Wayne Gets $2.4 Million For Flood Buyouts

WAYNE, NJ — The township has received another $2.4 million to purchase homes in the worst flood-prone area in town.

The money will allow officials to purchase 14 homes that are voluntarily sold by their homeowners along the Passaic and Ramapo rivers. The homes will be knocked down and the land they are on will be left alone.

The township has received $91 million in government funds to buyout 394 homes.

The township began aggressively applying for FEMA grant money after Hurricane Irene hit the area with the worst flooding in a century, especially the southern part of town.

Nearly 60 homes will be demolished due to $14.3 million the town has received as part of the federal government's Severe Repetitive Loss program. The township bonded for the money and will be reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The town previously received $20.5 million to purchase 64 properties in the first round of disbursements and 100 properties in the second round.

Thirteen properties were approved for purchase and demolition under the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG), another federal funding program.

Another 93 properties were acquired under the federal Hazard Mitigation Grant Program using $18.6 million and 27 others under the state's Blue Acres program.

The New Jersey Sierra Club applauded Wayne receiving the award.

"Buying-out a home in a flood prone area is important because it allows the restoration of floodplains and protects other properties from damage," said Jeff Tittel, Sieera Club executive director. "While Wayne is getting this money from FEMA, there are still many homes that need to be bought out but they aren’t getting state funding."

RELATED: Wayne to Receive $6.3 Million for Home Buyouts Due to Flooding

RELATED: Wayne Receives $14.3M To Buyout Flood-Zone Homes

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Photo: A mother and her daughter point to floodwaters just outside their home during the aftermath of Hurricane Irene in 2011./Staff photo by Daniel Hubbard