{"id":17429,"date":"2025-04-29T04:47:30","date_gmt":"2025-04-29T08:47:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/?p=17429"},"modified":"2025-04-29T07:10:46","modified_gmt":"2025-04-29T11:10:46","slug":"seaside-park-accepting-applications-for-residents-house-raising-reimbursement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/lavallette-seaside\/2025\/04\/seaside-park-accepting-applications-for-residents-house-raising-reimbursement\/","title":{"rendered":"Seaside Park Accepting Applications for Residents’ House Raising Reimbursement"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Flooding<\/a>

Flooding on Ocean County’s northern barrier island, Oct. 28, 2021. (Photo: Daniel Nee)<\/p><\/div>\n

Despite proposed cuts to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) programs in Washington, Seaside Park officials said an initiative that would reimburse homeowners’ house raising costs still had funding available, and applications would be accepted until September. Residents whose homes are not raised and out of compliance with modern flood elevation standards would be eligible for between 75 and 90 percent of their house raising costs to be reimbursed.<\/p>\n

The borough council last month approved a contract with RVE Engineering to provide the preparation of applications for the program, which will be available to residents now that the town’s approval to participate in the program has been finalized. The firm’s bill of $18,500 is eligible for its own 75 percent reimbursement, which would result in the borough paying just $4,625 to complete all of the studies and paperwork required for residents.<\/p>\n

The grant funding stems from FEMA’s Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) program, which is run through the budget of the National Flood Insurance Program. The initiative provides funding to state and municipal governments to assist in their efforts to “reduce or eliminate the risk of repetitive flood damage to homes, that are not in compliance, by raising these homes.”<\/p>\n

Under the terms of the program, FEMA will contribute up to 75 percent of the total eligible activity cost of the project, which means the homeowner would be responsible for 25 percent of the total eligible cost to raise the structure. The homeowner would be required to pay upfront 100 percent of all costs and will then be reimbursed after construction of the home.<\/p>\n

In the case of properties considered to have repetitive losses, FEMA may contribute up to 90 percent of the federal cost share for and up to 100 percent Federal cost share for “severe repetitive loss properties.” Repetitive loss properties are homes that have had flood related damage on two separate occasions and Severe Repetitive Loss are homes that had flood damages on four separate occasions. Flood claims will be submitted for review to the federal agency.<\/p>\n

“Homeowners must understand that this FMA grant is not guaranteed and eligibility is not guaranteed,” a statement from the borough said. “Funding may be limited, and distribution is at the discretion of FEMA. Also, after all documents have been submitted to FEMA in December 2025, approval for the grant money may take up to a year.”<\/p>\n

Only homeowners with noncompliant structures and active flood insurance policies are eligible.<\/p>\n

To apply, residents will need to drop off several documents at the borough’s building department, including:<\/strong><\/p>\n