DCA Accepts Public Comment on Proposed Reallocation of $59.4 Million in Superstorm Sandy Recovery Funding

• Posted on: 08/9/2023

Sandy Funds Would Go toward Resiliency Initiatives and Hurricane Ida Recovery Programs

TRENTON, NJ – The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) has posted for public comment a proposed amendment to the Superstorm Sandy Action Plan that would reallocate $59.44 million in Superstorm Sandy Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds to resiliency projects and Hurricane Ida recovery programs.

“The continuous severe weather we’ve experienced this year in New Jersey – and across the nation – has made it clear how important resiliency initiatives are to helping mitigate future weather-related disasters,” said DCA Deputy Commissioner Samuel Viavattine, who oversees the Division of Disaster Recovery and Mitigation, which is responsible for administering the federal CDBG-DR funds. “Much of the reallocated funding would be used for existing projects that are helping New Jersey communities better prepare for flooding. We are hopeful these efforts will result in stronger neighborhoods that can withstand severe storms and changes in precipitation.”

Through August 29, 2023, the public can submit comment on the proposal, which is the 53^rd amendment to the Superstorm Sandy Action Plan that was approved in April 2013 to guide the State’s recovery from Superstorm Sandy, which hit New Jersey on October 29, 2012.

Under Sandy Action Plan Amendment 53, the State would transfer $35 million in CDBG-DR funds to the Rebuild by Design Hudson River Project, which is managed by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). This project is an urban stormwater management strategy that is under construction to address impacts from coastal storm surge flooding as well as systemic inland rainfall flooding seen in low-lying areas of Hoboken and parts of Weehawken and Jersey City during Superstorm Sandy. The funding transfer would help ensure the project can be completed and meet its goal of protecting life and property in these communities.

Additionally, the State would transfer $5 million in CDBG-DR funds to the Resilient NJ program, which is also managed by DEP. The Resilient NJ program’s Regional Resilience Planning Grant initiative is funding the development of creative and achievable approaches to regional resilience planning. With the additional funds, the program would be expanded to serve areas impacted by both Superstorm Sandy and Hurricane Ida and allow more communities to receive funds for resilient planning.

“The Rebuild by Design Hudson River project and Resilient NJ Program demonstrate the DEP’s work to help communities address current risk and plan for flood threats that are increasing because of climate change,” said Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette. “The Hudson River Project will reduce flood risk to vulnerable populations in Hoboken, Weehawken, and Jersey City. The Resilient NJ Program facilitates community-led resilience planning across the state to help strengthen communities by identifying innovative and implementable actions. Together, these programs are providing real climate solutions to our communities.”

Finally, as part of this amendment, the State would transfer $17.34 million in CDBG-DR funds to the Homeowner Assistance and Recovery Program (HARP) and $2.1 million to the Statewide Housing Mitigation Tool program. HARP provides financial assistance to homeowners impacted by Hurricane Ida for work necessary to restore their storm-damaged homes, including rehabilitation, reconstruction, elevation, and/or other mitigation activities to make damaged homes more resistant to floods. Additional funding to HARP would ensure that more eligible applicants can be funded. The Statewide Housing Mitigation Tool program is designed to assess the housing stock in disaster-impacted and at-risk areas in order to understand community and regional residential vulnerabilities. This tool would be used for both Superstorm Sandy and Hurricane Ida disaster areas so the State can maximize planning for future disasters.

The Sandy Action Plan Amendment 53 is available in English and Spanish at https://www.nj.gov/dca/ddrm/ and can be requested by email at DRMConstituentServices@dca.nj.gov (Subject: Sandy Action Plan Amendment 53) or by contacting DCA’s Division of Disaster Recovery and Mitigation Constituent Services at (609) 913-4824. To obtain a copy in a language other than English or Spanish, people can contact Sylvia Johnston, the language access plan coordinator, at Sylvia.Johnston@dca.nj.gov. For hearing-impaired users, text telephone service is available at (TTY/TDD) 1-800-852-7899.

In addition to disaster recovery and mitigation, DCA offers a wide range of programs and services, including local government management and finance, affordable housing production, rental assistance, fire safety, building safety, historic preservation, community planning and development, and information privacy.

For more information about DCA, visit https://nj.gov/dca/ or follow the Department on social media: