Photos taken by Cong. Smith during aerial tour of the extensive damage caused by Hurricane Sandy to New Jersey homes, businesses and marinas.
Federal Funding Helps Rebuild Jersey Shore (Click here to see list of projects)
Links & Info Regarding Recovering from
Hurricane Sandy for Jersey Residents
*NEW October 3, 2014 Volunteers Can Give Sandy-Stricken Towns, Taxpayers a Break
*New Oct. 1, 2014 FEMA Advises Homeowners to Review, Update Insurance Policies
*UPDATE September 12, 2014FEMA's Eatontown, NJ Office: Stay Prepared Hurricane Season Doesn't End with Summer
*UPDATE August 29, 2014 FEMA Direct Housing Program Ends Aug. 31
*UPDATE MAY 2, 2014 Resources Available For Sandy Survivors
*UPDATE April 25, 2014 FEMA OFFERS HOMEBUILDERS GUIDE TO COASTAL CONSTRUCTION
*UPDATE MARCH 16, 2014*FEMA, NOAA Sponsor National Flood Safety Awareness Week in March
*FEB. 28, 2014* FEMA, NOAA To Launch Third National Severe Weather Preparedness Week
*UPDATE JAN. 30, 2014*Review and Update Your Insurance Policies for 2014
*UPDATE DEC. 18. 2013*Seventeen N.J. towns recognized for reducing flood hazard risk
*UPDATE *Monmouth University Polling Institute launches Sandy Recovery Survey.
*UPDATE* FEMA Hopes New Flood Insurance Deadline Will Help Sandy Survivors
*UPDATE* FEMA Series: One Year Later- Overview on Superstorm Sandy Recovery
*UPDATE * U.S. SBA: Application Deadline Oct. 15 for Working Capital Loans
*UPDATE* Hazard Mitigation Grant assists local gov'ts recovery, protects from future disasters.
*UPDATE* Being Alert To Fraud Following Superstorm Sandy Helps Recovery And Taxpayers
*UPDATE* Hotline for NJ residents about flood insurance based on the new National Flood Insurance Program Preliminary Maps
*UPDATE* Disaster assistance may be available for losses not covered by an insurance settlement for NJ survivors of Sandy.
*UPDATE* Flood Insurance and Mitigation Helpline Is Now Available
*UPDATE* Federal Block Grants Now available; Storm-impacted homeowners can apply through State of NJ. Click here for information.
$1.8 billion in federal Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program funding approved by Congress in January is now available to assist Superstorm Sandy-impacted homeowners and communities, said Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) whose district includes hard-hit shore towns in Ocean and Monmouth counties which sustained heavy wind and floodwater damage. About $1.2 billion of the funding will be put toward housing-related programs. The federal funding is available through two programs:
Click here for the State's announcement.
*UPDATED* Christie Administration Announces Insurance Mediation Program to Expedite Sandy-Related Claims
ABOVE: Congressional Record showing Cong. Smith's floor speech seeking federal Sandy assistance. Click to read or watch floor speech.
The magazine Consumer Reports sent Members of Congress post-Sandy advice for consumers for Sandy victims on:
Federal Emergency Management Agency
*Updated* Advisory Flood Maps for Rebuilding Now Available
*Updated* FEMA: Looking looking for different living arrangements other than with family or friends? FEMA may be able to help.
State of New Jersey and the Federal Emergency Management Agency have identified 769 homes and apartments currently available for rent in Atlantic, Monmouth and Ocean counties.
Survivors Must Contact FEMA to Keep Temporary Housing Assistance
FEMA: Re-Inspection Available for ‘Insufficient Damage’
FEMA Warns Scam Artists Attempt to Prey on Disaster Survivors
Fraud and scams are age-old issues that surface in the aftermath of any disaster. Using old and new methods, scam artists seek to obtain vital information or take advantage of survivors focused on recovery. New Jersey residents need to be on alert. Click here for FEMA information about fraud.
30-Days After Sandy: A Report from FEMA's Joint Field Office, Lincroft, Monmouth Co., N.J.
Click here to view Residents' Three-Step Process to Disaster Assistance
To view U.S. Department of Homeland Security/FEMA's Main page, click on http://www.disasterassistance.gov/
Information about FEMA assistance is available by calling 1(800) 621-3362. FEMA’s NJ declarations can be viewed by clicking on: http://www.fema.gov/states/new-jersey
Click here to see FEMA's Main Website for Hurricane Sandy
Some frequently asked questions(click on the questions below):
U.S. Housing and Urban Development
Message from HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan on establishing the HUD Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force
Executive Order -- Establishing the Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force
Sandy related posts
HUD page on Sandy Relief
For Residents of New Jersey:
- For HUD guidance or assistance, call (973) 776-7201.
- Find local shelters and assistance
- For fair housing or disability access issues, call (800) 496-4294
- Personas con discapacidades (800) 496-4294.
For FHA single family, call (800) 225-5342 or email answers@hud.gov.
U.S. Small Business Administration can assist homeowners, businesses of all size
Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace disaster damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible up to $40,000 to repair or replace disaster damaged or destroyed personal property. Businesses and private non-profit organizations of any size may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets. The SBA may increase a loan up to 20 percent of the total amount of disaster damage to real estate and/or leasehold improvements, as verified by SBA, to make improvements that lessen the risk of property damage by future disasters of the same kind.
The SBA also offers Private Non-Profit (PNP) organizations Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs, such as ongoing operating expenses to PNP organizations of all sizes. Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance is available regardless of whether the organization suffered any physical property damage. PNP applicant is supposed call County emergency manager, or call the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or by sending an e-mail to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov
- Click here to apply for SBA assistance
- Click here to read about SBA Opening a Business Recovery Center in Ocean County, at the Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce, Stafford Heritage Park Train Station and Rail Car West Bay Avenue, Manahawkin, NJ 08050
- *UPDATED* In Monmouth County, SBA operates a Business Recovery Center beginning Nov. 9, at the Union Beach Municipal Building, 650 Poole Avenue, Union Beach, NJ 07735. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 to 2 p.m. Saturdays. In Ocean County, SBA operates centers at the Bell Crest Plaza Store Front 4C 953 Fischer Blvd., Toms River, NJ 08753, and Brick Township Civic Center, 270 Chambersbridge Road, Brick, NJ 08723, during the same hours.
- The SBA encourages survivors of Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey to return their completed applications, even if they have not settled with their insurance company (click here).
- Click here to read about SBA loans for non-profits impacted by Sandy.
- To see a SBA Fact Sheet for NJ and Hurricane Sandy click here
- The deadline to return economic injury applications is July 31, 2013.
U.S. Economic Development Administration
U.S. EDA basically assists municipalities, counties, schools, and other local authorities (i.e. water, sewer), as well as non profits and faith-based groups in such projects as infrastructure construction and job training. Normally operating out of Philadelphia, the regional U.S. EDA office set up a team at the Jersey Shore within the Joint Field Office run by FEMA in Lincroft, NJ. Josh Barnes is the National Disaster Recovery Coordinator working out of Lincroft, NJ.
Insurance Company Issues?
Insurance companies in New Jersey are regulated by the N.J. Dept. of Banking and Insurance (NJDOBI), which can be reached at its main number (609) 292-7272; also, residents can call the homeowners insurance line at (609) 341-2511
- Policy holders desiring to file a complaint, click here.
- Most insurance companies have a time requirement for filing a claim. The process will go faster if you can locate a copy of your policy, home inventory and have your insurer’s contact information.Call the company or visit a mobile claims center to start your claim. If you cannot find the company or agent's number, call NJDOBI at 1-800-446-7467 or go to www.dobi.nj.gov.
- To see NJ State guidance on filing an insurance claim in the State of N.J., click here
FBI: Keeping an Eye out for Fraud
The Department of Justice, the FBI, and the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) remind the public there is a potential for disaster fraud in the aftermath of a natural disaster (Click here to read FBI release). Suspected fraudulent activity pertaining to relief efforts associated with Hurricane Sandy should be reported to the toll-free NCDF hotline at 866-720-5721, or e-mail at disaster@leo.gov. You can also report suspicious e-mail solicitations or fraudulent websites to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center found at www.ic3.gov.
National Weather Service Post-Sandy Report
Storm Summary for Superstorm Sandy
Preliminary estimates suggest Sandy was the second-costliest Atlantic hurricane on record (behind Hurricane Katrina).
More than 120 people perished from the effects of Sandy, approximately 24 in the Mount Holly County Warning Area
(CWA) alone. Dollar estimates of damage to homes and infrastructure range into the billions of dollars in New Jersey... (Click here to read the report released)
Some Organizations Helping People
How to Find Help & Clean-Up Information
American Red Cross: Click on these informational links:
Red Cross shelters; How to recover after a disaster; Guide to Picking Up the pieces
Click on these links at the U.S. CDC:
Hurricane Sandy Information Page, Disaster Clean-up Guide, Mold after a Disaster; Power Outages; Returning Home after a Disaster, and Coping with a Disaster
Other N.J. information, including Office of Emergency Management (NJOEM):
New Jersey Local Governments
Click here for a list of links to all New Jersey municipal government websites
Counties in NJ Fourth Congressional District, 112th Congress:
Some Additional Resources:
To email Congressman Smith, click here.
USA.Gov -- 'Government Made Easy' -- Click here for USA.gov's Hurricane Sandy Help Page
For information on power outtages click on: JCPL and PSEG
Click here for a Google crisis map with options to select see roads, shelters, food stores, gas stations.
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