Was NJ short-changed in HUD flood mitigation grants?
When the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) set aside almost a billion dollars for flood mitigation, New Jersey sought $300 million, say Democrats representing the state in the House of Representatives. So how did the state manage to obtain only $15 million?
Shore-based Congressman Frank Pallone (D-6) asks the question in a letter to Governor Chris Christie, co-signed by Representatives Bill Pascrell (D09), Albio Sires (D-8), Donald Payne (D-10), Donald Norcross (D-1) and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-12).
They suspect flaws in the application for the National Disaster Resilience Competition, but they can't see the details unless state officials ask for them. If they do, the lawmakers want to see copies of all correspondence concerning recommendations or offers of technical assistance by HUD and other agencies.
New Jersey officials have 120 days to seek a debriefing.
The legislators claim that New Jersey officials offered no clear amount of leveraged funding to support their application, while New York verified more than $400 million in leveraged funds to support its application for $500 million.
Text of their message to the Governor can be seen in the link below:
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