洪水案例：小企业（华人店主）

Flooding Story: Small Biz: Chinese Owner

Finest Sushi —— 不在“洪水区”却反复被淹

问题

位于皇后区 Sunnyside / Blissville 交界处的餐厅 Finest Sushi，在过去两年里 被水淹了超过10次。

这不是普通的小积水。每当大雨时，地下室的排水口会像喷泉一样向上喷出水，水深有时 超过两英尺（约60厘米）。店主估计，她已经花了 约7,000美元，并投入 80多个小时 清理、修复损坏、补充物资和防止霉菌，以确保餐厅还能继续营业。

她一直在寻找解决办法，但感觉自己被困在 城市排水系统、建筑结构和房东之间——这些问题 都不是她能控制的。同时，她也担心如果投诉太多，可能会影响她的租约。

此外，她 更需要用中文获得帮助，因为中文是她的第一语言。

可能的原因

造成洪水的问题可能包括：

• 两条街道的雨水在建筑拐角处汇集

• 邻近建筑屋顶的雨水流向这栋楼

• 附近树坑没有被充分利用来吸收雨水

• 地下室排水系统连接到较旧的城市下水道，在暴雨时可能发生倒灌

资金缺口

尽管多次被淹，这家餐厅 并不在纽约市官方的洪水风险区域内。

因此，它 无法申请纽约市为小企业提供的5,000美元防洪补助金——即使店主已经为洪水问题花费了超过这个金额。

租户的困难

作为租户，很多解决方案 需要房东的配合。房东曾尝试过一些调整，但认为问题主要是 城市下水道系统造成的，目前仍然没有真正解决洪水问题。

可能的解决方案

专家可能会评估以下方案：

• 改变屋顶雨水排放方向，或安装 绿色屋顶（Green Roof）

• 利用附近的 树坑吸收更多雨水

• 检查 地下室排水系统和下水道连接

• 安装 防倒灌阀门（Backflow Valve）

为什么这很重要

这个案例说明：严重的城市洪水问题可能发生在官方洪水区之外。许多小企业租户在 老旧基础设施、建筑结构和房东之间，往往很难找到解决办法。

需要中文的防洪帮助？

这正是我们举办 “皇后区防洪解决方案交流会” 的原因。

📍 法拉盛皇后区公共图书馆（Queens Public Library – Flushing）
📅 3月28日（星期六）
🕐 下午1点 – 4点

现场将有来自 市政府机构、管道专家、景观设计师、法律顾问和保险专家 的专业人士，帮助居民和小企业了解防洪解决方案。

→ 点击这里报名 RSVP

( English Version )

Finest Sushi — Flooding Outside the Flood Zone

The Problem

Finest Sushi, located on the Sunnyside / Blissville border in Queens, has flooded more than 10 times in the past two years.

This is not minor flooding. During heavy rain, water shoots up from a basement drain like a geyser, sometimes reaching over two feet deep. The owner estimates she has spent about $7,000 and more than 80 hours cleaning up damage, replacing supplies, and preventing mold so the restaurant can stay open.

She is trying to find solutions but feels stuck between city sewers, the building infrastructure, and the landlord—none of which she controls. At the same time, she worries that pushing too hard could put her lease at risk.

She also needs help navigating the situation in Chinese, her first language.

What May Be Causing It

Several factors appear to be contributing:

• Runoff from two streets converges at the building corner

• Neighboring roof runoff drains toward the property

• Limited stormwater diversion to nearby tree beds

• Basement drains tied to an older sewer system that likely backs up during storms

The Funding Gap

Despite repeated flooding, the restaurant is not located in an official NYC flood risk zone.

Because of this, it does not qualify for a $5,000 city flood preparedness grant for small businesses—even though the owner has already spent more than that responding to floods.

The Tenant Challenge

As a tenant, many physical fixes require landlord cooperation. Some attempts have been made, but the landlord believes the problem is primarily the city sewer system, and the flooding continues.

Possible Solutions

Experts would likely evaluate options such as:

• Redirecting roof runoff or installing a green roof

• Using nearby tree beds to absorb stormwater

• Reviewing basement drains and sewer connections

• Installing backflow prevention valves

Why This Matters

Her story shows how serious flooding can happen far outside official flood zones, leaving small business tenants caught between aging infrastructure, building owners, and increasingly intense storms.

Need Flood Help — In Chinese?

This is one reason we are hosting the Flood Solutions Fair – Central Queens, where Chinese will be the primary language.

📍 Queens Public Library – Flushing
📅 Saturday, March 28
🕐 1–4 PM

Experts from city agencies, plumbers, landscapers, legal advisors, and insurance specialists will be available to help small businesses and residents understand their options.

→ RSVP here