TRENTON, NJ – The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs’ (DCA) Division of Disaster Recovery and Mitigation announced that the State of New Jersey will receive an additional $149,229,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds to help households and communities recover from Hurricane Ida. Combined with the $228,346,000 awarded in May 2022, the State’s total CDBG-DR allocation for Hurricane Ida assistance programs now stands at $377,575,000.

The additional funding is part of a $2 billion national appropriation for disaster recovery that was included in the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2023 (Public Law 117-180) passed by Congress.

“Successfully rebuilding our communities after devastating storms and natural disasters is a collaborative effort between local, state, and federal government. I am grateful to Congress, including both of our Senators and most of our House delegation, for providing our state with additional funding for Hurricane Ida recovery,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “With this funding, more New Jersey residents impacted by Hurricane Ida will receive the support they need to rebuild their homes and communities will be able to recover and become more resilient to future storms.”

“The additional funding coming to New Jersey for Hurricane Ida recovery is critical for households and communities in the designated disaster impacted areas,” said Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver, who serves as DCA Commissioner. “The State anticipates using this money to bolster and expand our existing Hurricane Ida Action Plan, which focuses on helping low-income and moderate-income homeowners rebuild, assisting tenant households with their rent, and investing in flood mitigation projects that create stronger, more resilient communities.”

The State’s Hurricane Ida Action Plan was developed in consultation with residents, county and municipal officials, nonprofit organizations, and other stakeholders in New Jersey, as well as with input DCA received from thousands of people who completed the Hurricane Ida Registration Survey and from people who submitted comment during the public comment period in August and September for the Action Plan.

The Hurricane Ida Action Plan, which explains in detail how the State plans to use the $228 million in CDBG-DR funds awarded in May, must be approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) before the State can begin to use the money. HUD is currently reviewing the Action Plan and has until the end of this month to complete its review and either approve, deny, or direct changes be made to the plan.

DCA is awaiting guidance from HUD on the allowable uses of the additional $149 million in funds and the process the State must follow to access the funding. The guidance is expected to be issued before the end of the year.

DCA’s Division of Disaster Recovery and Mitigation promotes the long-term resilience of New Jersey’s communities by supporting initiatives to fortify housing, neighborhoods, and infrastructure against severe weather events and flooding damage.

In addition to disaster recovery and mitigation, DCA offers a wide range of programs and services, including local government management and finance, affordable housing production, rental assistance, fire safety, building safety, community planning and development, and information privacy.