March 4, 2014 -Sandy Recovery- Public Comment Period on Action Plan to Spend $1.46 Billion In Second Round Of Sandy Recovery Funds Ends on March 5
Public Comment Period on Action Plan to Spend $1.46 Billion In Second Round Of Sandy Recovery Funds Ends on March 5
Trenton, NJ – The 30-day period for the public to comment on the Christie Administration’s proposed amendment to the New Jersey Disaster Recovery Action Plan detailing how the state will spend $1.46 billion in federal Sandy recovery funds ends on Wednesday, March 5, 2014.
This is the second round of federal Community Disaster Block Grant (CDBG) Disaster Recovery funds allocated to New Jersey by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
“The public plays a crucial role in helping us shape New Jersey’s recovery from the worst natural disaster in our state’s history,” said New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Commissioner Richard E. Constable, III. “I urge everyone interested in commenting on the State’s proposed amendment to the Action Plan to do so. Your voice will be heard.”
Under the proposed plan for the second round of CDBG Disaster Recovery funds, the State will continue rebuilding Sandy-damaged homes and rental housing, supporting hardest hit and financially strained communities, while also financing infrastructure resiliency projects throughout New Jersey to protect New Jersey from future storms.
During the public comment period, which began on February 3, 2014, the Christie Administration has held three public hearings – one each in the southern, central and northern regions of the state – where approximately 300 speakers commented on how the State will spend $1.46 billion in federal CDBG Disaster Recovery funds. Additionally, hundreds of comments have been submitted in writing to the DCA.
The State will address the comments submitted during the public comment period when it finalizes the amendment to the Action Plan, which will be submitted to HUD for review and approval. Given the timeline for federal approval, it is expected that the State will begin implementing the Action Plan and allocating the second round of funding by late spring or early summer.
The public can submit written comments by email to sandy.publiccomment@dca.state.nj.us or mail to the attention of Gabrielle Gallagher, NJ Department of Community Affairs, 101 South Broad Street, Post Office Box 800, Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0800. All comments must be submitted by 5 p.m. on March 5, 2014. The proposed plan is available in English and Spanish on the DCA’s website at http://www.nj.gov/dca/divisions/sandyrecovery/action.
Lisa Ryan
Sean Conner
(609) 292-6055
