MYFOXNY.COM -
Some New Yorkers are looking for a warm place to stay while others are still cleaning up what remains of their homes.
The process is long and frustrating especially those devastated on Staten Island and the Rockaways.
It's a tale of two cities Sunday – people who have homes, heat and power and those who don't. They're still suffering from the storm, living in fear and forced to rely on donations at distribution centers like this.
To make matters worse – the temperatures are dropping and their frustrations are on the rise.
"Wall Street has been cleaned up, but what about us," said Ida Vernet, a Staten Island resident.
The Vernet-Schmidt home in Ocean Breeze is still standing but it's been picked clean by looters who smashed a hole in the wall and crawled right in –- taking four flat screen TV's and other valuables, ransacking the place.
"The first couple of days were OK, but then the looting started which led to tensions and had us saying ‘now we're on our own,'" said resident Dan Schmidt.
"Lindsey Vernet's newly decorated room was ravaged by the flooding then torn apart by thieves who even stole her school books.
"Lindsey's just 11 years old," said Dan Schmidt. "Take a look at what they did."
"This is over the top upsetting," said Lindsey. "I've been through a lot but this is the worst."
Mayor Bloomberg defended his handling of the aftermath, including city sponsored help and relief sites like the one in Midland Beach.
Many Staten Islanders chose to rely on themselves, and volunteers who came from all over to pitch in.
"We're just trying to help by handing out food, digging them out and help them out," said Paul Nunziato, Police Benevolent Association President.
For many residents on the hard hit South Shore, it's about cleaning out the wreckage before they can even begin to think about rebuilding.
"Now it's just straight recovery to the garbage can – there's nothing left to steal," said resident John Scartozzi.
The NYPD has been visible all over Staten Island and they've even set up temporary street lights but the people here just wish more of them – especially since many blocks here are still in the dark.
