Woman finally to return home 6 years after Superstorm Sandy

A Coney Island woman is ready to return home after Superstorm Sandy forced her out of her West 37th Street house six years ago.
The entire area had been evacuated ahead of the storm, which decimated many coastal communities, some of which took longer than others to rebuild.
Cornelia Johnson benefited from the government's Build It Back program, which announced Thursday it had completed 93 percent of its construction projects in Brooklyn.
Built It Back officials say fortifying homes in Coney Island carries unique challenges. For example, elevating homes that are attached to neighboring buildings isn't as easy as lifting a free-standing structure.
Johnson says that despite the lengthy rebuild, she's excited and optimistic.
She spent time living with a friend in Queens and also in temporary housing in Bushwick as repairs were underway.
Now her home has been lifted and fortified to be more resilient -- so she's planning what her new garden will look like and when her son and grandchildren can visit. She's also looking forward to buying new furniture and taking her other belongings out of storage.