Politics & Government

New Milford to Receive $1.2 Million From FEMA for Voluntary Home Buyouts from Damage During Hurricane Irene

FEMA will provide more than $21 million through its Hazard Mitigation Grant Program for flood mitigation projects throughout New Jersey.

Senators Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez announced Tuesday that FEMA has made earmarked more than $21 million in grant money for flood mitigation projects in New Jersey. 

The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program provides funding for the voluntary buyouts or elevations of homes that have suffered severe flood damage due to Irene and other storms.

This federal grant will be supported by a $7 million match from state and local governments, bringing the total to more than $28 million to directly assist New Jersey families in the state’s hardest hit communities.

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Lautenberg, Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, which funds this FEMA grant program said in a statement, “As we work on long-term flood solutions, these federal funds will prevent damage to the most flood-prone residents and create needed open space. We will continue to fight for federal funds for disaster relief programs to help protect New Jerseyans from future floods.”

FEMA will provide $1.2 million for voluntary home buyouts in New Milford and $1.5 million in Westwood. 

Find out what's happening in New Milfordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In a statement released Tuesday, Menendez said, “This funding will help ensure that New Jersey homeowners who are vulnerable to floods have the tools they need to prepare for future disasters."

"It’s not only cost effective to prepare for floods on the front end, rather than do damage control after, but it can save lives and preventable hardships. I’ll continue to work to secure funding to protect New Jersey’s flood-prone homes.”


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