HUD REGION 2 ACTING REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR MIRZA ORRIOLS STATEMENT ON INDEPENDENCE DAY
Orriols stresses HUD's commitment to Sandy recovery

NEW YORK - In observance of Independence Day, HUD Acting Regional Administrator Mirza Orriols issued the following statement:

"Every Independence Day is a day of celebration, but also a day of reflection on the freedoms this country provides for all. At the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, thousands of employees in New York and New Jersey work every day so that millions of families have the freedom to live where they choose; in decent affordable housing, where parents and children can flourish; in communities of opportunity, free from discrimination.

"This year, many families in NY & NJ will not be able to enjoy the 4th of July the way they did before Hurricane Sandy. While recovery efforts have assisted thousands, many others still remain out of the beloved homes they decorated with American flags and where so many sparkler-laced memories were made. I want to reassure those families that our staff is still engaged in bringing normalcy to the region.

"I would like to acknowledge the HUD Region 2 staff that has worked so hard on Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts. Dozens of HUD employees from all over the country volunteered to come to New York and New Jersey, and many from Region 2 remain with even bigger responsibilities - HUD New Yorkers and New Jerseyans that made the concerns of hurricane survivors heard loud and clear.

"My very special thanks to Sheila Daniels, Sam Miller, Henry Comas, Earleene Sealy, Annemarie Uebbing, Carleton Lewis, Migdalia Murati, Jenn Cribbs, Stephen Murphy, Diane Johnson, Jaime Forero and so many others who are making sure that the resilient NY coastline and the Jersey Shore come back better than ever, and allow generations to celebrate our freedoms on the 4th of July for many years to come."

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