Lautenberg Presses Obama Administration to Expand Housing Options for New Jersey Residents Displaced By Superstorm Sandy

NEWARK – November 12, 2012 – (RealEstateRama) — U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg wrote to President Obama expressing concern about the availability of housing options for New Jersey residents displaced by Hurricane Sandy.  While the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is providing rental assistance and temporary housing support to many of the thousands of residents forced into shelters and other facilities, those options remain limited. Lautenberg also specifically requested that the Administration explore housing options in Monmouth County, including facilities at Fort Monmouth, which could potentially house New Jersey residents.

“I am concerned that many residents still remain in shelters and have had difficulty locating available rental options even when they have already been approved to receive Individual Assistance for rental support.  While FEMA has established a Housing Portal for listings of available rental properties in New Jersey, the number of listings is insufficient and should be expanded to provide more options for displaced residents,” Senator Lautenberg wrote in the letter.

The full letter is below:

November 9, 2012

President Barack Obama

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

I write to express concerns about the availability of housing for New Jersey residents displaced by Superstorm Sandy.  Sandy devastated the state, driving thousands to temporary shelters as their homes were damaged, destroyed, or rendered uninhabitable by this unprecedented storm.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has already taken a number of steps to help New Jersey residents impacted by this storm locate new housing, including increasing payments for temporary housing in our region.  However, I am concerned that many residents still remain in shelters and have had difficulty locating available rental options even when they have already been approved to receive Individual Assistance for rental support.  While FEMA has established a Housing Portal for listings of available rental properties in New Jersey, the number of listings is insufficient and should be expanded to provide more options for displaced residents.

Additionally, I am encouraged that FEMA has activated its Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program to provide eligible disaster survivors who are unable to return home with short-term lodging.  FEMA has already identified more than 30,000 eligible disaster survivors for this program in New Jersey.  Given this large number, the demand for this program may outnumber the supply of available rooms in participating hotels and motels and I urge you to consider locating more short-term lodging options.

I am also concerned that residents are being forced to evacuate shelters as those shelters commence their normal functions, such as the facility at Monmouth University, which resumed classes on Wednesday.  As the nor’easter approached this week, residents who were still unable to return to their homes were evacuated from the Monmouth University shelter to a temporary “tent city” at the Monmouth Racetrack.  Ultimately, hundreds of storm evacuees, including disabled seniors, from Monmouth County were brought to the “tent city.” It remains unclear how long they will remain housed in these tents.  Although Fort Monmouth was badly flooded during the storm, I understand that FEMA is currently evaluating the facilities there to determine whether they can be used for additional housing.  I ask you to continue exploring whether this is a viable option and to establish a more sustainable plan for those in need of housing in Monmouth County and elsewhere in the state.

I respectfully urge you and your Administration to continue to evaluate all options to expand the housing options available to displaced New Jerseyans in the wake of Superstorm Sandy.  Thank you for your consideration of this important request.

Sincerely,

Cc: Administrator Craig Fugate, Federal Emergency Management Agency

Secretary Janet Napolitano, Department of Homeland Security

Secretary Shaun Donovan, Department of Housing and Urban Development

Contact:
Lautenberg Press Office 202.224.3224