TRENTON – This coming October will mark 14 years since Superstorm Sandy struck the Jersey Shore, devastating the New Jersey coastline. State lawmakers from Ocean County are moving to revive a long-dormant homeowner recovery program aimed at residents who still have not fully rebuilt.
Members of the New Jersey Assembly Appropriations Committee advanced legislation that would reopen the state’s reconstruction, rehabilitation, elevation and mitigation program, allowing new applications from homeowners with remaining unmet needs.
The bill, A6270, sponsored by Brian Rumpf and Greg Myhre, directs the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs to use unspent funds to complete recovery projects left unfinished after the storm.
Lawmakers said the program is designed to bridge financial gaps for homeowners who received other assistance but still need help making their properties safe, habitable and compliant with floodplain, environmental and local regulations.
Superstorm Sandy remains the most destructive natural disaster in state history, killing 38 people and damaging or destroying more than 346,000 homes statewide. The impact was especially severe in Ocean County, where tens of thousands of residents were forced from their homes.
According to state figures, more than 98 percent of the program’s funding has already been spent, but roughly $18 million remains available as of June 30, 2025.
In the years following the storm, New Jersey received more than $4 billion in federal disaster aid, with a portion set aside for direct homeowner assistance. Eligible applicants were able to receive grants of up to $150,000 to support rebuilding efforts.
Supporters of the legislation say reopening the program will help finally resolve lingering cases and allow affected residents to close a painful chapter that has stretched on for more than a decade.
