Town of Fairfield News
1/24/2014 - Storm Sandy Applicatons Still Being Accepted
First Selectman Mike Tetreau announced today that the Intake Center at the Fairfield Senior Center is continuing to assist residents as well as those who are unable to visit the Intake Center with the application process for the Storm Sandy Community Development Block Grant –Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation and Rebuilding (OORR) Program.
Those residents experiencing difficulty in leaving their homes or are unable to visit the Intake Center can contact the Call Center and request an appointment. Intake Center staff will then meet a homeowner at their residence or another place of the applicant’s choosing with their mobile application intake units.
The intake counselor will be equipped with a laptop/tablet and a mobile scanner to assist applicants in completing their applications. Priority for this service will be given to elderly or disabled individuals. All intake counselors will have proper identification including a badge and business card to identify them as part of the CDBG-DR OORR program. To schedule an appointment with a mobile unit please call the Call Center at (866) 272-1976.
Residents will receive a phone call or visit to their homes only if they make an appointment with the Intake Center.
All residents affected by Storm Sandy are highly encouraged to make an appointment at the Intake Center which is temporarily set up at the Town’s Senior Center, 100 Mona Terrace, by calling the Program’s Call Center at 1-866-272-1976. The Call Center’s hours of operation are Monday through Saturday, 8 am to 10 pm. For quicker assistance, residents can stop by the Intake Center to make an appointment or seek help with their applications. The Fairfield Intake Center is available to assist residents in filling out and submitting their applications.
There is no established deadline for the applications by the Connecticut Department of Housing at this time. In early February 2014, the State will decide whether to close the Intake Center in Fairfield, but applications would still be accepted.
The hours of operation remain the same (9 am to 7 pm, Monday through Friday, and 9 am to 3:30 pm on Saturdays) EXCEPT for the following changes:
• Monday, January 20 - Martin Luther King Day: Intake Center is Closed
• Monday, February 17 - President’s Day: Intake Center is Closed
The Intake Center will be closed on all federal holidays.
First Selectman Tetreau said, “The Town of Fairfield is here to assist our residents who are still dealing with the aftermath of Storm Sandy. I highly encourage applicants to make an appointment with the mobile units or visit the Intake Center as soon as possible since this Program is based on a first-come, first-served basis.”
Last October, the Town announced that the State Department of Housing has allocated $30 million in federal funding for the (OORR) Program to support efforts to rebuild and renovate homes while addressing needs to prepare for future storms. The Program is geared toward residents with unmet needs from Storm Sandy. If eligible, Fairfield residents can receive assistance to rebuild and rehabilitate their homes damaged in the Storm. Fairfield residents who have experienced uninsured or uncovered losses as a result of Storm Sandy may be eligible for funding through this Program.
The State’s housing recovery programs are designed to meet the housing needs of residents in communities most impacted by Storm Sandy that are not covered by insurance, FEMA and any other sources of funding. The general objectives of the State's OORR Program includes: assisting people directly affected by Storm Sandy; replacing and rehabilitating their homes; identifying mitigation measures; and improving the resilience(s) of their homes.
The grant award for each eligible property ranges from $10,000 - $150,000. The State will contract with the homeowner, and general contractor for the approved scope of work. The assistance provided will be secured with a five-year Deferred Forgivable Promissory Note that bears no interest. If the homeowner sells, transfers, or vacates the property for any period of time during the term of the five year Note, the repayment terms will be enforced.
The online application can be accessed at http://sandyctapplication.com/. Background information on the program can be found in the State’s program fact sheet and application instructions, which outline eligibility requirements, at http://www.ct.gov/doh/cwp/view.asp?a=4513&Q=530630.