Program Helps New Jersey Homeowners in Flood Prone Communities Elevate Their Homes 

The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) today (Jan. 8) announced an important update to the Mitigation Assistance Program (MAP). Effective immediately, MAP will accept applications on a rolling basis from New Jersey homeowners who are in flood prone areas and are interested in elevating their home to reduce their risk of flooding in the future.

“As demonstrated by significant flooding from recent rainstorms, New Jersey communities are increasingly susceptible to flooding due to more frequent storms and heavy precipitation events,” said DCA Acting Commissioner Jacquelyn A. Suárez. “By moving to a rolling application period for MAP, DCA will be able to identify those most in need, which will help the Department more efficiently target assistance.”

The program is supported by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and helps homeowners cover construction costs for property mitigation against flooding damage, including home elevation. MAP may also provide temporary rental assistance during construction. FEMA’s criteria for property eligibility are based on historical flooding incidents and future flood risk assessments.

“MAP is helping meet the changing needs of New Jersey residents in this new reality of more frequent severe storms and flooding,” said DCA Deputy Commissioner Samuel Viavattine, who leads the Division of Disaster Recovery and Mitigation. “We want to make the program more accessible to New Jersey homeowners affected by flooding. We encourage homeowners impacted by flooding to learn more about MAP and apply to the program if they think they might be eligible.”

Funding for MAP is contingent on federal funding, typically made available through a competitive application process once per year. Selection of applicants will depend on the availability of these federal funds.

Homeowners interested in MAP may learn more about the program and request an application at https://www.nj.gov/dca/ddrm/programs/mitigation.shtml on DCA’s website. While submitting an application does not guarantee financial assistance, it is a crucial step in expressing interest in home elevation and flood mitigation. Homeowners may also contact the Division of Disaster Recovery and Mitigation by emailing MitigationAssistance@dca.nj.gov or calling (609) 292-3750.

In addition to disaster recovery and mitigation, DCA offers a wide range of programs and services, including local government management and finance, affordable housing production, building safety, community planning and development, fire safety, and information privacy.

For more information about DCA, visit https://nj.gov/dca/.