Ocean City, Housing Agencies Get HUD Stimulus Funds

NEWARK — Ocean City as well as housing authorities in Cape May, Ocean City and Wildwood were on a list of New Jersey entities to receive federal stimulus funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
HUD announced Tuesday, March 3 that it has allocated New Jersey over $300 million of the $10.1 billion already allocated to the agency through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Ocean City was one of 56 cities and counties in the state slated to receive HUD funding. Its share was $80,961.
Jim Rutala, Ocean City’s business administrator, told the Herald that the city would be focusing on two projects that improve access for the handicapped to the city’s beaches and community center. He said the funds were increases to an existing Community Development Block Grant program.
“These are funds that can be put to work right away for the city to improve barrier free access,” Rutala said. “They will also create jobs in the private sector.”
Receiving HUD funds were through the Public Housing Capital Fund Program were the following housing authorities:
• Cape May – $144,267
• Ocean City – $198,491
• Wildwood – $277,243
Nicholas Thompson, executive director of the Ocean City Housing Authority, told the Herald that his allocation would go to needed improvements at the authority’s two housing developments including the 40 family units and 20 senior units on 4th Street as well as the 61 high rise senior units at 635 West Ave.
He said possible projects include air conditioner work at the high rise, parking lot repaving, concrete, security camera and loading dock repairs.
Thompson said the funding comes with stipulations that it not be used for operational costs. He agreed with Rutala that the money would help create jobs but noted that many of these repair projects would still have to go out for public bid, so the impact would not be immediate.
According to a HUD release, the funding is primarily formula-based, meaning that it is allocated using set program criteria that do not require grantees to apply for the funds, allowing them to be allocated very quickly.
The release stated that this round of funding represented 75 percent of New Jersey’s HUD funding total. The remaining 25 percent of the funds, which will be competitively awarded later, will be used to build on the President’s priorities to promote green jobs and mitigate the destabilizing effects of foreclosures on communities.
“I am pleased to announce that we are moving swiftly to get these much-needed funds out to states and cities to create jobs and help stimulate our economy,” said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. “Recovery Act investments in HUD programs will be not just swift, but also effective: they will generate tens of thousands of jobs, help the families and communities hardest hit by the economic crisis, and modernize homes to make them energy efficient.”
Contact Hart at (609) 886-8600 Ext 35 or at: jhart@cmcherald.com