Blue Acres Program

PURPOSE OF FUNDING
To move households out of harm’s way by buying out flood-prone, flood-damaged houses, and to preserve the vacated lands as flood storage buffers against future flooding

APPLICATION 
https://njdepwptest.net/blueacres/homeowners/

APPLICATION DEADLINE 
Rolling

Applications are kept on file and selected for buyout implementation funding according to the timing of federal grant notices. Homeowner applications might not be considered for selection if they are not already on file at the time of a federal notice of funding.

NOTIFICATION DATE
Notification dates for funding are based on federal notices.

SOURCE OF FUNDING 
HUD Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery Program (CDBG-DR), FEMA Flood Mitigation Assistance Grant Program (FMA), FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), NJ Blue Acres – CBT Emergency Buyout Program

STATUTORY CITATION 
NJ P.L. 1995, c.204; P.L. 1997, c.283; P.L. 2007, c.119; P.L. 2009, c.117s

WHO IS ELIGIBLE 
All New Jersey homeowners are eligible to apply to DEP for a buyout. Submitting this application is a non-binding expression of interest in a buyout.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR CONSIDERATION 
Applicant must be a homeowner in the state of New Jersey.

GRANT LIMITATIONS 
Maximum award depends on the grant pool / funding source that the applicant is in.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES 
Applicant should fill out an application with the requested information. The Blue Acres team will reach out if any funding opportunities are available for a homeowner. Local governments will be contacted if homeowner applicants in their jurisdictions are selected.

NOTE: Local governments may request information from the Blue Acres team at any time.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 
njdepwptest.net/blueacres/local_governments

What is Blue Acres? New Jersey DEP program aims to help homeowners impacted by increasing flooding – CBS Philadelphia (cbsnews.com)

FOR MORE INFORMATION 
blueacres@dep.nj.gov
(609) 940-4140