18 months after Ida feds could provide $228M to homeowners hit worst by deadly storm

The remnants of Hurricane Ida resulted in 30 deaths and $95 billion in property damage throughout New Jersey, which was among the states most severely hit by the storm more

than a year ago. State officials announced last week $228 million in federal Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds may be available for

homeowners and communities still recovering. Officials said the rollout will likely start in March. “There are still many people who are not fully back on their feet from

Hurricane Ida,” Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver said in a statement. Oliver, who also serves as the Department of Community Affairs commissioner, added: “With (the Department of

Housing and Urban Development’s) approval of our action plan, we can put these disaster recovery funds to use to get families back into their homes as quickly as possible and find

opportunities to help communities build back even stronger.” The state’s spending plan was submitted to HUD in September. In addition to those funds which require

additional approval before disbursement, New Jersey was awarded another $149 million in federal recovery funds and $254 million in housing and other relief from FEMA. Some

non-profit organizations, like the New Jersey Organizing Project which is focused on helping New Jerseyans recover after natural disasters, have long advocated for CDBG funds to

be available immediately after storms. Delays in providing relief can mean residents are forced to relocate or rely on loans to make do, they said.