Page 37 - The Long Road Home

Denise Vaccaro sought refuge at a friend’s house in Metuchen when Superstorm Sandy hit her home in Lacey, New Jersey. After over a week, Denise finally got back to her house and saw the aftermath of the storm. Flood water, downed trees, electrical wire, and other debris covered the streets. She had heard about the “war zone” before she arrived, but finally saw the devastation with her own eyes. “There was about 3-4 feet of water in my home. Mud everywhere. Sheds gone. Trees down.
“The sense of loss was overwhelming.” Not long after, she got in touch with FEMA to begin recovery. “I only got $29,000 in flood insurance, even though the town determined that my house was substantially damaged.” Private contractors estimated $64,000- $69,000 to repair, but even that didn’t include the cost to rebuild or elevate. The RREM program accepted Denise’s application, but they determined Denise’s home was a total loss and needed to be rebuilt from scratch. “It was really hard to let go of my home. So many of my belongings lost forever.” Denise was relieved to be one of the first survivors to be approved in the RREM program but anxious about next steps. She describes dealing with RREM’s legal requirements and the paperwork process as “mentally and emotionally exhausting.”
DENISE VACCARO LACEY, NEW JERSEY
Four years after the storm, and two and a half years after being admitted into the RREM program, Denise was able to get her certificate of occupancy and move back home. Denise thought she finally had her life back in order, but then she was hit with a FEMA clawback for $1,034. Shortly after, she got a letter from the RREM program, asking her to pay back $14,174. The letter didn’t give her a clear explanation of why she owed money, or offer a way for her to appeal the determination. Instead, RREM asked her to sign and send back the letter with a cashier’s check payable to the State of NJ. Five years in, Denise is disappointed that this is happening to Sandy survivors. “I’ve been working in the construction business in the administrative field for a long time and understand how the process is supposed to work. I did everything by the books, so this clawback is a complete shock to me. I’ve been recently laid off, and I don’t have $14,000 to give back to the RREM program.” Since receiving the notice, Denise has been trying to respond with more information and documentation. She’s heard from a non-profit who has been assisting her that her clawback may be reduced or eliminated.
NEW JERSEY RESOURCE PROJECT
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