Christie Administration Announces More Than $31 Million in CDBG Disaster Recovery Essential Services Grants

First Round of Grants Will Allow 4 Local Governments to Provide Essential Services As They Rebuild From Superstorm Sandy

Trenton, NJ – The Christie Administration today announced the award of more than $31 million in Essential Services Grants to Sandy-impacted local governments in New Jersey. The first round of grants is in response to applications from local governments that lost significant revenue and are experiencing budget distress. Grants will ensure essential services will continue to be provided to residents while the communities are rebuilt.
 

The Essential Services Grants are funded through Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Disaster Recovery monies provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
 

"We recognize that some local governments hit hard by Sandy have been financially impacted by the storm. As a result, they are having difficulties providing  public safety, public works and education and other basic services that are critical to their residents," said Governor Christie. "These Essential Services Grants will help local officials maintain basic services in their communities as the rebuilding process continues."
 

The Essential Services Grant program is one of the programs included in the New Jersey Disaster Recovery Action Plan, which was approved by HUD on April 29, 2013. The Action Plan details how the State will utilize $1,829,520,000 in CDBG Disaster Recovery funding to help individuals, businesses and communities impacted by Superstorm Sandy. The Essential Services Grant program will utilize $60 million of the allocation.
 

The grants are designed to fill the gap between local governments’ Sandy generated revenue losses and available Community Disaster Loans.
 

"Several municipalities and local government agencies have experienced, and will continue to experience, difficulties in meeting the demands and costs for critical public services as a result of the impacts of Superstorm Sandy," said Richard E. Constable, III, Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, which is administering the distribution of CDBG Disaster Recovery funds for New Jersey. "Essential Services Grants are really a vehicle to bridge funding for these Sandy-impacted local governments as they work to get back on their feet."
 

To receive grant assistance, local governments must meet a minimum of the following requirements:

  • Applying for insurance payments and all available federal assistance programs, including FEMA Public Assistance, FEMA Community Disaster Loan Program, and appropriately utilizing all such assistance to the extent available;

  • Demonstrating cost restraints to minimize the need for assistance;

  • Agreeing to allocate Essential Service Grant funds, if provided, only to essential services such as public safety and public works in accordance with CDBG Disaster Recovery requirements;

  • Ensuring updated emergency management plans; and

  • Demonstrating a commitment to rebuilding public property; facilitating the reconstruction of ratables in a manner designed to minimize recurring damage; and pursuing efficiencies through shared services or consolidation as deemed appropriate by local officials to address changed populations or service models.

Today’s grant recipients are listed below. For more information on Essential Services Grants, log on to http://www.nj.gov/dca/divisions/dlgs/lfns/13/2013-15.pdf.

County

Local Governmental Entity

Grant Amount

Atlantic

Atlantic City

 $7,497,707

Monmouth

Sea Bright Borough

 $937,926

Ocean

Ocean County

 $7,288,937

Ocean

Toms River

 $15,510,417