WASHINGTON – Housing and Urban Development Secretary Andrew Cuomo today announced $11 million in funding to New Jersey for families whose homes were destroyed or severely damaged during Hurricane Floyd in September 1999.

The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs will use the funds for rental assistance and the new construction and reconstruction of rental units and single-family homes for low-income families displaced by flooding.

"Nothing can ever erase all the suffering that these families had to endure in the wake of Hurricane Floyd," Cuomo said. "This money will, however, help families in New Jersey to rebuild their homes and their lives."

Joining Cuomo on the conference call were Governor Christine Todd Whitman, Senator Frank Lautenberg, Congresswoman Marge Roukema, and Congressmen Rodney Frelinghuysen, William Pascrell, and Steve Rothman.

"Hurricane Floyd hit New Jersey with an unequaled fury," said Gov. Christine Todd Whitman. "The Frelinghuysen Amendment is just one of the ways the State and Federal governments responded in-kind. The $11 million provided by the Frelinghuysen Amendment is a credit to bipartisan cooperation and will help New Jersey's victims of Hurricane Floyd in the recovery process - that critical time when people put their lives back together and move towards a brighter future."

"This Federal assistance will help replace housing for some of the neediest who lost their homes during Hurricane Floyd," said Sen. Frank Lautenberg. Although this disaster has faded from the headlines, those who were hardest hit are still in need of our help and I am glad to see HUD stepping in and lending these folks a hand."

"This $11 million will go to those New Jerseyans who need it most: low and very-low income people whose homes were damaged by Hurricane Floyd last September," Rep. Steve Rothman said. "I was happy to vote for these funds in the emergency supplemental budget the Congress passed last month. I am hopeful this money will help people pay bills they incurred in repairing damage to their homes and to reimburse them for money already spent."

Rep. Bill Pascrell said, "Almost one year after Hurricane Floyd, there are still people in my district and throughout New Jersey who are really hurting and have not fully recovered from this disaster. I am heartened to see that HUD is keeping its commitment by releasing these considerable funds today. We have a responsibility to every person affected to speed this healing process to the end as soon as humanly possible."

HUD has granted waivers of HOME program requirements, including a waiver of the 25-percent match requirement, to speed the state’s disaster relief efforts. These waivers apply to rental projects and tenant-based rental assistance.

Hurricane Floyd destroyed about 200 homes and damaged 8,000 more. Many businesses were also damaged.

The counties that are eligible for the $11 million in funding are: Bergen, Essex, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Passaic, Somerset and Union.

In addition to the emergency relief funding, HUD has also increased payment flexibility for FHA mortgages, including a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures, and provided Section 203(k) financing assistance at 100 percent with no down-payment for replacement or reconstruction of damaged homes.