FEMA Approves 5 Additional Days of Full Reimbursement for Emergency Power Restoration and Transportation Assistance in Hard Hit New Jersey Communities
Trenton, NJ – Governor Chris Christie announced yesterday that President Barack Obama has approved a 5-day extension of the federal cost share for Hurricane Sandy, from 75 percent to 100 percent for emergency power restoration and emergency public transportation assistance, including direct federal assistance, for those areas of New Jersey within counties designated for public assistance.
“I want to thank the federal government for the continued responsiveness to the needs of New Jersey as recovery efforts continue – particularly this extension which recognizes the additional challenges posed by the winter nor’easter and our ability to make full and proper use of the initial 100 percent reimbursement approved by the President on November 1st,” said Governor Christie. “As we continue to make progress after each of those storms to restore power and get people’s lives back to normal as much as we can, this assistance will remain critical to our recovery and clean-up efforts.”
The previously approved increase of reimbursement authority will now continue through November 14th, rather than expire yesterday as previously schedule. This increased level of federal assistance program pertains to those areas of New Jersey that were previously declared a federal disaster area, including Atlantic, Cape May, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Union counties. Other forms of Category B assistance remain at a 75% cost share, consistent with the initial approval of assistance.
More information on the original November 1st approval of 100% cost share for these expenses can be found here.
Due to the major property damage caused by Hurricane Sandy, many are faced with value assessments that are no longer accurate. Even though this may not affect you directly, please feel free to pass this information along to friends, families, and neighbors that may find this useful.
Under current State law, property value is assessed based on the condition of the lot and the buildings as of October 1st for the following tax year. In other words, the 2013 property tax bills are based on the value of the property as of October 1st, 2012
However, State law contains a provision which states that a property with a building or other structure that has been destroyed by a storm between October 1st and December 31st can have assessment reduced to reflect the depreciation in value for that property. The landowner must provide the assessor with notice prior to January 10, 2013. The assessor must then base the assessed value of the property according to its condition as of January 1, 2013.
Only 9 weeks remain to provide this notice to municipal assessors.
As for the November 1st property tax bill (fourth quarter 2012), a property taxpayer must pay that bill in full by November 10th to pay the fourth quarter bill. Also, a municipality may pass a resolution that establishes a zero percent interest rate for tax payments made after November 10th.
MMM has learned that FEMA and Department of Community Affairs housing inspectors have given “high marks” to buildings at the former Fort Monmouth for potential use as long term temporary housing for Monmouth County residents displaced by Superstorm Sandy.
In an email to board members of the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority (FMERA) forwarded to MMM by Freeholder Lillian Burry, a member of the board, Executive Director Bruce Steadman said that FEMA and DCA is working on a plan to use 7 lodging buildings in along the Shrewsbury River in Oceanport to house 600-900 people in 300 units, as well as 21 “McGill” units at the golf course which could house 42 families. These units could be used as temporary housing for up to 18 months, according to FEMA guidelines.
Gibbs Hall, the commissary building, the gymnasium and the prep school have been deemed not suitable for housing.
Steadman told the board that FMERA has informed the Army that they want to expedite the purchase of the Howard Commons area, the historical housing area of the main post, and the golf course, to support post-Sandy housing needs.
Burry said that there could be up to 10,000 residents of Monmouth County in need of temporary housing as a result of the damage caused by Sandy. Union Beach, Highlands, Sea Bright and the low lying areas of Middletown…Belford, Leonardo, Port Monmouth and North Middletown…were struck with storm surges that exceeded 8 feet, leaving homes in the wake uninhabitable. Additionally, the Two River towns of Little Silver and Oceanport have several displaced residents due to flooded homes, according to Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon.
In addition to the former Fort Monmouth, federal, state and county officials are evaluating the Bradlee’s parking lot on Route 36 in Hazlet, the former Bell Labs property in Holmdel, and the Hartshorne Woods County Park in Highlands/Navesink as possible sites for FEMA trailer cities.
O’Scanlon said that he is impressed and grateful for the level of cooperation between the various government agencies working on evaluating the former Fort Monmouth for temporary housing.
“I am very encouraged to know everyone is working together to assess the resources at Fort Monmouth that might be able to help us house our displaced residents,” said O’Scanlon, “We will continue to push for quick answers but the level of cooperation amongst the agencies involved is encouraging. The Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs and the Federal Emergency Management Agency are taking all the right steps to vet out this option. The Monmouth County Prosecutor, Christopher J. Gramiccioni, has also been a key part of this process and I appreciate his active involvement. On behalf of my constituents, I am grateful for the effort.”
As someone who has witnessed the destruction of my hometown and the devastation Sandy wrecked upon the lives of so many people I care about, I really don’t care if the partnership that Governor Chris Christie forged with President Barack Obama contributed to Obama’s reelection.
As I embraced my dear friend while we were standing in the wreckage of what used to be her mother’s home while she was crying, “she’s going to die,” the last thing I cared about was politics.
For over a week I’ve witness my neighbors’ possessions be piled into a garbage transfer station that used to be a parking lot and then be loaded into trailers be be trucked away. Soon many of those neighbors will be living in trailers in a park while someone else decides when, how and if their homes can be rebuilt.
I won’t complain that I haven’t slept in my own bed and there is no power at my house. I still have a house. My friends don’t. My friend, the mayor, his wife and three young children are sleeping on cots in a gymnasium.
I could care less that Christie wept when Bruce Springsteen called him a friend. I care even less that Obama facilitated the friendship.
I am comforted that Chris Christie is doing his job and doing it well. I am comforted that he assembled such a competent team to form his administration three years ago and that they work so well together.
I can’t imagine Jon Corzine, Richard Cody, Jim McGreevey, Christie Whitman, Jim Florio, Tom Kean or Brendan Byrne being as hands on or as competent as Christie has been in this crisis. I also can’t imagine Cory Booker doing the job that Christie has done or assembling as good a team to do it.
Chris Christie is doing his job and doing it well. He’s witnessed far more of the devastation to New Jersey than I have. I’m pleased that for the last weeks he hasn’t cared about politics either.
Pundits on both sides of the aisle are saying that if not for Hurricane Sandy, Obama may not have been reelected. That could be true. But given Obama’s record, the state of the world and the economy, the election should not have been close heading into the last weekend in October.
Obama said he will be a better president as a result of the campaign. He said he heard those who opposed him and his policies. I hope that proves to be true. We’ll know soon enough.
I don’t think Chris Christie will be a better governor because he has Obama’s cell number. I think it is more likely that Obama will be a better president because he has Chrisite’s number.
Volunteers from Monmouth County made a big impression on the folks of the Gulf Coast in 2005 during the Hurricane Katrina recovery.
Their efforts have not been forgotten, as Kathleen Koch, brought to my attention today. The cities of Harrison County Mississippi are organizing to provide assistance to Monmouth County:
Harrison County cities join for Sandy relief effort
The cities of Harrison County are organizing a drive to collect supplies to help storm victims in a hard-hit section of New Jersey that has seen 3 inches of snow fall since being devastated by Sandy last week.Residents are being asked to bring supplies to their local fire station in any municipality in Harrison County.The supplies needed are cleaning supplies, disinfectants, diapers, bed pads, scrub brushes, mops, brooms, sponges, washing detergent, bleach, sanitizing wipes, sheets, towels, wash cloths, cleaning rags, dish towels, hand sanitizers or lotions, first-aid supplies, li;p balm and gloves.
Residents should drop off items any day between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.
As soon as a truckload is reached, the supplies will be transported for a relief effort being coordinated by emergency management in Monmouth County, an area of 630,000 residents that covers about 665 square miles in New Jersey. “We have people from Mississippi up there with them right now,” Harrison County Emergency Manager Rupert Lacy said this afternoon. “They’re working straight through to let the county workers off tonight.
“They have three inches of snow on the ground right now and they expect more. They are in need.
“This particular county, Monmouth County, sent folks to Harrison County after Katrina. They supported the fire departments and they supported people coming down here to help out. They are aware of who we are. We just need to be aware of who they are in their time of need.”
Map of the area: To see the location and links to the municipalities of Monmouth County, N.J., click here.
Trenton, NJ – The U. S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced it approved Governor Chris Christie’s request to extend Disaster Unemployment Assistance to cover all New Jersey counties as a result of Hurricane Sandy.
Federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is now available for persons in all New Jersey counties, especially self-employed individuals, who were living or working in the affected counties at the time of the disaster, and who are unemployed as a direct result of the damages caused by the storm.
Most impacted workers may already qualify for regular Unemployment Insurance, which is why anyone who plans to file a DUA claim should first file a regular claim for Unemployment Insurance. The federal DUA is a special program that covers many people who otherwise may not be eligible for regular Unemployment Insurance.
If you are unemployed because of the disaster that began on October 28, you should FIRST file for Unemployment Insurance benefits through the Internet by going to www.njuifile.net. Please note that due to higher than normal volume as a result of Hurricane Sandy, the system is experiencing some delays. As a result, individuals are encouraged to file via the Internet between 6 P.M. and 8 A.M.
The Internet processes claims faster. However, if needed, people may also file a claim by telephone by contacting the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development’s Re-employment Call Centers at:
North Jersey (201) 601-4100
Central Jersey (732) 761-2020
South Jersey (856) 507-2340
Out of State (888) 795-6672
The FEMA expansion of the DUA coverage creates three separate deadlines for the filing of applications.
A 30-day deadline ending December 3, 2012 is in effect for filing DUA claims involving employment issues arising because of Hurricane Sandy in Atlantic, Cape May, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Union counties.
A 30-day deadline ending December 6, 2012 is in effect for filing DUA claims involving employment issues arising because of Hurricane Sandy in Bergen and Somerset counties.
A 30-day deadline ending December 10, 2012 is in effect for filing DUA claims involving employment issues arising because of Hurricane Sandy in Burlington, Camden, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, Morris, Passaic, Salem, Sussex, and Warren counties.
The assistance was initially granted last week to people living in Atlantic, Bergen, Cape May, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, Somerset and Union counties. FEMA has now included Burlington, Camden, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, Morris, Passaic, Salem, Sussex, and Warren counties for DUA coverage.
For additional information regarding Disaster Unemployment Assistance, including a list of frequently asked questions, go to http://lwd.dol.state.nj.us/labor/ui/aftrfile/dua.html.
For more information on FEMA services please call the FEMA emergency number at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired. Information is also available via the Internet at www.disasterassistance.gov and www.fema.gov.
For information on all New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development programs and services visit http://lwd.dol.state.nj.us/labor/index.html and www.Jobs4Jersey.com.
