Trenton, NJ – Governor Chris Christie today announced that the federal government has extended public assistance to all 21 counties in New Jersey as a result of the impact of Hurricane Sandy, extending public assistance now to all 11 New Jersey counties not previously approved. This additional assistance comes in the aftermath of the historic hurricane, while joint Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDA) continue to take place in these 11 counties to determine eligibility for individual assistance.

Public Assistance Program funding is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by Hurricane Sandy.
Individuals impacted by Hurricane Sandy in the 10 counties previously approved for both public and individual assistance are encouraged to register with FEMA. Those counties include: Atlantic, Bergen, Cape May, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, Somerset and Union counties. Eligibility allows New Jerseyans to apply for different types of assistance, including temporary housing, repair, replacement or other needs such as Disaster Unemployment Assistance, and Small Business Administration disaster loans.
Register by phone at 800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 800-462-7585 for those with hearing or speech impairments. Specialists are standing by at the toll-free numbers seven days a week, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time, until further notice. Help in languages other than English is available. Or you can register online at http://www.disasterassistance.gov/. You can also apply through a web-enabled mobile device or smartphone by visiting http://m.fema.gov/ and following the link to “apply online for federal assistance.”