NORTH WILDWOOD—Grant money for raising homes devastated by Hurricane Sandy has now become available for others.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) set up a program, Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), offering homeowners reimbursement grants up to $30,000 for restoring and raising single-family, primary residences (not second homes) damaged by the storm.
In the Sept. 4 issue of the Press of Atlantic City, Richard Degener reported that some of the $100 million that had been earmarked for the grants has not been used. FEMA is now offering the grants to individuals whose homes did not sustain damage during Sandy, but could avoid damage in future storms by raising their homes to meet the requirements of the flood insurance risk map.
Cape May County is one of the nine counties eligible for HMGP, and officials are anxious to inform the public quickly as the deadline for registering for the program is Sept. 15.
Three public meetings with representatives of the program will be held on the following dates:
Sept. 9, 6 p.m. at Lower Township, 2600 Baystone Road, Villas,
Sept. 10, 6 p.m. at Ocean City Free Public Library, 1735 Simpson Ave., Ocean City,
Sept. 12, 6 p.m. at Avalon Community Hall, 3001 Avalon Ave., Avalon.
Residents may register for the program at these meetings or can pre-register for the program by visiting http://www.renewjerseystronger.org/hmgp/.
