Our family has live in Breezy Point since 1978. My sister, Joann Panico, resides in Breezy Point, NY 11697.

My sister is totally disabled. She was diagnosed with a form of Parkinsonism, called MSA, short for Multiple Symptom Atrophy. It is an extremely debilitating illness, much like Lou Gehrig's disease.

She lives in a house that was not designed for a wheelchair bound individual. In fact, at this point in my sister's illness, the current bathroom is extremely dangerous for her to use. 

She currently has 2 home health aides to assist her. In order for them to tend to my sister's hygiene, they both need to lift her up from the wheelchair (it cannot fit through the bathroom door).

This has made things very hazardous for her and the 2 aides.

A while ago, I applied for a grant, through a non-profit organization called Rebuilding Together NYS.

 

She was accepted through NYS for the grant to build her a safe bathroom that would accommodate her disabilities.

After Rebuilding Together made many visits to her home, and after all their due diligence, they had their plans ready to submit to Breezy Point Coop Board.

To our shock and suprise, the Cooperative Board rejected our request for the handicapped bathroom.

According to the BP Board, Rebuilding Together's contractors, did not have the sufficient amount insurance.

These contractors have more than enough insurance to do this bathroom!

Here's the reason the Cooperative rejected Rebuilding Together's request. 

Breezy Point has put extremely high insurance qualifications on contractors. This came about after Superstorm Sandy devastated the community. Some of the contractors that were hired to rebuild at that time, were 
either not competent enough to do the work or did not have enough insurance for accidents that occurred.

The ultimate responsibility for these unforeseen accident claims fell on the BP Cooperative to pay out.

This unfortunately, landed in he pockets of the homeowners.

So, in order to stop any further insurance claims for BP to pay out, future contractors would have to meet their unusually high insurance limits.

I spoke to one of the BP Board members, who was so proud to tell me how he and his fellow board members were thrilled that there have been no increases for the homeowners in a number of years.

And then right after he said that, says to me, 'I just want to let you know that I won't be accepting your sister's request for her handicapped bathroom'. 

Don't you love the way he cares about all the Breezy Point homeowners? Very admirable of him. All except that handicapped woman. Let's not give her have the capability of taking a safe shower! (It's all about the Ching, Ching).

So in the end, they have crushed the opportunity to allow my sister to have reasonable and safe accommodations in her home for her disease.