Community Corner

As Paterson Awaits Obama's Visit, Residents Return Home After Irene

Officials: Hardest-hit area is city's First Ward

PATERSON — Muddied televisions, downed wires and drowned cars are all that remain on the streets of this northern New Jersey city's First Ward neighborhood. The storm that caused mass flooding and wreaked such havoc passed nearly a week ago. But two days before President Barack Obama's visit Sunday to the area, some residents walked into their homes for the first time and stood in disbelief as they wallowed in the devastation.

"This all got to be thrown away," said Patricia Horner, 65, as she walked through her waterlogged, two-story home on Watson Street. The carpet squished with every step and gave a faint reminder of Tropical Storm Irene's wrath. "It's a deep shame. I wanna cry."

Patricia and her husband, Maurice, 69, live in the area city officials say was the hardest hit by Irene because of its proximity to the Passaic River. The Horners' house is two blocks from the waterway.

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"Right now, we are in the process of moving families out of the shelters and back to their homes," said Charles Pettiford, chief of staff to Paterson Mayor Jeffery Jones. He said, as of mid-afternoon Friday, roughly 700 people remain in the city's two shelters.

The First Ward, though, is in ruins. It smells of raw sewage and gives an eerie reminder of New Orleans' Ninth Ward after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. As of Friday, some streets remained flooded and impassible. Patch reporters witnessed residents crying on porches of ravaged homes as local police and fire officials cruised the area with an inflatable boat in tow.

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Carmen Rutledge, 41, moved into her two-story home on North Bridge Street in July. It's a block away from the Horners' residence.

"We were just able, in the last two years, to move … to our own place," she said. "I've got a husband that's disabled, a young child, an autistic daughter … I just don't know what to do."

Both families said they don't have flood insurance.

City officials said residents face a monumental task recovering from the storm and the worst flooding to the city since 1903. On Friday, Patch reporters saw inspectors dressed in white protective suits and blue masks outside a mobile city command center in the First Ward.

Officials are not sure how long it will take to recover from the storm, but are hopeful Obama's visit will spur assistance.

"I just pray to God that it's quick (and) that it's sooner rather than later," said Paterson City Council President Anthony Davis, who represents the First Ward. "There's been a lot of damage. You're talking about environment, structural, even physical and mental. Everything. Paterson has been hit hard."

In other parts of the city Friday, life appeared to be returning back to normal—traffic flowed somewhat smoothly in downtown, but some bridges remained closed and some traffic lights were inoperable.

Elvis Nunez, a business owner on River Street, said it will be at least 15 days until he can open up his appliance store.

"I know it's totally damaged," he said in Spanish. The waterline on his business' wall was roughly six feet. "It's just a matter of waiting."

But Davis said he hopes residents don't have to wait too long.

"All we're asking for is help," said the council president. "We're not asking for any more than anybody else. We just don't want to be overlooked. By the president coming here, I'm very optimistic that we're going to get the help we need."

U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-N.J.) said Obama's visit shows the president is "personally concerned" about Paterson residents, "The president understands that the federal government has a responsibility to help Americans facing a crisis and we all have a responsibility to each other."

Pettiford said the city of 150,000 has not yet applied for state or federal aid, "We have no estimates on how much money in damages the storm has caused." The chief of staff said he had no details about Obama's visit.

Maurice Horner said he was told it may be five to seven days before officials can help. "I guess (Obama) is doing his job as good as possible because his hands are tied, just like ours," he said. "He can only do so much and he can't take over Mother God."

— Joe Malinconico contributed to this report.


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