A task force of Republican and Democratic Senate lawmakers this afternoon backed the broad outlines of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposal to spend up to $400 million to purchase storm-ravaged homes that wouldn’t be developed again, but would dive into the specifics of the plan.

The task force, which includes IDC and mainline Democratic conference members, unveiled a preliminary report this afternoon of 10 recommendations for post-storm restoration in the New York City area and surrounding suburbs.

In a question-and-answer session, lawmakers on the task force, co-chaired by Sens. Andrew Lanza, R-Staten Island, and Malcolm Smith, D-Queens, agreed that some form of a voluntary buy-back program is needed to move property owners out of low-lying areas that could be vulnerable to another storm.

“I think the governor said these properties are owned by Mother Nature,” said Demcoratic Sen. Diane Savino of Staten Island.

But lawmakers said more details were needed as to what incentives homeowners would be offered in order to pariticpate in the buy-back program, or what could be done to entice those who refuse to sell their homes and properties.

The report itself is a collection of recommendations from roundtables held throughout the areas impacted by Sandy. Many of the proposals are in the pipeline to begin with and the task force so far hasn’t made any legislative recommendations.

FINAL Senate Bipartisan Task Force on Hurricane Sandy Report 2 14 13 1130am New 2 by Nick Reisman

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