Page 31 - The Long Road Home

primary homes. In response, NJOP, a coalition of 42 Sandy recovery groups, and elected officials successfully advocated for an extension, which went into effect in March of 2016.38 This next iteration of RAP was extended to 12 months, and expanded to assist families in the RREM and LMI programs even if they were not making mortgage payments. This was particularly helpful for retirees or those living on a fixed income.
SHRAP and RAP have provided significant relief for Sandy- impacted homeowners, but the gaps between programs, and the delays of granting extensions of programs, took a toll on families struggling to return home permanently.
Health Impacts
Many of those impacted by Sandy struggled with new or worsening health problems in the aftermath of the storm.
Those facing delays in rebuilding were often forced to live in unsafe conditions that exposed them to mold or asbestos. Others experienced heart attacks and strokes likely brought on by stress, dehydration, and lack of access to preventative medication and treatments.39 Still others began experiencing increased anxiety and stress over the financial burden of repairing their homes. In a review of Medicare claims before and after
Sandy, researchers found that depression screenings doubled in the year after Sandy for the ten counties most impacted by the storm, that both alcohol/ substance abuse and PTSD increased by eight percent, and that anxiety disorders increased by nearly six percent.40 In another study, researchers found that, two years after the storm, a full 29.5 percent of residents who experienced structural damage to their homes suffered
*For full survey results, please consult the appendix.
57% (104)
RENTAL ASSITANCE NEW JERSEY RESOURCE PROJECT
18%
STILL DISPLACED
At the time of survey
TWENTY -SEVEN PERCENT
UNSURE
of how much longer they will require rental assistance.
RECEIVED RENTAL
ASSISTANCE RECEIVED
31