Toms River Officials: Release Sandy Rebuilding Funds to Residents

The Toms River township council on Tuesday called on state and federal officials to release and distribute funds from the state's Rehabilitation, Reconstruction, Elevation and Mitigation Program (RREM) that have been allocated to affected homeowners to repair or rebuild their Superstorm Sandy damaged homes.

The program, funded by the federal Sandy relief package authorized in the wake of the storm, offers $150,000 to primary homeowners to repair, elevate or rebuild their homes that were damaged.

"After Katrina, it was like money flowed from an open spigot," said Council Maurice "Mo" Hill. "Now it’s like a slow drip."

The resolution was inspired by requests from members of the public at council meetings, especially those from hard-hit Ortley Beach who often address the council on storm recovery issues.

The state had originally relied on Federal Emergency Management Agency data to determine eligibility for homeowners, resulting in denied grants for many residents, officials said, but is now relying on assessments from the Small Business Administration and private insurers.

"Hundreds of homeowners were rejected," said Council President Maria Maruca. "It is critical this money be released and distributed to eligible homeowners in an expeditious manner so that homeowners can repair or rebuild and return to their homes."

Maruca said at the council meeting that township official would forward a copy of Toms River's resolution to other local communities in hopes of raising the sense of urgency in state and federal officials' minds on the issue.