STAFFORD – At a recent council meeting, Township Administrator Jim Moran announced that the township is the recipient of a $958,000 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Part of the hazard grant program, it has been awarded to Stafford Township for rebuilding and renovations on properties in Beach Haven West that have been damaged or destroyed by Superstorm Sandy. The grant can be for either house raising, the actual lifting up of the house, or house razing, the demolition of the house for rebuilding.
“It can be for both but the funding for each person is limited so demolition generally is not part of what they want to spend their money on,” said Moran after the meeting.
According to Moran, the township applied for this FEMA grant on behalf of the residents who requested federal assistance for rebuilding their homes or properties in the area. The township submitted the application back in May and finally received notification two weeks ago that the township would be given the grant money.
“We’re certainly happy to have received this grant,” said Moran.
Those who will benefit from this generous grant will be the 13 Beach Haven West property owners who applied to the township for assistance. There are an additional 10 property owners that haven been designated as “back-ups” in the event that the township has leftover money from the grant to help beyond the original 13, said Moran.
The township administration will be in charge of managing the FEMA funds and distributing them to the property owners for the necessary construction projects. However, no work will be paid for until the township signs the official sub-grantee documentation. Moran noted that any construction done to the homes before this sub-grantee document has been signed will not be reimbursed by the grant.
The property owners that will be having construction work done to their homes are allowed to hire any contractor they choose for the process. The way that the distribution of the funds works is that the property owners hire a contractor and pay for the necessary construction. Then, they must submit a request for reimbursement to the township and will be repaid with the funds from the FEMA grant.
