Oceanport Receives $30,000 For Post-Sandy Planning Efforts

By Christopher Sheldon

Oceanport has been given a $30,000 grant for post-Hurricane Sandy planning efforts.

The borough was one of 31 towns to receive Post-Sandy Planning Assistance Grants totaling $1.8 million on Tuesday. 

"The first round of grants is in response to applications from municipalities and counties that lost significant tax revenue due to Sandy and demonstrated how planning assistance will lead to greater community resilience," a release from the governor's office states. "The grants will help these local governments develop recovery plans that strategically address the issues that now confront them."

The grants are funded through Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery monies provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and were made available to towns that have experienced a ratable loss of at least 1% or $1 million due to the storm.

"Local governments can use the grants to hire licensed professional planners to help them develop long-term strategic recovery plans," the release states. "In addition, grant money can be specifically put towards community development and neighborhood plans, development of design standards specific to flood hazard areas, and development of codes, ordinances, standards and regulations necessary to implementing plans for resiliency and mitigation."

It is unknown what Oceanport plans to do with grant money at this time.