On September 1st, the remnants of Hurricane Ida brought historic rain and flooding to New Jersey, causing widespread devastation to communities, homes, and businesses. As part of the ongoing relief efforts, my office has dedicated this page to sharing important information as well as state and federal resources available to those impacted by the storm. For specific information related to your municipality and county, we encourage you to monitor updates from your county emergency management offices. We will regularly update this page as additional information and resources become available; in the meantime, my office also stands ready to assist you and your loved ones in any way possible.
About the FEMA Major Disaster Declaration
On September 6, 2021, President Biden approved Major Disaster Declarations for New Jersey. The incident period for both declarations is from September 1-3, 2021, and authorizes FEMA to provide federal disaster assistance to impacted areas. Visit FEMA’s official NJ Hurricane Ida Disaster Page here: https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4614
The type of federal assistance available in New Jersey may vary depending on your county and whether your county was officially declared a major disaster. The New Jersey Office of Emergency Management (NJOEM), a state office, is working with FEMA to conduct preliminary damage assessments in counties all over New Jersey to determine which counties should qualify for a MDD. Once preliminary damage assessments are completed in a given county, the NJOEM will submit an application to FEMA requesting the declaration. FEMA will then review the request and determine whether the request is approved. FEMA and NJOEM continue to conduct these assessments and are approving qualifying counties on a rolling basis.
NJ Counties with approved Major Disaster Declarations
Updated: 9/10/2021
Bergen County
Essex County
Gloucester County
Hudson County
Hunterdon County
Mercer County
Middlesex County
Passaic County
Somerset County
Union County
*NOTE: Additional MDD Counties will be announced on a rolling basis. Please continue to check back for updates.
**Source: https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4614/designated-areas
About Disaster Assistance
Federal disaster assistance from FEMA may be available for certain expenses which are not covered by insurance policies (Homeowner, Renter, Flood, etc.) or from active Voluntary Agencies/Mass Care (emergency food, shelter, clothing, medical, etc.) NOTE: Because FEMA assistance covers expenses that aren’t covered by insurance, please contact your insurance company first, before submitting an application to FEMA. For counties with major disaster declarations, this can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the impact of Hurricane Ida. Please view the below fact sheets for information on the different types of assistance.
Individual Assistance Fact Sheet
Disaster Assistance Sequence of Delivery Fact Sheet
Public Assistance Fact Sheet (for units of government)
Apply for Federal Assistance
If/when your county receives a Major Disaster Declaration, you may apply for individual assistance from FEMA. Please be sure to read the above Sequence of Delivery Fact Sheet.
How to Apply to FEMA
For individuals, determine if you are eligible and apply in any one of these 3 ways:
Online: https://www.disasterassistance.gov/
Phone: (800) 621-3362 | TTY: (800) 462-7585
Through the FEMA App: Apple | Android
Tips for Applying
When you apply for assistance, have the following information readily available:A current phone number where you can be contactedYour address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying Your Social Security number, if available A general list of damage and losses If insured, the policy number or the agent and/or the company name Remember to document everything – take photos and document all damages and keep all receipts related to cleanup and repairs.
Reporting Damage – Residents Outside of a Designated County
In addition to applying for federal assistance, you can report damage caused by the storm to the State of New Jersey by visiting https://nj.gov/ida. Residents outside of the already designated MDD Counties can use this state-operated portal to record name, location, damages, cost, and need. This portal is NOT the same for applying for federal assistance from FEMA or any other federal agency.
Apply for Assistance from the Small Business Administration
SBA Disaster Assistance Flyer
SBA Disaster Assistance Fact Sheet
Hoja de Datos de la Agencia Federal Para El Desarrollo de la Pequeña Empresa Préstamos Para Desastres
The US Small Business Administration (SBA) offers low-interest, long-term disaster loans to homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and non-profits to repair or replace property damaged by Hurricane Ida. The interest rate for homeowners and renters is as low as 1.563% with terms up to 30 years.
Bergen County:
Bergen County College - Phillip Ciarco Jr. Learning Center, 355 Main Street, Hackensack
Mon - Fri: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Somerset County:
Somerset County Business Partnership Building,
360 Grove Street, Bridgewater
Mon – Fri 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Other Resources
Red Cross: People in need of emergency assistance from the Red Cross can call: (800) RED-CROSS or (800) 507-6058. For people who have been displaced, please use the Red Cross website to find a shelter near you.
State of New Jersey: Visit the State’s central portal for Hurricane Ida information and resources, including reporting damage, recent news/announcements, hotlines, assistance kits, helpful tips, and much more: https://nj.gov/idaFor questions or to get help from Senator Menendez’s office, please visit: https://www.menendez.senate.gov/services/help or call (973) 645-3030.
Donations/Volunteerism: If you wish to assist with the recovery efforts, you should check in with your local governments/orgs first, or visit FEMA’s Volunteer/Donate page.