An executive order signed by Gov. Chris Christie Friday aims to put key review and reporting initiatives in place to ensure that distribution of Hurricane Sandy relief funds is done in an accountable and transparent matter. The order, No. 125, directs the Office of the State Comptroller to conduct an independent, legal review of the procurement process for state contracts using federal reconstruction aid, according to a release. Each of the state's departments dealing with the distribution of federal aid will designate an "Accountability Officer" to work with the Comptroller's Office and the …

The State's Treasury Department's Division of Taxation has organized a number of tax assistance outreach events throughout February and March in towns affected by Hurricane Sandy, Gov. Chris Christie's office announced Thursday.  The events, scheduled during the height of tax season, are being held in towns that suffered heavy damage during Sandy as well as adjacent municipalities. The events will be located at libraries or other public buildings. The events are scattered throughout Monmouth, Ocean and Bergen Counties. The tax assistance events are free and residents can register online by …

The $1.8 billion recently allocated for use in Community Development Block Grants, or CDBGs, will be used primarily to help residents and small businesses affected by Hurricane Sandy recover, U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan said Thursday afternoon. Joined by Gov. Chris Christie in Sea Bright, Donovan said the funding is the first chunk of approximately $16 billion that will help homeowners along the East Coast rebuild, filling the gaps between aid provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and loans issued by the Small Business Administration (SBA…

Gov. Chris Christie is adamant about his decision to adopt the Federal Emergency Management’s (FEMA) advisory flood maps. And while that decision will have a significant, and costly, impact on many of New Jersey’s shore towns, it’s a necessary step to ensure their survival, he said. Speaking at a mobile cabinet meeting in Union Beach nearly two weeks after announcing his decision to rebuild using the advisory flood maps as a guide, Christie said it was a difficult choice, but one he had to make. Even amidst opposition as shore towns and residents voice their objections to the maps and their …

The Community Foundation of New Jersey recently announced a funding resource aimed at supporting the needs of the state’s communities and non-profit organizations leading in recovery following Hurricane Sandy. Called the New Jersey Recovery Fund, the foundation and its more than $5 million in pledged support from national and regional organizations recently revealed the fund’s application guidelines and its focus on aiding forward-thinking groups and communities throughout the state. The fund focuses on five areas, according to NJ News Commons, a Montclair State University communication …

Editor's note: A previous version of this story reported that the event would be held Monday. The event is being held Tuesday. Representatives from several state departments are slated to spend the day in Monmouth County Tuesday, offering expert advice and assistance in a number of areas to victims of Hurricane Sandy, Gov. Chris Christie's office announced recently. Senior staff members from the Department of Banking and Insurance, Department of Community Affairs, Department of Environmental Protection, and the Business Action Center will be on hand at Union Beach Hose Co. #1 from 9 a.m. to 5…

In just three months since Hurricane Sandy struck the East Coast, the U.S. Small Business Administration has approved more than $1.1 billion in disaster loans to residents and business owners affected by the storm. According to a release from the SBA, approximately 16,700 individuals have received loans, making Sandy the country's third largest disaster in terms of loaned dollars. Currently, Sandy sits behind 2005's Hurricane Katrina and its $10.8 billion in SBA loans, and 1994's Northridge, Calif., earthquake, which totaled $4 billion in loans. Sandy, however, could supplant those disaster …

Wednesday, three grants totalling more than $9.2 million were approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help cover the cost of public assistance and debris removal related to Hurricane Sandy. The funding will be used to reimburse a significant percentage of costs incurred by Belmar and Marlboro Township as well as the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management.  According to a release from Sen. Frank Lautenberg's office Wednesday afternoon, Belmar will receive $4,062,468 for emergency debris removal to clear roadways for emergency vehicles in the aftermath of Sandy. The …

Recent public forums have helped answer questions about repairing and rebuilding after Superstorm Sandy. The question-and-answer sessions typically feature local residents, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) representatives and representatives of the local insurance and real estate industries. Even the panelists usually acknowledged a fair amount of uncertainty about the full ramifications of the unprecedented level of damage for the region and the process for rebuilding and recovering costs. Here's our best shot at summarizing the considerations for property owners as they rebuild …

More than $780 million in disaster assistance has been approved to speed recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy - and some of the chief beneficiaries are some big, and small, Jersey Shore communities. It's not yet clear how the money will be spent - and how the additional $60 billion aid package, which the U.S. Senate gave its seal of approval Monday evening, will be dispersed. In the Jersey Shore counties of Monmouth, Ocean, Atlantic and Cape May counties, for instance, Middletown tops the list of funding recipients so far (see chart below), according to the state Office of Emergency …

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the US Small Business Association (SBA) have extended the deadline for victims of Hurricane Sandy to apply for aid. It is now March 1.   The deadline was extended one month at the request of FEMA and the state of New Jersey, said spokesman Mark Jamison of the SBA's Office of Disaster Assistance. "We encourage people to apply," said Jamison, whose agency is offering signature-only loans under $14,000 to homeowners and renters. "SBA loans are not based on a person's current financial situation," he said. For amounts above that threshold, he …

Huffington Post reports that Flying Fish Brewery Company is ready to give Hurricane Sandy a big F.U. with "F. U. Sandy," a hybrid wheat-pale ale inspired by the storm. (The F.U. stands for "Forever Unloved.") One hundred percent of the proceeds from the beer will go to New Jersey Sandy victims, according to the Huffington Post story. For the full story, click here.

New Jersey residents who are now unemployed as a result of Hurricane Sandy are reminded that they have until Feb. 4 to file an application for Disaster Unemployment Assistance, or DUA, Gov. Chris Christie's office announced recently. The unemployment funding was made available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency through the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development immediately after the late October storm to affected individuals who did not qualify for regular unemployment insurance. The DUA covers self-employed individuals and hourly workers and is available to those …

  An open letter to: President Obama, All the members of Congress, Governor Christie and members of New Jersey Senate and Assembly and to local mayors and council members MY DESCENT INTO MADNESS BY WAY OF THE RABBIT HOLE Super Storm Sandy has displaced seven people in my family. We all lived in Seaside Park, New Jersey. We are no different from the thousands of people who are facing what seems like insurmountable obstacles towards rebuilding our homes, our lives and our communities. During the height of the storm our local rescue workers, emergency personal and police were heroic in their …

In the devastation wrought by Hurricane Sandy, Clean Ocean Action sees an  opportunity. As the Jersey Shore makes its comeback, the environmental advocacy group promises it will be there to help now and in the future while shepherding in a movement of responsible restoration. The organization recently announced a new year-long program called Waves of Action. The program was launched to respond to immediate and ongoing needs of coastal towns impacted by Sandy. With a slew of events already scheduled throughout the year, Waves of Action is hoping to pair willing volunteers with communities that…

Thousands of victims of Hurricane Sandy remain temporarily housed in hotels and motels throughout the state, Federal Emergency Management Agency officials said Thursday, but the number continues to decline as families find permanent housing solutions. FEMA held a conference call late Thursday morning to announce an extension of its Transitional Sheltering Assistance as well as to provide an update of the agency’s goal to move Sandy victims away from transitional housing into more long-term temporary solutions. Currently, 2,790 households throughout New Jersey are still living in hotels and …

Monmouth County will host superstorm Sandy recovery workshops from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 10 at the Monmouth County Connection, 3544 Route 66, Neptune. The free workshops will provide information about FEMA grants, the National FloodInsurance Program, how to avoid falling prey to contractor fraud and what to look for when signing a contract for home repair. Representatives of the county's Division of Consumer Affairs, Federal EmergencyManagement Agency and the Insurance Council of New Jersey will speak at both sessions. Registration, which is required, can be made by calling 732-303…

The drab gray of concrete barriers block off Ocean Avenue in Belmar, as construction progresses behind the waist-high slabs. These barriers signal to "Keep Out," that vehicles can't get through, that this area is off-limits and damaged by Hurricane Sandy. But not long after the concrete barriers arrived, the Belmar Arts Council helped hatch a plan to have local artists paint them, transforming a symbol of flux and prohibition into one of beauty and hope. Now, more than a dozen of the barriers feature hand-drawn mermaids, Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz on the beach, and messages of pride for …

Gov. Chris Christie, in a joint statment with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, applauded the "critical" Sandy aid approval by the House of Representatives Friday, but said the $9.7 billion outlay is merely a "down payment." "While we are pleased with this progress, today was just a down payment and it is now time to go even further and pass the final and more complete, clean disaster aid bill," they said. The U.S. House of Representatives approved a measure Friday afternoon allowing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to borrow $9.7 billion to pay insurance claims made by victims of …

OceanFirst Foundation’s Relief and Recovery Grant Program is awarding six new grants totaling $93,000 to organizations in Point Pleasant Beach, Toms River and Monmouth County. The recipients are: Ocean Fire Co. #1, Point Pleasant Beach; Caregiver Volunteers of Central Jersey, Toms River; Children’s Home Society, Toms River; Homes for All, Toms River; O.C.E.A.N., Inc., Toms River and United Way of Monmouth County, Farmingdale. "The foundation's grant program assists the efforts of nonprofit organizations in the New Jersey shore market area that are helping local families and individuals …