Sandy Recovery Program Information

The State of New Jersey has launched a host of housing recovery programs along with supporting infrastructure in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. All of these programs are operational and making significant progress, but given their scope and scale will require a multi-year period to fulfill their goals. This Transparency page contains information on the policies and procedures of the following Community Development Block Grant- Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) programs:

• Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation, and Mitigation (RREM) Program
• Low-to-Moderate Income Homeowners Rebuilding (LMI) Program
• Fund for Restoration of Multifamily Housing (FRM) Program
• Sandy Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) Program

For more information on the policies and procedures for a program not listed above, please visit the program’s homepage or visit the “Plans and Reports” page.

RREM Program

About the Program:
The Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation & Mitigation (RREM) Program provides grant awards of up to $150,000 to eligible Sandy-impacted homeowners to cover rebuilding costs for their primary residence that are not funded by private insurance, FEMA assistance, U.S. Small Business Administration loans, or other monetary sources a homeowner has received.  The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) administers the RREM Program with federal CDBG-DR funds allocated to New Jersey by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The RREM Program ensures that participating homeowners are able to comply with federal elevation requirements for structures located in flood plains.  The program also provides reimbursement for eligible rebuilding expenses that homeowners incurred prior to applying for this program.

For more information, please visit:
RREM Program Policies & Procedures
RREM Prioritization Criteria
RREM Program Appeals Process
Pathway C Qualified Builders
Pathway C Qualified Builders No Longer Receiving New Projects

LMI Program

About the Program:
The Low-to-Moderate Income Homeowners Rebuilding (LMI) Program provides CDBG-DR grant awards to eligible LMI Program homeowners to cover rebuilding costs for their primary residence that are not funded by private insurance, FEMA assistance, U.S. Small Business Administration loans, or other monetary sources a homeowner has received. The program aims to provide assistance to those LMI Program homeowners who did not apply to the RREM Program and includes a portion of funding initially set aside for owners of manufactured housing units. ;It ensures that participating homeowners are able to comply with federal elevation requirements for structures located in flood plains. The program also provides reimbursement for eligible rebuilding expenses that homeowners incurred prior to applying for this program.

For more information, please visit:
LMI Program Policies and Procedures
LMI Prioritization Criteria
LMI Program Appeals Process

FRM Program

About the Program:
The New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (HMFA), an affiliated agency of DCA, administers the Fund for Restoration of Multifamily Housing (FRM) Program, which provides funding to facilitate the creation of quality, affordable housing units in the nine counties most impacted by Superstorm Sandy to help New Jersey recover from the loss of multi-family housing following the storm. Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds are provided as zero- and low-interest loans to qualified developers to leverage 9% and 4% low income housing tax credits, tax-exempt bonds and stand-alone financing to support developers. Development may include new construction, conversion of vacant commercial/industrial buildings, or substantial rehabilitation of uninhabitable dwellings.

For more information, please visit:
FRM Program Policies and Procedures
FRM Program Prioritization Criteria
FRM Program Appeals Process

TBRA Program

About the Program:
The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) administers the Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) program, which provides short-term rental assistance in the form of a voucher to assist eligible low- and moderate-income households with their rent in the nine counties most impacted by Superstorm Sandy. The tenant-based rental assistance, which is funded with CDBG-DR dollars, is for twelve (12) months with an option to renew for up to an additional twelve (12) months. The rental assistance is authorized by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through a waiver for a limited period and must be completed by January 1, 2018.

For more information, please visit:
TBRA Program Policies and Procedures
TBRA Program Prioritization Criteria
TBRA Program Appeals Process

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