To be eligible for assistance under HARP Reimbursement, an applicant must meet all of the eligibility criteria outlined below. Applications are open to both current HARP applicants as well as individuals who were not eligible for HARP or never applied.

Eligible applicants are individuals who: 

• Own and occupied the assisted property as their primary residence at the time of Hurricane Ida and that residence is located in one of the 12 counties declared as most impacted by Hurricane Ida: Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Somerset, Passaic, Union, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, Morris, and Warren;
• Incurred and paid for eligible emergency repair cost using personal, non-duplicative funding;
• Completed repairs must be directly attributable to damage caused by Hurricane Ida;
• Had repairs that meet the definition of emergency repairs as outlined in the HARP Reimbursement Policy under section 1.3;
• Completed and paid for the repairs between September 1, 2021, the date of Hurricane Ida, and May 31, 2023, or until the applicant submitted an application to the HARP Program, which occurred first; and 
• Meet all other HARP Program eligibility and compliance requirements as outlined in the HARP policy.

HARP Reimbursement will prioritize applications where the applicants are low- to moderate-income (LMI) and are located in one of the eight counties (Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Passaic, Somerset and Union) that HUD identified as Most Impacted and Distressed by Hurricane Ida.

The application period may close or reopen depending on funding availability.

HARP Reimbursement will cover emergency repairs, defined by the program as repair activities necessary to control or arrest conditions that pose an imminent threat to health or safety. 

Routine maintenance, deferred repairs, and cosmetic improvements or upgrades are not eligible for HARP Reimbursement. To be eligible for assistance, the emergency repair of damage must be attributable to Hurricane Ida and paid for out-of-pocket by the applicant. Out-of-pocket costs are defined as any cost greater than the duplicative assistance received from other sources, including homeowners insurance, SBA loans, FEMA assistance, NFIP payments, etc.

Applicants looking to apply for HARP Reimbursement will need to provide the following documentation electronically with their application to be considered for the program:

• Form 1040 or IRS Non-Filing Letter for all household members
• State or Federally Issued ID
• Documentation supporting the amount of funds received from other sources, i.e. FEMA, SBA, homeowners insurance, NFIP, ICC, etc.
• Proof of Ownership (property assessment card, tax bill, deed)
• Proof of Primary Residency (Driver's License preferred)
• Justification that the repairs completed were emergency in nature (photos of damages or assessments from third parties)
• Contracts, invoices, and proof of payment from licensed contractors who completed the emergency repairs
• Photographic proof and/or township inspections that the work was completed.

If demand exceeds available funding, the program may implement waitlists or phased intake periods. The application period may close or reopen depending on funding availability.

If you need language or technical assistance with your application, contact the program at DisasterRecoveryandMitigation@dca.nj.gov or (609) 292-3750.