOUSE
BECAUSE NOW YOUR HOUSE WILL BE
>> NOW WE CAN PUT MONEY INTO OUR
>> Reporter: KIM SMITH LIVES
ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE
HANSENS.
HE PLANS ON RAISING HIS HOME
THIS SUMMER.
IN THE MEANTIME, HE'S BEEN
RALLYING HIS NEIGHBORS TO DO THE
SAME WITH THE WEBSITE, THE SOUTH
>> WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO THE
COMMUNITY AFTER A STORM LIKE
ARE THEY JUST GOING TO WALK AWAY
FROM IT ALL?
OR ARE PEOPLE GOING TO STAY HERE
AND REBUILD?
>> Reporter: IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT
BEING ABLE TO COME HOME AGAIN.
IN THIS MOSTLY BLUE-COLLAR AREA,
SAVINGS TIED UP IN THEIR HOUSES.
>> YOU HAVE THIS LITTLE NEST
EGG.
YOU COULD SELL THE HOUSE AND
50 MILES AWAY, SOPHIA LIVES IN
QUEENS AND IN LIMBO.
>> WE WOULD LIKE TO BE BACK IN
IS THAT REALISTIC?
SMALL ISLAND IN JAMAICA BAY,
AFTER SANDY.
NOW THE CITY IS PUSHING HER TO
RAISE HER HOME NOT FIVE FEET BUT
DOUBLE THAT.
>> WE'RE BEING THREATENED WITH
INSURANCE.
WHO CAN AFFORD THAT?
>> Reporter: SO SHE'S STAYING ON
REDRAWN AGAIN.
I USED TO DREAM AS A KID ABOUT
LIVING ON A HOUSEBOAT.
>> I THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO
REBUILD THIS COMMUNITY BETTER,
AND WE'RE GOING TO BE PREPARED
BETTER THAN WE WERE IN THE PAST.
>> I'M NOT GOING TO MOVE ON.
I'M STAYING.
I'M CLAUDIA McGOWAN.
>> THE AID FOR SANDY RECOVERY IS
FLOWING NOW.
WHERE WE GO, WHAT WE SPEND THE
ON MAY 16th WE BROADCAST
AND A WIDE RANGE OF EXPERTS,
EDITOR MIKE SCHNEIDER TACKLE
WHAT WORKED, WHAT DIDN'T AND
WHAT'S NEXT.
>> WE'RE AT A GOOD PLACE NOW
FINALLY IN THAT WE'RE STARTING
TO GET THE FEDERAL MONEYS TO
IT'S BEEN TOO SLOW CANDIDLY, BUT
SO HOPEFULLY IN THE NEXT FEW
GOING TO SEE HOMES STARTING TO
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE BUSINESS
WITH CAPITAL START TO MOVE
FORWARD.
MORE THAN JUST THAT.
WE HAVE TO REENGINEER BEACHES.
WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW,
WHERE WE'RE GOING TO REBUILD
CERTAIN COMMUNITIES.
WE'RE GOING TO BE A LOT BETTER
OFF THAN WHERE WE ARE.
AND THE LAST POINT IS WE HAVE TO
ENGAGE EVERYONE IN IT.
THE PHILANTHROPIC COMMUNITY,
AMERICAN RED CROSS AND OUR
AND LOCAL OFFICIALS.
COME OUT AND HELP.
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS HAD TO
SET UP SHELTERS AND DISTRIBUTION
CENTERS.
GOVERNMENT CAN DO TO HELP BUT BY
IT'S NOT THAT DIFFERENT WHEN YOU
GET RIGHT DOWN TO IT TO WHAT
HAPPENED IN NEW ORLEANS.
AND NOT THE CITY OR THE STATE OR
A TECHNICAL POINT OF VIEW TO
MITIGATE THE DAMAGE.
WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO
QUESTION OF MONEY.
I'M CONFIDENT DESPITE WHAT JOE
SAYS THAT GOVERNMENT WILL HAVE
IRENE.
SYSTEM TO MITIGATE THE RESULTS
RIGHT NOW WITH JOHN CAMERON.
COUNCIL.
HAS BEEN FLOODING FOR YEARS IN
YOU TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE
YOU TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE
SEWAGE TREATMENT AREAS AND
YOU DO HAVE PSG&E PARENT COMPANY
CHANGES AS WELL THERE.
I MEAN, DO YOU HAVE A DOLLAR
GUESS, HYPE AND PUBLICITY OVER
THE $60 BILLION, THAT SOUNDS
MONEY, WHICH IT REALLY IS, BUT I
THINK IF YOU TALK TO THE
ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION
MUNICIPALITY OFFICIALS, IT'S NOT
ENOUGH MONEY TO GO AROUND.
TO PREVENT STORMS.
UTILIZE OUR MONEY COST
EFFECTIVELY.
WE CAN'T ELEVATE ALL OUR
CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE.
THE DOLLARS ARE JUST PHENOMENAL.
GET THERE, I THINK, IN THE
SO WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE THE
ELECTRIC GRID AND AS WELL AS
SYSTEMS.
THAT WHICH CAN REALLY IMPACT THE
METROPOLITAN AREA.
YOU CAN PUT ALL THE MONEY IN
THAT YOU WANT.
YOU CAN PUT HOUSES ON LIFTS.
IF CLIMATE CHANGE CAUSES US TO
HAVE A SUPERSTORM LIKE SANDY
EVERY YEAR OR EVERY TWO YEARS,
WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO
CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT
REBUILDING OR CONSTANTLY
DIFFERENT WAY TO COME AT THIS.
THAN 50,000 MEN, WOMEN AND
NIGHT.
AND THERE ARE THOUSANDS MORE
WORK OF ROSEANNE HAGGERTY,
PRESIDENT OF THE NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS
AND RECIPIENT OF THE ROCKEFELLER
FOUNDATION'S PRESTIGIOUS JAMES
HAGGERTY IS NOW WORKING IN THE
NICE TO BE HERE.
HOMELESSNESS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING
CRISIS IN THE COUNTRY AND IN THE
THE NUMBERS BEAR THAT OUT.
WE'VE SEEN EVER.
ARE HIGH, WE SEE INTERESTING AND
CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS AND
AND SO THIS IS TOTALLY A
>> ONE OF THE WAYS THAT YOUR
SOLUTIONS, IS TRYING TO TACKLE
THIS CRISIS IS THROUGH THE
BROWNSVILLE PARTNERSHIP?
>> MM-HMM.
>> WHAT IS THAT PARTNERSHIP?
>> WELL, IT BEGAN AS AN EFFORT
TO RETHINK THE WHOLE NOTION OF
AND WE LOOKED AT THE DATA THAT
SHOWED WHERE INDIVIDUALS AND
FAMILIES IN NEW YORK CITY WERE
POOREST NEIGHBORHOODS OF THE
WHAT'S GOING ON IN THESE
NEIGHBORHOODS AND HOW TO
AND DON'T BECOME HOMELESS IN THE
FIRST PLACE.
BUT THAT'S GROWN INTO A MUCH
MORE COMPLEX AND RICH APPROACH
THAN SIMPLY FOCUSING ON PEOPLE'S
HOUSING STABILITY.
>> WELL, TALK ABOUT THAT A
CLEAR THAT THE BROWNSVILLE
PARTNERSHIP IS TRYING TO IMPROVE
THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE
PEOPLE OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT HOW
ISSUE OF HOMELESSNESS?
>> WELL, WHAT'S INTERESTING,
BROWNSVILLE, IT DIDN'T TAKE US
LONG TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT
TO STOP EVICTIONS OR DEALING
DIRECTLY WITH THE IMMINENT
NEIGHBORHOOD LIKE BROWNSVILLE,
IT WAS ACTUALLY HELPING TO
ITSELF, BUILDING THE CIVIC
INFRASTRUCTURE, MAKING BASIC
PUBLIC SERVICES WORK BETTER,
HELPING FAMILIES GET WHAT THEY
NEEDED AT TIMES THAT THEY WERE
FACING CRISES BEFORE THEY BECAME
ABSOLUTELY FACED WITH, YOU KNOW,
BREAKDOWN OF THEIR FAMILY.
AND SO IT'S NOT AS SIMPLE AS
JUST SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE'RE
GOING TO REROUTE PEOPLE FROM
THAT THE BIG AHA WAS REALIZING
IN OUR LIFE IS A FUNCTIONING
COMMUNITY AND HEALTHY SOCIAL
NETWORK.
PROJECTS FOR REASONS THAT WE
CAN'T GET INTO HERE WERE
HOW DO YOU TURN THAT SET UP INTO
A HEALTHY VIBRANT COMMUNITY?
>> YOU'RE RIGHT.
I MEAN, IT'S JUST IN RETROSPECT,
ISOLATED FROM, YOU KNOW, THE
FROM, YOU KNOW, KIND OF THE RICH
BUT THERE ARE IDEAS THAT OTHER
HOPEFUL POSSIBILITIES WHICH IS
BLOCKS TO THE SURROUNDING STREET
HOUSING DEVELOPMENT THAT CAN
SERVE A MIX OF INCOMES AND BRING
COMMUNITY FACILITIES, SCHOOLS TO
THESE NEIGHBORHOODS.
>> CAN THIS SERVE AS A MODEL FOR
THE REST OF THE CITY AND THE
REST OF THE COUNTRY?
BECAUSE THE IDEAS ARE VERY
NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE BEEN
VERY LEFT BEHIND AND FRANKLY
ITS BROWNSVILLE, A COMMUNITY
MANY BAD OUTCOMES FROM POVERTY
WELFARE INVOLVEMENT TO CRIME
THAT ARE IN SIGHT IS YOU NEED TO
COMMITMENT AND WITH REAL
COLLABORATION IN THESE
COMMUNITIES.
THIS IS WE'VE BROUGHT TOGETHER
REALLY AN EXTRAORDINARY GROUP OF
CITY AGENCIES, NOT-FOR-PROFITS
TO LOOK ON COMMON GOALS AROUND
AROUND THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND
MAKE IT A SAFER, HEALTHIER, MORE
AND THAT BASIC IDEA OF
TARGETING VERY NEGLECTED
COMMUNITIES I THINK IS
FOR ANY CITY TO THINK ABOUT.
ROSEANNE, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> SUMMER IS HERE AND DOWN THE
JERSEY SHORE THIS GREAT RELIEF
THAT MANY BOARDWALKS ARE BACK IN
AS WE REPORT, SOME LOCAL ARTISTS
ARE FINDING NEW WAYS TO REMEMBER
STORM.
>> Reporter: AS JERSEY SHORE
DEBRIS TO MAKE WAY FOR THE NEW
BOARDWALKS, ARTIST WATTY WILDMAN
USES THAT DEBRIS THAT CREATE
ART.
>> THE MATERIALS WERE JUST
WILDMAN BEGAN COLLECTING
EVERYTHING FROM PIECES OF DOCKS,
AFTER THE MATERIAL IS CLEANED,
CUT, TORCHED AND DESIGNED IN HIS
BELMAR STUDIO, THE DEBRIS IS
TRANSFORMED INTO THIS.
IT'S CALLED A STARBURST.
BEGAN CREATING THESE DESIGNS
>> Reporter: THE ARTWORK HAS
SHORE COMMUNITIES.
A NUMBER OF SHORE TOWNS.
THIS GREEN PIECE OF WOOD IS FROM
ALL THE TOWNS ARE STAMPED INTO
WILDMAN DONATES SOME OF HIS WORK
INTEREST IN HIS SANDY MEMORIAL
SO FAR HE'S CREATED ABOUT 15
WORKS OF ART, AND HE STILL HAS
DEBRIS IN STORAGE.
MATERIALS AND SAVING THEM FROM
ENVIRONMENT.
>> Reporter: FARTHER SOUTH
SANDY HIT.
IT WAS JUST NATURAL TO SEE IF WE
TOWNS LIKE POINT PLEASANT BEACH.
DECKING, ATLANTIC CITY AND SEA
SEASIDE HEIGHTS.
THE ROLLER COASTER IS ETCHED
AT THE MOMENT IT'S MOST FAMOUS
FOR THE PEN THEY CREATED FOR
PRINCE HARRY AND NOW THE CALLS
>> Reporter: THE PIECES HAVE
BECOME ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT TO
>> YOU ALWAYS WANT TO CONNECT TO
>> Reporter: ALTHOUGH SO MANY OF
COMFORT IN KNOWING PIECES OF
THEM CAN STILL BE CHERISHED.
HEIGHTS.
>> THAT'S OUR PROGRAM FOR THIS
BUT BEFORE WE GO, WE WANTED TO
SHARE A MOMENT WITH YOU.
MANY OF NEW YORK'S SUBWAYS AND
ON BUS SHELTERS.
PHOTO AND SEND IT TO US WITH A
COMMENT.
FOCUS AND ONLINE WE ARE AT
THANKS FOR WATCHING.
WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.
>>> FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM WAS
MADE POSSIBLE BY JAMES & MERYL
TISH, SHERYL AND PHILLIP
ARNEHOLD, BERNARD AND EILEEN
AND THE FORD FOUNDATION.
FRONT LINES OF SOCIAL CHANGE
WORLDWIDE.
CORPORATE FUNDING FOR "METRO
FOCUS" WAS PROVIDED BY MUTUAL OF
AMERICA, YOUR RETIREMENT
COMPANY.