Progress at last: Tree lodged in Mount Vernon home since July 4th finally set for removal
Less than 24 hours after News 12 first visited 15 Oneida Ave. to speak with the Brown family, major steps have been taken toward restoring their home—and their peace of mind.
A Mount Vernon family dealing with a massive tree that became lodged into their home during a storm earlier this month will finally see relief this week.
Less than 24 hours after News 12 first visited 15 Oneida Ave. to speak with the Brown family, major steps have been taken toward restoring their home—and their peace of mind.
Following News 12 coverage Monday evening, Jada Brown, who is the daughter of the homeowners, reported that a State Farm insurance agent arrived at the residence in person. The agent delivered a check to cover the costs for the crew contracted to remove the fallen tree.
"We were hoping that the work could get started without the payment, but you know it's a big job—he wants to make sure he gets paid. So now we have that," Jada Brown said. "We also spoke to a manager doing other paperwork for the other repairs."
In addition to resolving the immediate payment issue for the removal crew, State Farm offered to place the family in a hotel while the damage is addressed.
For the Browns, the resolution comes after weeks of frustration following the severe weather event on July 4.
"The tree is on the house; we're suffering with significant water damage now," Jada Brown noted. "Emotional damage. It's a lot of strain on myself and my parents, so it definitely should not have taken this long."
Her father, homeowner Junior Brown, voiced a similar sentiment regarding the sudden shift in momentum after local media stepped in.
"Basically, they were jerking me around," Junior Brown said. "All of a sudden that News 12 was involved, the whole conversation changed."
According to a city spokesperson, Mount Vernon Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard and state Sen. Jamaal Bailey contacted State Farm. Although the fallen tree sits on private property, city officials confirmed that the tree's removal will begin this week. Work is scheduled to officially begin on Thursday and conclude by Friday.
When contacted for comment, a spokesperson for State Farm stated that the company cannot publicly disclose specific customer claims information.
