FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Christie Administration Announces RREM Housing Assistance Seminars in Communities Hard Hit by Superstorm Sandy

Information Sessions Scheduled in Six Sandy-Impacted Communities in October to Answer RREM Applicants’ Questions about Rebuilding Their Homes


Trenton, NJ – – Continuing its ongoing efforts to assist Sandy-impacted families in rebuilding their storm-damaged homes, the Christie Administration today announced six housing assistance seminars will be held in October to provide personal assistance for applicants participating in the Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation and Mitigation (RREM) Program.

The information sessions are scheduled in six heavily Sandy-impacted communities and will provide hands-on help in navigating the program’s process to all eligible RREM participants.　

"Whether you are nearing completion on the rebuilding of your storm-damaged home, are recently funded under the RREM Program and just selecting a contractor to start rehabilitation, or are still on the RREM waitlist, we will have knowledgeable staff available to field your questions," said New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Commissioner Richard E. Constable, III, whose Department administers most the State’s Sandy housing recovery initiatives, including the RREM Program.

The RREM Program is the largest of the housing recovery programs launched by the DCA in the wake of Superstorm Sandy. The program provides grants to Sandy-impacted homeowners to cover rebuilding costs up to $150,000 that are not funded by insurance, FEMA, U.S. Small Business Administration loans, or other sources.

A major focus of the housing assistance seminars is to encourage RREM Program participants who have not signed and returned their Right of Entry forms to complete and submit them to the DCA. RREM applicants must complete and return the Right of Entry form to allow the State to conduct a federally mandated environmental and historical review of their home to ensure there are no negative impacts to the environment and any historical or archaeological artifacts.

"We encourage newly funded applicants and applicants still on the RREM Program waitlist to complete and return these all-important Right of Entry forms," said Commissioner Constable. "The reconstruction or rehabilitation of your home through the RREM Program cannot move forward without a signed Right of Entry form."

RREM applicants recently approved for funding who are unsure of the implications of their newly funded status will be able to receive answers for their general questions. Also, current RREM applicants can check their application’s status, address challenges they may be facing in their individual rebuilding process, determine new action items, and educate themselves about best practices and key information as they move through the program.　

Representatives from the DCA’s Sandy Recovery Division, Housing Recovery Centers, and RREM Program Managers will be present to answer specific questions about the RREM Program. Additionally, representatives of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs will be available to discuss respectively the federally mandated environmental and historical review and best practices in selecting a reliable contractor to undertake home rebuilding work.

Following is the schedule of the RREM Housing Assistance Seminars, which are open to eligible RREM participants from any of the nine counties the federal government determined were most impacted by Superstorm Sandy:

  • Union Beach Borough Hall, 650 Poole Avenue, Monday, October 6, 2014, 4:00 PM-7:00 PM

  • Toms River Municipal Building, Council Meeting Room, 33 Washington Street, Wednesday, October 8, 2014, 4:00 PM-7:00 PM

  • Brick Township, Civic Plaza Gym, 270 Chambersbridge Road, Tuesday, October 14, 2014, 4:00 PM-7:00 PM

  • Point Pleasant 　Borough Hall, 2233 Bridge Avenue, Thursday, October 16, 2014, 4:00 PM-7:00 PM

  • Little Egg Harbor Community Center, 317 West Cala Breeze Way, Monday, October 20, 2014, 4:00 PM-7:00 PM

  • Brigantine Community Center, 265 42nd South, Wednesday, October 22, 2014, 4:00 PM-7:00 PM

For more information on the RREM Housing Assistance Seminars, RREM applicants may contact the DCA’s Sandy Constituent Services Office by calling 609-292-3750 or by emailing sandy.recovery@dca.nj.gov.