STATEN ISLAND — Three years after Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc on Staten Island, the scars it left are still painfully visible.
While some devastated properties were rebuilt and mountains of debris were cleared up, many homes were leveled, leaving empty, overgrown lots that offer painful reminders of the Oct. 29, 2012 destruction.
In Midland Beach, many wrecked homes stand in the same condition as they did the day after the hurricane, said Gil Rosa, who's lived on Hunter Avenue for 14 years.
"They forgot about us," he said.
Rosa listed off about 10 neighbors who have had trouble getting funds from the government for help and some haven't even started work yet.
"It's a damn shame," he said. "You can't get no help."
Rosa said he opted to pay out of pocket for repairs and, since he did most of the work himself, was able to get back into his home a lot quicker than most of his neighbors.
The house next to his, where Patrician Bevan lived, remains empty and Rosa said work only recently started on it. He also pointed out two across the street that look the same as they did the day after the storm.
In New Dorp Beach, John Clacker said he still hasn't fully finished the repairs on his Neutral Avenue home, but was able to move back in — something a lot of neighbors on his tiny block haven't been able to do.
"It ruined everything," he said. The three houses next to Clacker's remain empty and recently the windows of one were boarded up to prevent people from breaking in, Clacker said.
Use the slider to see how spots around Staten Island have changed since the storm.
The home of Dominick and Sheila Traina on Cedar Grove Avenue was crushed by the storm. It was eventually cleared away and all that remains is an empty lot.
The Hunter Avenue home where Patricia Bevan died inside only recently had work done to it, Rosa said. While the front looks repaired, the side of the home is still without siding.
The storm destroyed a deli on Cedar Grove Avenue in 2012. While the building has been repaired, the deli has not reopened.
The storm took Clacker's home off its foundation. Clacker raised his house, began repairs and was able to move back in July 2013.
The home at 28 Cedar Grove Ave. was severely damaged in Sandy. It was eventually knocked down.
Months after the storm, the remains of 135 Cedar Grove Ave. were left on the field. They were eventually cleaned up and now hosts storage bins for workers repairing nearby homes.
The John D'Amato field.
The entrance to New Dorp Beach.
