Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), who represents areas of Monmouth and Ocean counties that were hard-hit by Superstorm Sandy, released the following statement about President Obama's decision announced over the weekend to open hundreds of millions of dollars in available government assistance—approved by Congress in the aftermath of Sandy—to non-Sandy related applicants across the country.

    “In New Jersey we have gone extra lengths to identify our critical, remaining, unmet needs in a host of areas and present them to HUD," said Smith. "After having worked hard for and having won a commitment for full funding for those victims still waiting to return to their homes, we know that other critical needs still exist. To meet these needs, created by this disaster, I believe that the remaining Sandy funds must be prioritized for the New Jersey sectors still struggling to recover more than a year and a half after the Storm. I am deeply disappointed with the President’s decision to allocate funds outside the Sandy-affected region with these critical unmet needs still remaining.”

     According to the President's announcement, from $1 billion to be made available through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery funds from the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act passed by Congress in the wake of Sandy, some $820 million will be available to all states and local governments that were declared major disaster by President Obama between 2011 and 2013. States in the Hurricane Sandy region will be eligible to compete for the remaining $180 million to help address critical housing needs.

    Click here to read the President's announcement from Saturday, June 14: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/06/14/fact-sheet-national-disaster-resilience-competition.
 
    Smith, who worked with other New Jersey members on the House floor in January 2013 to ensure passage of emergency aid for Sandy, hosted a meeting last month with the New Jersey Delegation and HUD Secretary Donovan to fight for critical housing funds for New Jersey.