Sandy rebuild program drags on

THE CITY will blow past Mayor de Blasio’s deadline to finish rebuilding thousands of homes wrecked by Hurricane Sandy, Hizzoner has admitted.

De Blasio pledged the Build It Back program would complete its work by the end of 2016 — but not all homes will be done and some won’t even have been started by the time the year is out, according to a new report from the mayor’s office.

“We will fall short of that goal, for which my team and I take personal responsibility,” de Blasio wrote in a message to New Yorkers that was issued with the report.

By the end of 2016, Hizzoner now says that more than 90% of Build it Back participants will have started construction or received a check to pay them back for repairs they funded themselves.

The city recently said Build it Back, which was supposed to be fully funded by the feds, has ballooned $500 million over budget. City taxpayers will have to make up the difference.