Hurricane Ida Relief Money: See If You Are Eligible In The Caldwells

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Property owners in Essex County may be eligible for funds to help recover from Hurricane Ida and better prepare for future storms.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded New Jersey $228 million in Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds to help with housing recovery and damage mitigation.

Essex County residents can fill out an online survey to see if they are eligible.

Several Essex County towns suffered extreme storm damage and the loss of life.

The state needs to complete a series of steps to get these federal funds. These include determining what needs are still unmet after Ida, and assessing the greatest risks in each county to reduce damage from future storms.

The state must make an action plan for how to use the funds, and plans to submit it to the Department of Housing and Urban Development in September. In August, the state says, the public will be able to see the draft plan and give public comment.

According to the state, at least 80 percent of the HUD funds must be spent in areas that were most impacted or distressed: Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Passaic, Somerset, and
Union.

The remaining 20 percent of money may go to the other counties, including Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, Morris, and Warren.

These HUD funds may be used for housing recovery, planning, infrastructure, and economic development.

The state will also prepare an application to FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program on behalf of specific properties to request funds to elevate them, according to a news release.

The survey will remain open through the rest of 2022. Residents who want more information or have any questions may email [email protected].