Wayne Receives $14.3M To Buyout Flood-Zone Homes

WAYNE, N.J. — The township has received an additional $14.3 million in federal money to purchase and demolish 57 homes located in the flood zone.

The money is the latest the township has received as part of the federal government's Severe Repetitive Loss program. The township will bond for the money and will be reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

"This is a very competitive funding program run by FEMA and the township continues to be very successful in being awarded funds to purchase the most severely impacted homes identified by FEMA," said Mayor Chris Vergano. "We believe that this is a very important program that continues to take residents and our first responders out of harm's way during a flood event."

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

The township began aggressively applying for FEMA grant money after Hurricane Irene hit the area with the worst flooding in a century.

The township has already received millions of dollars in SRL grants to purchase and demolish properties in the worst-hit flood areas of the township, especially in the southern part of town. The town previously received $20.5 million to purchase 64 properties in the first round of disbursements and 100 properties in the second round. Of the 100 approved properties, 40 have been settled, officials said.

Thirteen properties were approved under the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG), another federal funding program. e under which three properties have been acquired using $2 million in federal monies.

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.

Vergano said officials will soon meet with the 57 homeowners to explain the buyout process. Once the properties are purchased, the homes are demolished and the land left alone. Deed restrictions are placed on the properties to prevent further development from occurring.

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