Why are people sleeping in cars?

In an interview with NJ.com Sea Bright Mayor Dina Long expressed her frustration with a lack of specifics in Governor Christie’s State of the State Address, even though she said she is meeting with state officials and FEMA today.

“We’re glad we’re on the governor’s radar, but the story of the owner of Sea Bright Pizza, Cono Trezza, is emblematic of my entire community,” Long said, citing one of many Sea Bright establishments yet to be back in business. “We want to do the right thing in terms of rebuilding by doing it smarter and by mitigating flood risk. Unfortunately, because of a lack of specificity coming from the state of New Jersey, and a lack of support and money from Washington, D.C., people who want to do the right thing are in limbo. I’m glad that we’re Jersey strong, because we’re going to have to be strong enough to pull ourselves out of this. We’re a 1,500-person town with a $5 million budget that needs help, and we’re not getting help.”

“I would not respond well to somebody who criticized this Republican governor, because [Christie] has been a determined, inspirational leader,” Long said. “But in order for us to rebuild smart from Sandy, we need more than just moral support. We need to know whether or not we’re going to get financial assistance or not. And if the answer is not, that’s fine – we’ll figure it out ourselves.”

Long’s frustration is understandable. Frustration among municipal officials and residents alike is likely to rise in the coming weeks and months as the difficult realities of rebuiding are confronted.  Yet, for a mayor to expect the Governor to recite what specific actions will be taken in any given town during a State of the State Address is unrealistic, especially when that Governor highlighted your town during the address and you’ve got a meeting to handle specifics scheduled for the next day.

However, Long’s next line is alarming and should have been the lead to the story:

“Every day that goes by, the resolve of our business owners goes away,” Long added. “I’ve got people sleeping in cars – I could care less about the boardwalk.” (emphasis added)

Why are people sleeping in cars?

A friend of mine whose home in Highlands was flooded by Sandy has been staying with friends, at no cost to the taxpayers, for the last two months during her home clean up and rebuilding.  That arrangement stopped working last weekend.  My friend visited the FEMA office in Leonardo and was put up in a hotel in a matter of hours.   That residents of Sea Bright are sleeping in cars doesn’t make sense.  Maybe they are choosing to sleep in their cars.  Maybe someone is dropping the ball.  Maybe there is red tape.   Red tape and dropping the ball is unacceptable.

My friend says that FEMA temporary housing is expiring on the 12th.  That could lead to a lot more people sleeping in cars.  That’s not acceptable either.

Where is all the money that was raised by concerts being spent?  How is the millions that Christie raised privately being spent?  Evidently its not being spent on people in Sea Bright and elsewhere who have been displaced and are sleeping in cars.

We can’t have people who are displaced by a natural disaster sleeping in cars because of red tape.  Not in Monmouth County.  Not in New Jersey.  Not in the United States of America.

We’re better than that.

UPDATE:  Displaced residents are sleeping in cars because they are being evicted from their hotels on weekends to accommodate wedding guests.  Read about it here.

• Tweet

Christie Administration Announces Extension for New Jerseyans Affected by Hurricane Sandy to Register for Disaster Assistance

Trenton, NJ – The Christie Administration today announced that New Jersey residents affected by Hurricane Sandy now have until January 30, 2013 to register for disaster assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

“The single most important step people can take in this recovery period is to register with FEMA, if they haven’t already,” said Governor Christie. “The process of a family receiving any type of federal disaster assistance begins with registering as a disaster survivor with FEMA and working with a coordinator to determine what sort of relief they are eligible for. This extension will help us ensure that anyone who has been affected by the storm gets registered and the help they need and deserve.”

People with storm losses in all counties can register online atwww.disasterassistance.govor via smart phone or tablet here.

Survivors also can register by phone or 711/VRS by calling 800-621-3362, TTY800-462-7585. The toll-free telephone numbers operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week until further notice.

At the request of the state, FEMA extended the registration deadline beyond the original 60 day window due tothe magnitude of the Hurricane Sandy disaster.

The disaster registration process serves as a referral point for FEMA programs and those of partner agencies such as the U.S. Small Business Administration, American Red Cross, the Salvation Army and the Small Business Administration.

FEMA disaster assistance for individuals and families can include money for rental assistance, essential home repairs, personal property losses and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.

• Tweet

O’Scanlon: Displaced residents in need of temporary housing should visit FEMA, even if they’ve been turned down before

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon told MMM that FEMA is bring temporary housing online at that New Jersey residents displaced by Superstorm Sandy and in need of temporary housing should visit a FEMA Disaster Recovery Center, even if they have previously been turned down for assistance by the agency.

In Monmouth County the DRCs are located at:

Belmar Municipal Bldg., 601 Main St., Belmar, N.J. 07719

Henry Hudson Trail Activity Center, 945 Highway 36, Leonardo, N.J. 07737

Long Branch Fire Station #4, 199-205 Union Ave., Long Branch, N.J. 07740

Union Beach Municipal Building, 650 Poole Ave., Union Beach, N.J. 07735

Click here for DRC locations elsewhere in New Jersey.

O’Scanlon said that any resident in need of temporary housing that is not satisfied after visiting a DRC should call his office at 732-933-1591 for assistance.

• Tweet

Pallone Criticizes FEMA Response to Temporary Housing Needs for Sandy Victims

LONG BRANCH, NJ—Following an afternoon conference call with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) released a statement voicing his concern over the agency’s response to the housing and humanitarian crisis still impacting thousands of New Jersey residents. 

The following are his comments:

“I was disturbed to learn of FEMA’s altered plans to provide temporary housing to hurricane Sandy victims.  In the immediate aftermath of the storm I like most New Jerseyans, took solace in FEMA’s promises of housing assistance to those whose homes were badly damaged or destroyed by the hurricane.  I believed that FEMA would honor its commitments to ensure that people who lost their homes would be furnished with temporary alternative housing like trailers or mobile homes as we have seen after similar disasters throughout the nation.

“Unfortunately, I am far less confident in FEMA’s willingness to assist our community in light of a conference call I participated in today with agency representatives.  I was told that, rather than maintaining their earlier commitment to provide adequate temporary housing to towns for those seeking to stay on their own property, FEMA is no longer planning on providing mobile homes and trailers.  Instead, the agency suggests that New Jerseyans make accommodations on their own if they choose to stay on their property and in their communities.  The agency suggested that residents use their FEMA vouchers and to contribute to the cost of acquiring and renting RVs, mobile homes and trailers from as far away as Pennsylvania.

“In short, it is outrageous that there is not enough hosing available for Sandy victims and even more confounding that FEMA is suggesting that housing stocks are adequate.  I find it concerning that FEMA’s statements on today’s conference call directly contradicted their tone from earlier on in the Sandy crisis.  For Sandy victims, the stress of rebuilding and or rehabilitating their homes has been unfathomable.  People are still struggling more that a month after the storm and trying to regain any sense of normalcy possible to get their lives back on track.  The last thing they need is to worry that the deck is even further stacked against them as a result of FEMA’s unwillingness to provide temporary housing. 

“It is vital to the survival of our communities that our neighbors stay together, our kids stay in their schools and we rebuild our towns, public facilities and infrastructure swiftly and thoughtfully and we need FEMA to help us in that pursuit. 

“I urge FEMA to utilize their available resources and distribute as many mobile home units as possible to New  Jersey’s affected areas.  People are running out of resources and patience and it is time that FEMA fulfills its commitments and comes through on its promise of assistance to our area.” 

• Tweet

FEMA Building Standards Saved Windnsea in Highlands

• Tweet

Christie Administration Encourages Insured Residents Affected by Hurricane Sandy to Apply for Assistance

Insured Applicants May Be Eligible for Assistance for Unmet Needs

Trenton, NJ –Disaster assistance may sometimes cover damages that insurance doesn’t. That is why individuals affected by Hurricane Sandy are urged by the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management (NJOEM) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to apply for assistance even if they have insurance.

Apply for FEMA assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or by web-enabled mobile device at m.fema.gov. Applicants can also register by phone by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), 711/VRS, or TTY 1-800-462-7585.

Only applying directly with FEMA will establish your registration for disaster assistance. Signing up or meeting with any other agency does not mean you are registered with FEMA.

“We want everyone qualified for assistance to receive help as soon as possible,”said State Coordinating Officer Lt. Jeff Mottley.

Keep in mind that you need to file your insurance claim with your insurance company as soon as possible. Failure to file a claim may affect a policyholder’s eligibility for disaster assistance. You have up to 12 months from the date of registration with FEMA to submit insurance information for review.

“By law, we cannot duplicate what insurance already covers. But we may be able to help with some disaster-related expenses, that are not covered by insurance,”explained Federal Coordinating Officer Michael J. Hall.

After filing a claim, if any of the following situations occurs FEMA may be able to provide some assistance:

Your insurance settlement is delayed.

• “Delayed”means a decision on your insurance settlement has been delayed longer than 30-days from the time you filed the claim.
• If a decision on your insurance settlement has been delayed, you will need to mail a letter or send a FAX to FEMA explaining the circumstance. Mail or FAX your letter to:

FEMA IHP

National Processing Service Center

PO Box 10055

Hyattsville, MD 20782-8055

FAX 1-800-827-8112

• You should include documentation from the insurance company proving that you filed the claim.
• If you filed your claim over the telephone, you should include the claim number,         date when you applied, and the estimated time of how long it will take to receive        your settlement.
• If you receive FEMA assistance and you later find that your insurance will cover what your FEMA assistance was for, then you must return that money to FEMA because

it is considered a duplicate benefit.

Your insurance settlement is insufficient to meet your disaster-related needs.

• If you have received the maximum settlement from your insurance and still have an unmet disaster-related need, you will need to mail or FAX a letter to FEMA at the above address indicating the unmet disaster-related need.
• You will also need to send in documentation from your insurance company on what they cover for review.

You have exhausted the Additional Living Expenses (ALE) provided by your insurance company.

• If you have received the maximum settlement from your insurance for Additional Living Expenses and still need help with your disaster-related temporary housing need, mail or FAX a letter to FEMA at the above address indicating why you continue to have a temporary housing need.
• You will also need to provide documentation to prove use of ALE from insurance,

and a permanent housing plan.

You are unable to locate rental resources in your area.

• The FEMA Helpline has a list of rental resources in the disaster area.

SBA Loans

• Many people who apply for disaster aid also receive an application for a low-interest disaster loan from the SBA. If you receive an application, be sure to fill it out and return it in order

to be considered for all forms of disaster assistance.

• FEMA will process applications for housing assistance regardless of whether or not the applicant has applied for an SBA loan. Eligibility determinations for FEMA’s temporary housing assistance will not be held up because the applicant has or has not filled out an    SBA application.

• You must complete an SBA loan application to be eligible for additional assistance under

the part of the FEMA program that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement,

and moving and storage expenses.

You can apply for an SBA disaster loan online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

• Tweet

FEMA Website Provides A Resource For Sandy Survivors To Find Rentals

LINCROFT,  N.J. – Families and individuals in New Jersey who are registered for federal disaster assistance and need a place to live can search through hundreds of rental listings on the FEMA Housing Portal.

The FEMA Housing Portal consolidates rental resources identified and provided by federal agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the U.S. Veterans Administration (VA), and also lists rental properties provided by private organizations and property owners willing to help their neighbors during these difficult times.

FEMA recommends that those who use the portal contact the number on the listing prior to traveling to the location of the property to make sure the property is still available. This site is updated regularly, but available housing units are being filled continuously so FEMA encourages users to check back often for the most current information.

• Tweet

Monmouth County Businesses Rebuilding Conference Call Scheduled for Monday November 19 at 4 PM

FREEHOLD, NJ – Monmouth County business owners can be part of a teleconference call at 4 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 19 where they can find out about the various programs, support services and opportunities available to them as they recover from Super storm Sandy.

“Monmouth County’s businesses are working hard to get back in action after Sandy,” Freeholder Deputy Director Thomas A. Arnone said. “This conference call will provide business leaders with critical information and updates about resources that can and will assist them with their recovery efforts.”

The hour-long Business Rebuilding Call is being presented by the county’s division of Economic Development and will include information about the federal and state business disaster relief programs, tax assessment basics for commercial properties and more.

For questions or assistance, please contact Monmouth County Division of Economic Development at 732-431-7470 or [email protected].

“Businesses and home owners who have had losses due to Super storm Sandy, must register with FEMA by Dec. 31, 2012 to be eligible for any federal assistance,” Arnone said. “This is the first step our businesses must take on this road to recovery.”

After registering with FEMA, business owners can visit the local Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) in Monmouth County for more information. The locations are:

• Belmar Municipal Building, 601 Main St., Belmar, NJ 07719
• Henry Hudson Trail Activity Center, 945 Hwy 36, Leonardo, NJ 07737 (Atlantic Highlands/ Middletown border)
• Union Beach Municipal Building, 650 Poole Ave., Union Beach, NJ 07735

The DRCs are open daily from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m.

• Tweet

Governor Christie Announces Extension of 100% Cost Share for State Recovery and Restoration Efforts

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 1^st,” 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 14^th, 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 1^st approval of 100% cost share for these expenses can be found here.

• Tweet

Christie Administration Announces Disaster Unemployment Assistance Expanded to All New Jersey Counties Due to Hurricane Sandy

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.

• Tweet